Archetypes In The Movie Congo

Paramount Pictures film Congo, adapted from the Michael Crichton novel of the same name, is one of the smartest parody of typical jungle adventure plots in cinema. Congo, after its release, has been criticized for try to piggyback off “The success of Universal’s Jurassic Park” just two years earlier (James Berardinelli). Though the camp style, visuals, and acting, adds to the film's charm, while not undermining the viewer's intelligence with smart one-liners and dialogue that holds weight between acts. This creates the feel of a B action movie on an A movie’s budget.
Large uncharted jungles, counties in political turmoil, and lost cities of dead civilizations, are settings that are archetypal to adventure films. Congo uses these settings to

Congo sets out to subvert the audience’s expectations by going against the typical character tropes, to create a humorous reaction. The most apparent is Amy the domestic gorilla. Compared to the Amy that was in Michel Crichton novel, has a much more limited vocabulary, and subsequent lack of personality, for the sake of making cute (Janet Maslin). Though it is that cuteness and perceived innocence of Amy with her child-like voice and mannerisms like her “Lovey” (a stuff toy gorilla she carries), aids in the film comedic goals. That is made clear in the scene where she requests a “rain drop drink” (a martini) and later on a cigar, which the audience might be taken aback not expecting that form an actual child. Another example of the movie going against stereotypes typical of the jungle adventure genre, is Larry Linney’s character Dr. Karen Ross. Dr. Ross makes her presence clear as a strong female lead, in comparisons to her male companions(Berardinelli). Throughout Congo Karen Ross goes against the trope of the defenseless damsel running through the jungle terrified going as far to give an elbow to the groin and, slicing open gray gorillas with a

Though the film is considerably toned down from the novel, taking out much of the research and scientific data, to try to make Congo more approachable to the movie going audience (Maslin). There is still a level of astuteness for the more perceptive viewer; take the line from Monroe Kelly, played by Ernie Hudson “I’m your great white hunter, I just happen to be white.” And his subsequent actions in the jungle. Monroe just like archetype he claims to personify, Monroe is quick to action and in the jungle even if it not perceived as the norm is very much in charge. He, unlike the great white hunter, does not just rush into danger and when offered a level of comfort in the jungle, he takes it, which is uncharacteristic of that trope. Another aspect of Congo is the underlining themes of commutation, greed and its connection to the gray gorillas. With the debate of the “King Kong myth” The myth of gorillas being initially savage, this appears to be true at first when the expedition first encounters the gray gorillas. Only to be corrected as hieroglyphics depict the selective breeding of normal gorillas into antisocial killer apes; giving proof that it was the residence of Zinj greed which lead to its destruction. This is put in contrast with the Amy and Peter Elliot, the breakthrough in commutation would have made him very famous if not wealth as well, but when Amy shows signs of