Gorillas in the Mist (1988) User Reviews

great compelling biopic

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 16 November 2013]

Dian Fossey (Sigourney Weaver) brow beats Dr. Louis Leakey into letting go into the jungle to research mountain gorillas. She's joined by a local guide Sembagare and a National Geographic photographer Bob Campbell (Bryan Brown).

It's a well biopic from director Michael Apted of an amazing woman and an amazing life. The performances are first class. Sigourney Weaver is able to project a certain self confidence in the character.

The other thing I want to mention is the realism of the gorilla suits. It is hard to tell the difference between the real thing and the suits. It's of the utmost importance because we wouldn't want to be hampered by 'Planet of Apes' retreads.

An incredible story about an incredible woman.

[Shopaholic35 · 8/10 · 22 February 2014]

This movie shows you how far we have come with species preservation, even if we still have a way to go. Although I was vaguely aware of Dian Fossey's work I had no idea how crucial she was to the conservation efforts of the beautiful Gorillas. It saddens you that some people are so money hungry that previously we were heading towards extinction for many animals, not just gorillas.

Sigourney Weaver is fantastic in this movie and immerses herself in the role. You feel her characters passion and respect her efforts with placing herself in dangerous conditions so she can carry out important research. She never gives up and refuses to be defeated.

This is a very emotional movie that encourages you to respect the earth and all the living creatures on it. I promise that you will not be disappointed and you may even learn something.

very fine movie "based on" the life of Primate expert Dian Fossey

[disdressed12 · 8/10 · 20 March 2007]

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

Inspiring, moving, provoking and educational.

[aaronnz · 26 October 2004]

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.

Not boring at all

[manuelvillalta · 7/10 · 19 March 2001]

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.

Dian Fossey, guerilla conservationist

[Mr-Fusion · 7/10 · 5 August 2017]

Biopic seems to be the go-to description for "Gorillas in the Mist", but that's a misconception. It only focuses on Fossey's time in the mountains of Africa, and there's an awful lot of material that's glossed over (character motivations, primarily). It's a frustrating script in that respect.

But the movie succeeds where it has to, mainly in the scenes with Sigourney Weaver (superb in the role) spending time with the gorillas and earning their trust. Weave exudes tremendous heart, and despite the movie's problems, it can be extremely touching.

It's a testament to her talent.

7/10

A story worth telling

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 8 August 2011]

One reviewer called this film 'superficial' and I can't really disagree with him: it tells a simple, true-life story about a white woman who pioneered research into the life of mountain gorillas in darkest Africa. There isn't a great deal or depth or moralising here. Instead, what you see is what you get - an interesting, evocative and sometimes compelling story of mankind's relationship with nature.

The film has strengths and weaknesses evenly distributed. Of course, the gorillas are the real stars of the show here (no disrespect to Sigourney Weaver, turning in another Ripley-esque tough-as-nails performance) and whenever they're on screen, the film comes to life. The film isn't afraid to tug at the heartstrings when poachers come into the plot, but that's fine by me.

Where the film doesn't work is in its attempts at Hollywood convention. The real life of Dian Fossey - including her mysterious death - just doesn't tie up neatly into a package. Hence we get the shoehorned-in romantic subplot involving an extraneous Bryan Brown. Nonetheless, GORILLAS IN THE MIST is worth seeing and far more enlightening than most nature documentaries you see on TV any night of the week.

A wonderful portrayal of one woman's dream

[GilraenEstel · 10/10 · 10 January 2001]

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.

Gorillas in the Mist

[lasttimeisaw · 7/10 · 27 February 2012]

This biographical portrait of Dian Fossey is a meticulously organized character-study work from a strenuous team behind it. The film unscrupulously binds Dian's unusual adventure with an alluring prospect of mystery gorillas' daily lives.

Director Michael Apted chooses a slight mawkish route to expose Dian's journey in the African mountains, channeling the ups-and-downs of her inner state, eventually evolving into an almost lunatic status dragging by her incurable fixation towards the creature. The latter part of the film, when Dian dare to sacrifice anything to protect her gorillas, debatably it has an utmost joy to find something worth dying for, which most of us is still looking for and possibly we will never get it.

At large the film is demystified to watch, apart from a few unavoidably horrendous scenes of massacring the primates. But a top-form Sigourney Weaver alone merits the viewing, even for sundry OTT segments, she carries the impetus all the way till her very last scene, her fully- committed devotion is an exact paragon of a n assiduous actor bringing through a so-so film to an award-worthy stature. Ms. Weaver gleaned two Oscar nominations that year (another is for supporting actress in WORKING GIRL 1988), but miserably ended both hands empty, a mishap later would fall upon my goddess Julianne Moore in 2003. And Sigourney haven't been nominated since and it's a jinx I wish Ms. Moore is not being affected (but the subsequent snubs of A SINGLE MAN 2009 and THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT 2010 are severely swaying my belief).

Back to the film, it has a genuine empathy for whoever holds a heart for the beauty of nature and the fondness for animals. Regardless of Dian's possessed mental overload, her heroic story has effectively rescued the specie from the verge of extinction is the sturdy truth which is recommendable and admirable, maybe the film will be a perfect textbook for high school students and may the world shows bountiful mercy to the afflicted land of Africa.

A Magnificent Movie; Heart-Breaking Yet Hopeful; Sigourney Weaver At Her Best

[sddavis63 · 10/10 · 28 July 2003]

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

Interesting character study

[gallenm1 · 7/10 · 3 July 2003]

This film documents the life of Dian Fossey, from the beginning of her work with the mountain gorillas to her decline into obsession and psychotic behavior. The film has wonderful special effects and great scenery. Furthermore, Weaver gives a marvelous performance as Fossey, making her descent into madness all too believable. The film does have some flaws, though. Julie Harris actually only appears for five minutes in the film (which disappointed me, since she received an honorary degree from my school.) Furthermore, the African actor who plays Fossey's guide has a larger role than either Harris or Bryan Brown, yet is listed further down in the credits. Finally, the film tries to put a happy spin on what is actually a tragic story, and tries to justify Fossey's actions.

Was emotionally stirring, and inspiring.

[eviestar · 9/10 · 25 June 2001]

This movie was emotionally stirring, and inspiring. This movie is about someone very brave who saw a terrible problem and tried to do something about it. Not just fussed about it, but actually DID something. The movie is hard for a tender hearted person to take sometimes, but it will inspire you to get out there and make a difference. I had tears streaming down my face the first time I watched...and the second and third time too. There should be many more movies like this made.

Gorillas In The Mist

[mandie77fishe · 7/10 · 2 May 2005]

Action is not always a good key to a movie. Caring and compassion is one thing that really gets my attention as a viewer. Gorillas in the Mist was a movie that showed one ladies determination to save a animal that she loved. The beloved mountain gorillas. She left her boyfriend, flew half way around that world and risked her life for these beautiful creatures. In the movie she gets kicked out off of one side of the mountain. and finds determination to go back to the mountains. Dian Fossey came across a big problem and tried to fix it. There was many gorillas getting killed by poachers. She got Anti poaching teams and tried to save many of them. She spent most of her life up there In the mountains studying there habits and there ways of life. While living up on the mountain she met a man who worked for the National Geographic magazine. Well after many years of fighting these poachers she was eventually killed just like some of her beloved gorillas that she studied her whole life. This movie has fun loving parts and tough get down to business parts. but it is a movie that i fairly enjoined.

**SPOILER WARNING**The Myths and Errors Abound!

[artzau · 5/10 · 29 June 2001]

First of all, I'm an anthropologist who had the (dis)pleasure of meeting the late Dian Fossey in Africa in 1976. She was nothing like the character given to us by Sigourney Weaver. In terms of what is presented in the film, based largely on her book by the same title, she was a loner, a sociopath and a thoroughly unpleasant person with no tolerance for the opinions or views of others that did not square with hers. No, she did not deserve to be brutally murdered as she was in 1986. But, she did relate to the gorillas and related passionately. This much in the film was true. I won't go into all the sordid details because it serves no purpose. Reading the reviews here, most viewers came away with an appreciation for the destruction of the mountain gorilla, their habitat and their species. Dian Fossey for all her faults ranted and raved against the injustice of it all and tried in her maniacal way to do something about it. We can criticize her for her complete lack of people skills but her work as a careful observer of gorilla behavior and as a skillful photographer will endure long after we have forgotten what a pain she was personally. By the way, the late Louis S.B. Leakey, like Dian Fossey, never completed a doctorate. Not that they needed it. Leakey was a great showman, fantastic fund raiser and both were passionate about Africa. Leakey, his wife, son and now, ex-daughter-in-law, have contributed greatly to our understanding of fossil hominids. Leakey was arguing humans evolved in Africa long before it was fashionable. Not only that, Leakey was the one who got a shy,soft-spoken English girl to go out and observe chimpanzees. Jane Goodall has contributed greatly to our understanding of the role these close relatives of out play in helping us understand human evolution. Dian Fossey's work, while not great in terms of its theoretical contributions, has nevertheless made most of us aware of the issues facing the preservation of the mountain gorilla. The movie? Well, there are some facts in it...even if they're highly romanticized and a bit distorted.

A story of survival, heart break and Gorillas in theMist

[matay19 · 5 November 2000]

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!

Solid, but doesn't go deep enough into anything

[moviesleuth2 · 6/10 · 21 November 2007]

Dian Fossey was definitely a strange person, that much is certain. "Gorrillas in the Mist" aptly conveys that, though it could have been more.

The only real problem is the lack of depth. The pacing is great, especially given the long history it's telling. Even though it is a little long as it is, I think that more insight could have been useful, especially when it comes to Dian's relationship with the gorilla Digit. As someone who previously knew some background on Dian, I can't say for certain how the average person would have seen the relationship between Dian and Digit (it was nothing weird at all, if that causes worry), but the short time devoted to the connection between the two probably wouldn't have given it justice, especially when compared to the other parts of Dian's life. I think another person with no prior knowledge of Dian or Digit would have thought her as weird as everyone else who knew her. Maybe that's what director Michael Apted wanted, though I highly doubt it given his attention to Dian's aggressive conservation methods.

Finally, the ending is rather peculiar. It makes Dian look like a heroine, which in a way she was, as much of her research did help save the mountain gorillas from extinction. It has the adorable images of gorillas in their natural setting set to heroic memoriam music, the kind that one uses after telling the story of a fallen hero. However, this isn't such a clear cut issue. I realize that recognizing her as that is in the eye of the beholder, but even so, some of her methods were quite cruel, and especially towards the end, she wasn't a likable person at all. Additionally, it leaves a lot of the science part out (though given the target audience, this decision was probably made with good intentions). However, her methods of research were controversial, as most scientists believe that human interference should be avoided at all costs. But Dian took a radically different approach. She studied them in order to get close to them, which gave her a different perspective on their behavior.

That being said, there are many parts of this film that do work. Sigourney Weaver is terrific as Dian Fossey, encompassing her soft side and her love of the gorillas, as well as her portrayal of Dian's dark side, with her explosive and near psychotic temperament. But she can't hold this movie alone. The script (especially the character) don't allow for a great deal of sympathy for Dian. In the end, I was left thinking she was a nutcase who did a lot of good things, as well as bad things. Also, she was very successful at conveying Dian's struggle with the atmosphere due to health problems, though the movie doesn't explain why.

The supporting cast is great. Bryan Brown is the likable Aussie photographer who makes his relationship with Dian very believable--he loves her, even though he thinks she's a little off her rocker. John Omirah Miluwi is terrific as her sympathetic tracker. He likes her enough that he'll support her through everything, and effectively portrays the character who brings her back to reality when she needs it (which is quite often) without seeming cliché or irritating. Sometimes he seems like a father figure who is happy when his daughter is happy. He's the only person who really seems to understand Dian, which makes it easier to connect with Dian. In a sense, he's the much-needed link between Dian and the audience, so it's good that he shares the screen with Weaver almost 50/50.

The production is brilliant as well. Apted makes the scenery beautiful, but he doesn't portray is as exotic as some fantasy safari, which it wasn't. He plays it straight, which is as it should be. This was about all parts of Dian, and just Dian alone. Therefore any weird and inventive camera or other kinds of tricks were not needed and thankfully were not used. The gorillas were the part that worked flawlessly. It was impossible to tell which were real or which were fake without considering that some of the close-ups had to be people in gorilla suits. Still, they moved and acted flawlessly.

Even with it's faults, "Gorillas in the Mist" is a great film, with an interesting character study of a woman who is no doubt one of the most influential figures in ape research and conservation.

Gorillas in the Mist

[jboothmillard · 7/10 · 3 August 2011]

I saw a few clips of this on a countdown show, and I knew eventually that was not a fictional story, so I was certainly up for it, from Michael Apted (Coal Miner's Daughter, Extreme Measures, The World Is Not Enough). Based on the true story, Dian Fossey (Golden Globe winning, and scar nominated Sigourney Weaver) is the woman from Kentucky fascinated with studying animals, especially with primates, she is particularly inspired by the work of anthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey (Iain Cuthbertson). With the permission of Leakey she travels to deepest Africa to start her work studying these fascinating creatures, living in a Rwandan village with the loyal people who live close to where the primates settle. Soon enough in the jungle Dian and her helpers come across a group of rare mountain gorillas, and she begins to study them in very close proximity, and they do not seem to be bothered or feel threatened, she learns to find communication. But her passion for the safety and protection of the primates seems to preoccupy her, she becomes easily angered by poachers and others who disturb, and she misses out on a romance with National Geographic photographer Bob Campbell (Bryan Brown). Dian complains to the Rwandan government that the poaching is going on because it is the only way for the country to survive, and after they refuse to help she dedicates her time to making poaching illegal and ending possible extinction. Besides starting anti-poaching groups and charities, she also burns down found poachers huts, and does a mock hanging on one of them as a brutal warning, but her good work did do good for her beloved gorillas. In the end though she was mysteriously murdered with a blow to the head by some tool that was identified as belonging to the poachers, the mystery apparently remains unsolved. Also starring Julie Harris as Roz Carr, John Omirah Miluwi as Sembagare, Constantin Alexandrov as Van Vecten, Waigwa Wachira as Mukara, Iain Glen as Brendan, David Lansbury as Larry, Maggie O'Neill as Kim, Konga Mbandu as Rushemba and Michael J. Reynolds as Howard Dowd. Weaver gives a very credible performance as the woman who gets up close with the primates, really bonds with them, and is overly passionate for their well-being, obviously there are the subtle moments that have been fictionalised for excitement and intrigue, whatever, but the story is most worthwhile, the music is really good, and the scenes with Weaver and real gorillas makes for great viewing, a most worthwhile biographical drama. Sigourney Weaver was number 20 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Film Editing, Best Music for Maurice Jarre, Best Sound and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, it was nominated the BAFTA for Best Cinematography, and it won the Golden Globe for Best Original Score, and it was nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama. Very good!

The life of Dian Fossey , world-renowned expert on African Gorilla, and animal rights activist

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 26 April 2022]

An engaging tale based on facts about Dian Fossey from her pioneering contact with mountain gorillas to her sad death , it is full of drama , fights , passion , emotion , romance and taking charge of it from start of finish , adding an inspiring and emotional ending .The movie is fundamentally Sigourney Weaver and his apes , they come out as both winners and winning . Weaver is utterly adequate as the increasingly obsessed Fossey , but the role moves away from us , just as we need to see and understand more about her . Regarding the entertaining story of Dian Fossey , a brave American woman who left everything she knew and entered a world few have ever seen , and defending her Gorillas at whatever cost , including coercion , threat and violence , at time . To save a wonderous creature from the cruelty of men, she went further than anyone dared. The intrepid woman studied , cared befriended and protected mountain gorillas in the wilds of Africa !. Some say she went too far. In a land of beauty , wonder and danger, she would follow a dream , fall in love and risk her life to save the mountain gorillas from extinction !. At the far ends of the earth she found a reason to live, and a cause to fight for !. They were beautiful !.

An interesting and amusing story of a valiant and dominant woman that doesn't have too many faults . The picture is pretty well , though relies heavily on a slight over-emphasis on Fossey's affair with a wildlife photographer , but they are far outweighed by its virtues . As Sigourney Weaver is magnificent as Dian Fossey , the obstinate activist who'll stop at nothing at defence his gorillas resulting in her death at the hands of poachers .You could imagine no more suitable actress to portray a stubborn woman who fiercely defends her gorillas from corrupt poachers , when property she regards as her own. Bryan Brown as her photographer lover is perfectly cast , along with Julie Harris , Iain Glenn , and Ian Cuthbertson as her initial mentor offer nice support cast .

The motion picture was slow but competently directed by recently deceased Michael Apted . He was good writer/ producer/director of several successes , such as : ¨The word is not enough¨, ¨Gorillas in the mist¨ , ¨Class action¨, ¨Nell¨, ¨Enigma¨, ¨The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader¨, among others . Rating : 7/10 , above average and worthwhile seeing , the whole family will enjoy this film . It's a very likable adventure and enormously appealing for kids, adolescents , young men and adults. Overall this is a really enjoyable movie . If you are familiar with the story, then there are no real surprises, but makes up for it with overwhelming special effects and make-up by the prestigious Rick Baker.

Powerful and Moving.

[jerekra · 9/10 · 22 February 2009]

Gorillas in the mist is a film that touched me deeply. It made me have a better understanding of what Dian Fossey did in her life and also made me see how bad some Gorillas have it.

I think the film did a good job depicting Fossey's life. The main reason why is because Sigourney Weaver does an OUTSTANDING job of portraying her. Seriously, this is acting at its best. Weaver has perfect emotion and also does a good job acting like a gorilla in scenes. She really should have won an academy award. I know she was nominated and lost but I do not understand how.

This movie is very touching. It really made me see what goes on over in Africa and how poaching is a problem. I really felt bad for the Gorillas in this film and this film succeeded in making me feel bad for the Gorillas and make me want to do something about it. I always want to help animals whenever I can so seeing how Fossey fought for the Gorillas sort of inspired me. It is very important to protect all of the endangered species of animals on the planet including the Gorilla.

I must say that this film is very sad at parts. If you are an animal lover you will find it hard not to cry at times. Just a warning.

A great film that shows how important it is to protect animals. Very sad, but I do recommend it.

Fossey, Still in the Mist!

[spookyrat1 · 7/10 · 27 December 2018]

Gorillas in the Mist is a wonderfully produced biopic on the famous part of Dian Fossey's life. It misses out on being great by seemingly not bothering to investigate that part of her life that compelled her to suddenly make life changing decisions which resulted in her moving to Africa to study mountain gorillas.

Occupational therapist Dian Fossey (Sigourney Weaver) is inspired by the anthropologist Louis Leakey (Iain Cuthbertson) to devote her life to the study of primates. But we never really get an inkling of what might make an OT specialising in the treatment of children, suddenly feel she can make a contribution to zoology, specifically the study of gorillas. She does drop the odd line with Leakey about the use of body language , but that's about it, in terms of motivation. And from where exactly did her love of animals come? In other words nothing of her early life, prior to meeting Leakey is covered, which leaves us still asking questions about her unusual personality at story's end.

The performances are terrific, especially those of Weaver and the magnificently expressive John Omirah Miluwi as Sembagare, her personal assistant and native guide of many years. The integration of gorilla footage, with humans acting the parts in specially made suits is seamless. The African onsite location cinematography is frequently breath - taking.

There's no doubt Michael Apted's film does broadly and quite strongly cover that part of her life which gained her no small amount of fame and indeed, some notoriety, in certain places, particularly some offices in the Rwandan government and among animal traders and smugglers. Her increasingly eccentric behaviour and physical disabilities in the later parts of her life are alluded to, without being dwelt upon in minute detail. But I for one would have appreciated more back story of her life; that which led her towards her later accomplishments, as well as possibly failures in things such as personal and social relationships.

Anyone who loves animals must see this film....

[MarieGabrielle · 10/10 · 28 September 2006]

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.

I had never heard of Dian fossey

[moivieFan · 6/10 · 18 November 2019]

Before watching Gorillas in the mist. I enjoyed Sigourney Weaver's performance. It was interesting to watch from beginning to end. Its hard for me to think what I thought about Gorillas in the mist. Other than to say that I am glad I watched it so I could learn a little about Dian Fossey.

A very good movie; Sigourney Weaver is perfect in the role

[danafranklin · 8/10 · 13 April 2001]

I have owned this movie for over ten years, and have seen it about a dozen times. It is a truly riveting, and interesting story. I had read about Dian Fossey in a magazine article only a few months before the movie came out (I didn't know one was being made about her). I thought the movie portrayed her story quite well. The characters are well rounded, and the acting is top notch, and the drama is as good as any film. The ending, while sad, is true to life, and I don't think you can improve on that. I highly recommend this movie, especially to those who 1) love animals 2) are concerned about wildlife and it's preservation 3) are a Sigourney Weaver fan

Dian Fossey as she wasn't.

[wisewebwoman · 6/10 · 21 October 2007]

It is a shame how a movie treatment can be made of a world-renowned character, like Ms Fossey, that bears very little relationship to the person she was, as portrayed both by her own book and the books written about her.

Her character remains unknown in this movie. And I've watched it for a second time now, to see if the first frustration with which I viewed it, when it was first released, had left me. No, it hadn't. It starts off poorly, with a fictionalized account of how Fossey met Louis Leakey, the famed anthropologist and how she begs him for a job. Simply not true. Fossey had already been to Africa at the time she met Leakey and he was the one who asked her to go there and work with the endangered gorillas, then numbering well under a 100. I don't even see the benefit of making this autobiographical change to the story. Fossey's motivation for going on this hazardous mission, leaving a fiancé in the U.S. is never explored. Was she is in love, as some speculate, with Leakey? Her love and interest in the gorillas is never in doubt and in real-life her obsession consumed her such that her eccentricity became sociopathic to the degree that her distrust of humans encompassed anyone who crossed her path from her students to the government of Rwanda.

Her relationship with the National Geographic photographer is unfortunately Hollywoodized here and does not reach the intellectual level of harmony that they had in real life, they knew from the beginning , because of their individual interests and pursuits, that it was doomed to short-term, but celebrated the "in the moment" aspect of it. This could have been portrayed on screen a lot better.

The shift to sociopathic personality, about halfway through the movie is too sudden to ring true and the ending feels rushed and "let's get it over with already". Her murder was appalling and undeserved but she had made many enemies, not the least of whom were her students from whom she demanded servility and unquestioning obedience.

Sadly, I think she was ill-served in this bio-pic, perhaps a deeper psychological exploration of her character will be made at some point.

However, the gorilla filming was breathtaking.

6 out of 10.

Loved the gorillas - but the film felt like an infomercial

[lhhung_himself · 3/10 · 9 February 2008]

The true story of Dian Fossey is something that should have been so easy to make into a great and intelligent film. The petty politics of science and academia, the development of the devil's deal that is African eco-tourism, the sociology of our nearest relatives - a complex web of interactions that ultimately lead to the mysterious murder of the protagonist. But this was way too deep for the movie machinery to handle.

Hollywood does not understand scientists, their passions, their pettiness, their motivations - so it just ignores this and turns Fossey into a Kurtz-like figure and fabricated a unloved woman sub-plot to explain her descent into darkness.

Hollywood couldn't be bothered to try to portray the intricate politics between Fossey, her funders, her students and the Africans with whom she worked. Instead we get the standard, if slightly more enlightened white man's burthen depiction.

As for the gorillas - there was no need to explore, however briefly, some of the insights that Fossey obtained about gorilla society and why these creatures deserve protection. It was far easier to just create a van der Villain figure that murdered gorillas and kidnapped cute babies.

No, this wasn't supposed to be a documentary but this shouldn't have been turned into a Grizzly Adams infomercial to save ape babies either.

As for positives, the photography was stunning and the gorillas were very touching and human-like. However, there is a great and fascinating story that could have provided great insight the science and politics of the conservation movement. Unfortunately, this film didn't tell it.