4K UHD Review – Congo

In 1993, there was "Jurassic Park." The feature was born to become event cinema, putting director Steven Spielberg to work transforming a Michael Crichton book into a must-see movie, and even better, the effort delivered on a huge scale. It was a technical marvel and a thrilling ride, and because "Jurassic Park" fulfilled its monetary and creative potential, Hollywood clearly wanted another one. "Congo" is also based on a Crichton book, and one that returns to the deep jungle to revisit exploration and animal threats, but there's no Spielberg to be found here. Instead, there's Frank Marshall, Spielberg's trusty producer who helped bring classics such as "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Poltergeist" pass the finish line. Marshall's directorial career started with promise, finding some sensitivity in 1993's "Alive," and he channeled his boss's way with suspense in 1990's "Arachnophobia." "Congo" seems like a slam-dunk production, but the dino odyssey was smoothly crafted and superbly acted. The gorilla chiller is clunky, campy, and strangely ineffective when summoning big screen thrills. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com