Anthony Hopkins, Cuba Gooding Jr., Donald Sutherland

When a noted anthropologist who left society to live in the jungle is imprisoned for murder, it's up to young psychologist to get through to him.

Flixster Users

71% liked it

27,366 ratings

Critics

27% liked it

66 critics

R, 2 hrs. 6 min.

Directed by: Jon Turteltaub

Release Date: June 4, 1999

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DVD Release Date: January 15, 2002

Stats: 816 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (816)


  • November 14, 2009
    Decent prison movie with Anthony Hopkins defending the apes and his fellow prisoners in the jail. Cuba is good too.
  • October 6, 2009
    Love that Hopkins. The rest of it has all been done before. I'm a sucker for movies set in prisons.
  • August 4, 2009
    Re-reviewed:

    "We have only one thing to give up. Our dominion. We don't own the world. We're not kings yet. Not gods. Can we give that up? Too precious, all that control? Too tempting, being a god?"

    ...( read more)er.com/photo/66/80/22/6680227_gal.jpg" width=185>
    Dr Ethan Powell (played by Anthony Hopkins) is a very bright anthropologist who went missing in the jungles of Africa, he was recently found but has gone vicious and temporarily insane. Now he faces a death sentence for several murders, and is being called "Ape Man" by the inmates.

    I think this is a once in a lifetime pairing, having Anthony Hopkins and Cuba Gooding Jr playing major roles in the same film, Donald Sutherland was just an added treat really. Extremely superb solid acting, the story and dialogues has something deep to offer its viewers, and for me thats always something that Im more than happy to watch and listen to every now and then.

    Inspired by the novel "Ishmael", by Daniel Quinn.

    Rewatchability: 3 1/2 out of 5


    Director: Jon Turteltaub
    Genre: Thriller / Psych Drama

  • August 17, 2007
    Was a very good psychological thriller
  • August 15, 2007
    An interesting tale, a story of trust and psychology. Not a huge fan of Cuba Gooding Jr, but he didn't do a bad job in this role as the psychiatrist. Hopkins providing another good performance,

    VERDICT: Certainly worth watching, not on your gonna watch over and over though
  • November 23, 2009
    I've gotta see this one again. Great Hopkins/prison scenes
  • October 29, 2009
    This movie made me ask myself again, what it is that makes "us" believe we are so civilized.
  • October 20, 2009
    I have always admired the work of Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall, so this movie may just be natural extension to my interests.
  • October 11, 2009
    It was ok. Nothing special.
  • October 7, 2009
    A perfect cast and terrific story make this a very tense and thrilling ride through the mind of a madman, who may just hold the secret to remove the illusions we all have.

Critic Reviews


January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

If there's anything worse than a movie hammered together out of pieces of bad screenplays, it's a movie made from the scraps of good ones. full review

View more Instinct reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • jameshammacott88
    March 7, 2007
    Despite what the flixster-plot says (that "There's not a credible moment in the whole movie"- a statement I do not agree with what-so-ever, and actually don't understand why there is a personal opinion in whats supposed to be an unbiased plot summary)...I had to 5-star this film.
    Anthony Hopkins was very good, but Cuba Gooding Jr was unbelievably good. The emotions involved in this film (for example the scene where the gorilla's are being shot- where the viewer is made to feel happy and smile, right before being shocked and angered) are simply stunning.
    I agree it may not be one of the best films ever made, but it's still very good and one of my all-time favourites. And trust me, a film has to be good to get a full rating from me.

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