Review of Jungle Fever (1994) by Erick F — 08 Jul 2013

Jungle Fever struggles to find a balance of pacing when it chronicles themes of interracial relationships against the urban backdrop of the streets of 1990's New York City and with other social issues occurring in the area, leaving the subplots being more interesting and effective than the key plotline. However, it's well written and finely acted which keeps it compelling for the majority of the film.

Jungle Fever kicks its titular theme into gear in a quick and unprecedented fashion which makes the entire theme of Jungle Fever (interracial attraction) questionable and essentially just a sense of rebellious sexual impulsivity which isn't understood best in the film, but Spike Lee tries to get it across in the script and does fairly well, as well as providing fine dialogue to the talented cast. His direction on Jungle Fever is skilled and he crafts it into a well structured story told well with a great atmosphere, a catchy theme song and a good performance of his own to add to the cast.

Although at times it feels like Jungle Fever is deviating away from the direct matter of its main plotline, it does chronicle it's subplots very well.

But the cast of Jungle Fever is what keeps it being such an utterly compelling film.

Wesley Snipes uses some of his finest acting skills to ensure his lead character projects the level of confusion that the audience has in understanding his mind, since he really understands it I better than we do. 1991 is a time before his career became all about action films. And in that year he gave one of his finest performances as a conflicted father, husband and human being who succumbs to jungle fever.

But Samuel L. Jackson steals the screen in his moments as "Gator" Purify, a performance named his breakout because of how he captures his unhinged side to the character, one he went through in real life with his drug addiction which he turns into a shockingly strong performance, one with shattered movement in his character physicality and a lack of focus in Gator's mind, but utter focus towards perfecting the character for Jungle Fever is one of the finest of his career, and it displays a large amount of his promise early on,.

And the third standout is Ossie Davis, as he portrays a well meaning but conflicted character who perpetuates an excellent conflict with Samuel L. Jackson which creates a strong drama within the subplot of the film and provides valid entertainment, and more-or-less fills in for some of the emptiness within Jungle Fever.

So although it isn't Spike Lee's finest work, Jungle Fever does provide good social commentary with a talented cast, even if its vague in its points and slow at times.