Mighty Joe Young

(Buena Vista)

The 1949 version of Mighty Joe Young was itself a gentled-down knockoff of King Kong; this new Disney version tries to make the chest-pounding adventure more family-friendly. Bill Paxton wants to remove the majestic beast from the threat of poachers and set him up on a posh nature reserve in California. Complicating matters is Charlize Theron's beautiful jungle girl, Joe's soul mate from birth and the only human who can communicate with him. The FX and animatronics that conjure Joe are seamless, but this remake lacks the rugged camp of the original.