"A Knight proves his worthiness through his deeds..."      

THE MIGHTY (PG-13) 

Reviewed October 18, 1998 - Check out The Mighty Website.

Just one short month after the release of Simon Birch, Miramax Pictures comes in with its own story of unusual but steadfast friendship in The Mighty, a story based on Rodman Philbrick's novel "Freak the Mighty."  In this tale, we are presented with two young boys, each of them outcasts, living in the suburbs of Cincinnati.  Max Kane (Elden Henson) is a giant of a seventh grader who is constantly teased for his size and stupidity (he's already failed seventh grade twice).  Living with his grandparents (Gena Rowlands and Harry Dean Stanton) and dealing with the shadow of his father's criminal past, Max lives quietly, preferring to absorb his schoolmates' teasing rather than stir up any trouble.  One day, however, Max gets some new neighbors, namely Kevin Dillon (Kieran Culkin) and his mom Gwendolyn (Sharon Stone).  Crippled by a genetic disease, Kevin is a frail but amazingly sharp-witted and creative boy with a propensity for conjuring up medieval prose.  He is, in many ways, the direct opposite of Max, an intellectually brilliant but physically weak contrast to the bigger boy's strength and stupidity.

Fortunately, it isn't very long before Max and Kevin realize that they have something to offer each other.  In Kevin's words, "You need a brain and I need legs, and the Wizard of Oz doesn't live in Cincinnati."  And so begins The Mighty's funny, uplifting, and imaginative tale of friendship and loyalty.  With Kevin riding on Max's shoulder, the two boys become Knights in a modern world, gentle to those in need but terrible to those who would do harm to others.  With wonderful performances by Culkin, Henson and Stone, and some effectively creative direction by Peter Chelsom (Hear My Song), The Mighty comes in as one of the most genuinely charming, heart-warming, and inspirational films in recent memory.  Though I hate to compare, this movie is everything last month's Simon Birch should have been, with the contrast between the two making The Mighty that much more satisfying of a moviegoing experience.  The chemistry between Culkin and Henson is genuine and contagious, and so is just about everything else in this film.  The bottom line: go see it!!  You really won't regret it...

Responses from cyberspace--thanks for writing!

Sklaw_Aras@yahoo.com gives this movie  stars: "I really liked this movie, I thought it was very good. I didn't like the music very much, but the story was great. If you liked The Mighty, you will love Simon Birch." (7/31/99)

bflat@papadocs.com gives this movie  stars: "I enjoyed very much. will it be on vidio tape? I also wanted to see Simon Birch but it left my vicinity too soon I live new St Louis Mo ?" (11/30/98)

Shirley Wilson gives this movie  stars: "Excellent,funny,sad,my children loved it too!" (10/25/98)