The Mighty (1998)

1998, Miramax. Directed by Peter Chelsom. Sharon Stone, Gillian Anderson, Meat Loaf.

By Steven D. Greydanus

Based on the children’s book Freak The Mighty, Peter Chelsom’s less oddly named The Mighty tells the story of a remarkable friendship between two young boys, both outcasts. Max (Elden Ratliff) is dull-witted but intimidating; Kevin (Kieran Culkin) is bright but crippled by Morquio’s Syndrome.

At first Max, a loner, is dubious about the relationship, but Kevin puts it this way: "Don’t think of it as a friendship, think of it as a business proposition. You need a brain, and I need legs — and the Wizard of Oz doesn’t live in South Cincinnati."

Kevin expands Max’s horizons by tutoring him in reading and writing and introducing him to imaginative literature; Max carries Kevin around on his shoulders and helps him face down bullies. Arthurian legend becomes a thematic motif as the boys collectively dub themselves Freak the Mighty, a quixotic crusader righting wrongs, saving damsels, and facing each boy’s fears.

This sensitive, sometimes rousing story about the value of friendship, imagination, reading, and courage benefits from a strong supporting cast including Sharon Stone, James Gandolfini, and Gillian Anderson. Here’s a family film, based on a children’s book, that’s more complex and nuanced than much supposedly more "mature" movie fare.

Brief violence, some menace and an instance of profanity.