King of the Jungle (2000)

24% of critics liked it
(17 reviews)
51% of users liked it
(1,802 ratings)

Martin Scorsese's seminal 1975 drama Taxi Driver informs this tale of a neglected, Upper West Side outcast who slowly devolves into a potential murderer. John Leguizamo stars as Seymour, the mentally-challenged self-proclaimed "king" of the film's title. He's still in the care of his mother Mona… More Martin Scorsese's seminal 1975 drama Taxi Driver informs this tale of a neglected, Upper West Side outcast who slowly devolves into a potential murderer. John Leguizamo stars as Seymour, the mentally-challenged self-proclaimed "king" of the film's title. He's still in the care of his mother Mona (Julie Carmen), who is a protest organizer against their neighborhood's corrupt police practices. Although Mona lives happily with her lover Joanne (Rosie Perez), her ex-boyfriend Jack (Cliff Gorman) often shows up to antagonize the household, Seymour in particular. His assertion that the unstable young man is faking his malady only sends Seymour into an unpredictable rage. Shortly after the film's production, writer-director Seth Zvi Rosenfeld married his rambunctious star Perez; their friend Annabella Sciorra shows up in a supporting role. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 26 min.
Directed By: Seth Zvi Rosenfeld
Written By: Seth Zvi Rosenfeld
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Television

In Theaters: Oct 12, 2000 Wide
On DVD: May 21, 2002
Studio: Urbanworld Films

Critic Reviews

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
[Seymour's] story demands a larger meaning, a sense of the poetic, than mere heart-tugging can provide, but Rosenfeld cannot provide it.
Gene Seymour, Newsday
A hard, vibrant surface can't quite cover the mossy, skimpy center of this story.
Jonathan Foreman, New York Post
One of those films that feel drunk on their own virtue.
Elvis Mitchell, New York Times
[Rosenfeld] finds a way to convey messiness that gives King an honest and particular heartbeat.
Mark Holcomb, Village Voice
Old-fashioned in good ways and bad.
Ted Murphy, Baseline.Hollywood.com
The basic problem with the film is that each of the fine actors appears to be working on a different project.
David Noh, Film Journal International
It's more than a little tiresome to see executive producer Leguizamo put himself through the tortured contortions of his character.
, E! Online
Meanders with clumsy flashbacks, unexplored characters and relationships and a rushed, unsatisfying conclusion.
Robert Wilonsky, New Times
Filled less with performance than it is riddled with Oscar clips.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The fact is that given the talent involved, it should have been much better.
Michael Phillips, Citysearch
Every clichéd cinematic device ... is spread out before the audience like a bad road map.
Eric Lurio, Greenwich Village Gazette
The script isn't worth the quality of the work put in to it.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Some Latin boys go to hell while others just need a loving home.