The Mighty (1998)
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.
Caveat Spectator
Brief violence, some menace and an instance of profanity.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.
Recent
- Crisis of meaning, part 3: What lies beyond the Spider-Verse?
- Crisis of meaning, part 2: The lie at the end of the MCU multiverse
- Crisis of Meaning on Infinite Earths, part 1: The multiverse and superhero movies
- Two things I wish George Miller had done differently in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
- Furiosa tells the story of a world (almost) without hope
Home Video
Copyright © 2000– Steven D. Greydanus. All rights reserved.