History YMMV / MightyJoeYoung

* CompleteMonster (1998 remake): [[BigBad Andrei Strasser]] is a [[EvilPoacher poacher]] who [[EstablishingCharacterMoment establishes his ruthlessness]] by killing the titular ape's mother as well as mortally wounding Dr. Ruth Young. Twelve years later, Andrei runs a supposed wildlife preserve wherein he sells organs of the animals he's harnessed over the black market. When he recognizes Joe as the ape that bit his fingers off years prior, Andrei--intent on selling the primate's body parts for a profit--goads Jill Young--Ruth's daughter--into giving him Joe, claiming he would be safe at his refuge. Strasser demonstrates his indifference towards the lives of others when a missed shot intended for Jill causes a deadly fire to spread throughout the carnival, endangering a child trapped in a Ferris wheel. Believing that he won, Strasser gloats whilst preparing to finish what he started with Jill's mother by murdering her. Valuing [[{{Greed}} monetary gain]] above all else, Strasser exemplifies everything wrong with illegal hunting.

* CrazyIsCool: Max O'Hara, to promote a new night club, goes to Africa--tells sensational stories about his "adventures" there, and brings along cowboys to help him capture animals for his club! Why cowboys? "To lasso lions of course!"
* IAmNotShazam: "Mighty" is not part of the name of the eponymous gorilla. In the first film, he goes by "Joe Young" or "Mr. Joseph Young". In the second film, everyone calls him "Joe", with no last name - although in one scene Harry Ruben introduces him as "Mighty Joe", and sounds like he's about to say "Young" but is cut short by Joe crashing through the wall. Although the reserve Joe is moved to at the end is called the "Joe Young Wildlife Park".

* CultClassic: Both the 1949 and 1998 films didn't do good at the box office, but have gone on to be well adored on television and home video airings. Many regard it as the best giant ape movies after ''Film/KingKong'', to the point many consider them unofficial Kong Kong movies. Creator/JamesRolfe refused to include it in his best "Kong Knock-Offs" list because he was adamant they'd win by a country mile.

* CrazyIsCool: Max O'Hara, to promote a new night club, goes to Africa--tells sensational stories about his "adventures" there, and brings along cowboys to help him capture animals for his club! Why cowboys? "To [[AddedAlliterativeAppeal lasso lions]] of course!"

* MoralEventHorizon: Andrei Strasser crossed irredeemable territory when he murdered Joe and Jill's mothers. Even more so when he tried to murder Jill, which even leads his assistant Garth to turn against him.

* MoralEventHorizon: Andrei Strasser crossed irredeemable territory when he murdered Joe and Jill's mothers. Even more so when he tried to murder Jill.

* MoralEventHorizon: Andrei Strasser crossed irredeemable territory when he murdered Joe and Jill's mothers.

* CrazyAwesome: Max O'Hara, to promote a new night club, goes to Africa--tells sensational stories about his "adventures" there, and brings along cowboys to help him capture animals for his club! Why cowboys? "To [[AddedAlliterativeAppeal lasso lions]] of course!"

* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: The original's FX, which were the first work of Creator/RayHarryhausen, still hold up even in the age of CGI, which is amazing. The remake's use of practical animatronics and suitmation, created by SFX legend Creator/RickBaker (who also created the ape suits in ''Film/KingKong1976'', ''Film/GorillasInTheMist'' and ''Film/HarryAndTheHendersons'', among others), also look quite good and very realistic even to this day. The few shots created with CGI also work quite well, especially considering how difficult it was to animate fur back in 1998.

* CompleteMonster: [[BigBad Andrei Strasser]] is a [[EvilPoacher poacher]] who [[EstablishingCharacterMoment establishes his ruthlessness]] by killing the titular ape's mother as well as mortally wounding Dr. Ruth Young. Twelve years later, Andrei runs a supposed wildlife preserve wherein he sells organs of the animals he's harnessed over the black market. When he recognizes Joe as the ape that bit his fingers off years prior, Andrei--intent on selling the primate's body parts for a profit--goads Jill Young--Ruth's daughter--into giving him Joe, claiming he would be safe at his refuge. Strasser demonstrates his indifference towards the lives of others when a missed shot intended for Jill causes a deadly fire to spread throughout the carnival, endangering a child trapped in a Ferris wheel. Believing that he won, Strasser gloats whilst preparing to finish what he started with Jill's mother by murdering her. Valuing [[{{Greed}} monetary gain]] above all else, Strasser exemplifies everything wrong with illegal hunting.

* IAmNotShazam: "Mighty" is not part of the name of the eponymous gorilla. In the first film, he goes by "Joe Young" or "Mr. Joseph Young". In the second film, everyone calls him "Joe", with no last name - although in one scene Harry Ruben introduces him as "Mighty Joe", and sounds like he's about to say "Young" but is cut short by Joe crashing through the wall.

* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: The original's FX, which were the first work of Creator/RayHarryhausen, still hold up even in the age of CGI, which is amazing. The remake's use of practical animatronics and suitmation, created by SFX legend Creator/RickBaker (who also created the ape suits in ''Film/KingKong1976'', ''Film/GorillasInTheMist'' and ''Film/HarryAndTheHendersons'', among others), also look quite good and very realistic even to this day.

* MoralEventHorizon:
** Andrei Strasser crossed irredeemable territory when he murdered Joe and Jill's mothers.