Reviews & Ratings for
Gorillas in the Mist More at IMDbPro »Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey (original title)

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56 reviews in total

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31 out of 34 people found the following review useful:
A wonderful portrayal of one woman's dream, 10 January 2001

Author: GilraenEstel from Birmingham, England

Who was Dian Fossey? Enviromental enthusiast? Insane eco-warrior? Or both?

Gorillas In The Mist is the story of this extraordinary woman whose work with Mountain Gorillas in Congo, and subsequently Rwanda, quite possibly saved these beautiful creatures from extinction. Her hard work and determination in studying these wonderful animals led to an amazing living arrangement with them.

How simply amazing must it be to touch, play and hold hands with a silverback Gorilla in the wilds of Africa? How would it feel to find that same silverback with his head, hands and feet cut off by poachers? To be frank, these gorillas were Dian Fossey's children - each had a name, each had their own unique trait - so it is hardly surprising that she became a little possessive and started treating the animals as her own. The horrors that she experienced on those mountains would send anyone mad.

Sigourney Weaver is simply superb as Fossey, portraying her hard work and gradual decline into insanity with that touch that only a few actresses possess. Her chemistry with co-star Bryan Brown adds to the feel of the film and the fact that she was brave enough to go anywhere near real gorillas is fascinating. To be fair, the two hours do drag a little, but Weaver is talented enough to carry the film through it.

Weaver once said "I only get the parts that Meryl [Streep] passes up" but to be honest, I couldn't imagine this brilliant woman being played by anyone else but Sigourney.

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18 out of 21 people found the following review useful:
Inspiring, moving, provoking and educational., 26 October 2004
Author: aaronnz from New Zealand

Based on Dian Fossey's own autobiography, this true life story is inspiring and has helped these amazing animals in many ways by waking us up to their plight. Originally Dian herself was helping to make the film, until she was murdered and the production team had to go back and start it all over again several years later in 1988.

I am aware she did complete a degree when she returned to the USA in 1980 and wrote her book, which was published in 1983, and then revised in 1985. She returned to Africa in to help the gorillas and was murdered in 1984/1985 I believe near Christmas.

She may have done things that weren't ethical according to some, though her plight to save the gorilla came first.

This movie does give a fairly accurate but slightly toned down version of the events, which took place, though there were a few changes in details. It would be impossible to fit 13 years of events into just over one and a half hours of footage. So I think Hollywood did a good job.

The main alterations, leaving out some of the details of horrific animal abuse that would have otherwise pushed the rating up to an R16 and probably left any animal lover in tears. The details they left out as well may have made the film a little to shocking for the chief censors.

The special effects makeup, I believe done by Rick Baker, and real gorilla footage is seamless, making it hard to tell which parts were real gorillas and which are very well created costumes.

After purchasing the DVD I now realize they had Dian Fossey's original tracker with them to help with the film.

All up I think this film gives us just enough drama, action and thrills to make it a hit. I think Sigorney Weaver should have won an academy award for this especially considering how brave she was to film on location with real gorilla right next to her.

This movie has inspired myself to change my career path and am also reading the book, which I would recommend for anyone who wants to see how much more horrific the events were in reality.

This movie is a must see, who knows it may even change your life.

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11 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
A story of survival, heart break and Gorillas in theMist, 5 November 2000
Author: Matt (matay19) from Melbourne, Australia

This amazing film inspired me to do something, to somehow involve myself in the rescue attempt of one of Mother Natures most cherished possesions, Animals.

This inspiring tale is a true story and is based in the Congo region of Africa, where Dian Fossey (Sigourney Weaver), is sent to find more information about the little known, Mountain Gorillas.

Dian starts as a bystander pleading to be sent for the trip to Africa in-order to help in some way or form. And boy does she finish wrapped in the core of the Mountain Gorillas chance of survival.

Dian Faces love, war, and poachers and beats them of one by one as her courage and determination prevails, she is truly an icon, a lady to be remembered.

This is made possible by the outstanding performance of Sigourney Weaver who amazingly succeeds in portraying this strong willed; complex character. Sigourney is an fantastically gifted actor and shows us this in this movie.

A must see, a winner, Go Sigourney!

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13 out of 18 people found the following review useful:
Not boring at all, 19 March 2001

Author: manuelvillalta from indianapolis, in

despite what other people might say this movie was not boring at all, it had beautiful acting, specially from Mrs. Weaver, beautiful cinematography and a strong story, just because the movie had a very sad and not expected ending it doesn't make it boring, give it a chance, we might be just giving our personal opinions. please make your own.

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6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
very fine movie "based on" the life of Primate expert Dian Fossey, 20 March 2007

Author: disdressed12 from Canada

this movie is based on the life of Dian Fossey and her work with the gorillas in a remote part of Africa."based on" usually means that some of the content is true and parts of it are fictionalized for dramatic effect.for sure Dian Fossey did work with gorillas in Africa and was instrumental in the increase of their population.some of the details may have been altered,but the gist of the story is true.i thought it was a very entertaining,touching and heartbreaking story.i think Sigourney weaver did a great job as Dian Fossey.she really brought some passion to the character.the movie was also thought provoking and i actually became angry more than a few times about some of the incidents that occurred.i find it rare to become so actively involved with a movie nowadays.for me "Gorillas in the Mist" is at a strong 8/10

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12 out of 18 people found the following review useful:
Anyone who loves animals must see this film...., 28 September 2006

Author: MarieGabrielle from United States

While this film may have taken certain creative license with some facts, this story is important and upsetting. Many people in the US are still not aware of the poaching issues, the wild horses that are being sold for profit now, and many horrific things that still go on, simply because animals have no one to protect their rights.

This film is upsetting and sad, but also beautiful. To see the silver back gorillas, how gentle they are to each other, and see Sigourney Weaver as Dian Fossey, who attempted to communicate and understand them.

It is sometimes difficult to learn what inhumanity man is capable of; against both humans and animals. But by learning about this issue, one may be galvanized into learning more, joining a humane association, or teaching their children to respect animals. Animals, especially in the wild are also God's creatures, and deserve to be respected. 10/10.

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9 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
THE ENVIRONMENTAL WARS, 25 November 2004

Author: FerdyRSB2004 from Santiago de Chile (South Am.)

ON New Year's Day 1978, a researcher on patrol in Rwanda's Park of the Volcanoes found the mutilated body of a male gorilla in the forest undergrowth. It was a gruesome sight. The body had multiple stab wounds from spear thrusts, and had been grossly mutilated. Like the victim of some bizarre torso murderer, the young silverback gorilla's head and both its hands had been savagely hacked off and carried away.

That event made headlines all over the world, because the gorilla was called Digit, a name given by the dedicated American scientist, Dian Fossey. She had known Digit since birth, 10 years before.

This fact would be the inspiration for the film "Gorillas in the mist: the story of Dian Fossey.

(Source: "The Environmental Wars" by David Day, a Greenpeace member).

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2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
A Magnificent Movie; Heart-Breaking Yet Hopeful; Sigourney Weaver At Her Best, 28 July 2003

Author: sddavis63 (revsdd@gmail.com) from Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Like most movie buffs, I have seen Sigourney Weaver in a variety of roles and genres, from "Ghostbusters" to "Alien" to "A Map Of The World" among others, and yet I don't think I have ever seen her offer a better performance than in "Gorillas In The Mist," in which she plays fanatical gorilla researcher and protector Dian Fossey. Fossey's life - and ultimately her tragic and violent death - leaps out from the screen through Weaver, as we watch her evolve from the uncertain and inexperienced assistant to the great anthropologist Louis Leakey to the committed expert on these marvelous creatures, sometimes going over the top in her quest to save them. Be warned of some possible spoilers ahead.

The movie is absolutely heart-breaking in places. The terrified mother gorilla trying to save her baby as the tree they've climbed is cut down by poachers; Fossey's anguished cries of "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," to the baby she nursed back to health only to have to turn her over to zookeepers; the horrible death of Digit. I have to confess that each of these scenes brought a few tears to my eyes. And yet the basic gentleness and nobility of the gorilla is brought out as well, and the movie ends on a sad yet hopeful note. Fossey is murdered - certainly by the poachers she opposed for years - but her body is buried beside her beloved Digit, and the gorillas (even Digit's group) live on and increase in number.

The movie contains strong supporting performances from Bryan Brown as National Geographic photographer Bob Campbell, with whom Fossey falls in love but for whom she won't leave her gorillas, from John Omirah Miluwi as Sembagare, Fossey's gentle guide through the African jungles to Iain Cuthbertson who was perfectly believable as Louis Leakey.

This is spectacular. From the photography to the acting to the reality behind the story. I honestly can't come up with a flaw.

10/10

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2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Fossey: The True Nightmare of Africa, 11 October 2001
Author: Rob Deschenes (kalibur@softhome.net) from Toronto, Ont. Canada

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

SPOILERS IN THE THIRD PARAGRAPH

If one thing could be said about GORILLAS, it would be to watch it for them and them only. Do not get me wrong, the scenery is also something to enjoy and the story does attract you, but Dian Fossey is beyond a shadow of a doubt one of the most crazed, bitter and confused heroines this generation will see in some time. Her antics, kept subtle but existing in the first half, completely explode towards the end as she tries to shift the balance of nature and business in Africa.

Based on a true story, we get to know Dian Fossey as she leaves her cozy life behind to pursue a census on mountain gorillas. Her 'passion' for the animals turns into an all out effort to save the nearly extinct species.

The scenery is nice and the gorillas are great wonders to look at. Dian Fossey is not one person you can always look up to. I guess she forgot about her engagement when she went ape all over the photographer. Her mission to establish herself as a 'witch,' while burning people's homes and frightening little kids albeit establishes herself as a savior to gorillas in her mind. Nevertheless, no one but Sembagare is likeable for the characters but GORILLAS IN THE MIST pulls through on good storytelling and acting.

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3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
National Geographic Channel Has Documentary On Her, 1 June 2003
Author: Dan1965

Check out the National Geographic channel's documentary on the real Fossey I just saw a few days ago when it's on again. She was indeed "that wacko", arguably. They show her putting on Halloween masks to try to scare away the poachers (in the doc.) She wasn't a scientist of primates and knew nothing about gorillas when she went to Africa except that she wanted to study and live with them. Her lack of scientific credentials certainly shouldn't be looked upon as the sole/direct cause of her behavior. --Others in her situation would not necessarily have acted the way she did. In fact posthumously, she probably deserves an honorary degree for her pioneering work in the culturo-anthropological study of primates, if she hasn't been given one already. But her true legacy is one of activism and martyrdom for the mountain gorillas' preservation.

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