The Mighty (1998) User Reviews

Friendship

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 22 July 2005]

Peter Chelsom's "The Mighty" is a good way to witness the bonding between two young boys whose lives come together in the most unexpected ways. These two wounded souls see in each other what they would like to be. Max would like to be as intelligent as Kevin, and Kevin would like to have Max's health.

Max's father having killed his mother, is serving time in jail. He is being raised by his aging grandparents. Max has withdrawn from the world. He is doing poorly in school having repeated the seventh grade and has no social graces.

Kevin is a boy suffering from a debilitating disease that has made him walk with the help of crutches. Kevin is made Max's reading tutor. It's appalling to see a grown boy like Max struggling to read a book. With Kevin's help he not only improves his reading, but form a winning team in trying to defeat the bullies that make their life impossible. Max begins carrying Kevin on his shoulders all over the city.

Eventually, fate intervenes in their lives. Max's father comes out of jail and he kidnaps his own son. Kevin, is instrumental in rescuing his buddy, but at the same time, his illness gets the best of him.

This is a film that is deceiving. Judging by all the big names in the cast, one doesn't expect the movie to be basically about the two boys. Elden Henson and Kieran Culkin are Max and Kevin, respectively. Both do excellent work under the inspired direction of Mr. Chelsom, who gets also good ensemble work from his cast. Gena Rowlands, Harry Dean Stanton, Sharon Stone, Gillian Anderson and James Gandolfini play second fiddle to the two young actors, who steal the movie and make it their own.

This is a positive film about how to overcome obstacles in life without fear.

Moved to tears...

[LunatickNick · 8/10 · 22 April 2003]

Perhaps I'm a wuss for admitting it, but I blubbed at the end of this movie, even though I should have known what to expect. I guess I'm just a sentimental kind of guy, but this movie does have the power to move - unless you have a heart of stone, or are so taken up with 21st century 'cool' that you don't feel anything anymore!

This is a beautifully acted, unsentimental piece that is principally about friendship. But it also deals with finding hope where none exists; a desire to reach out for the stars that is fuelled by hopelessness and loneliness.

Perhaps billed as a children's film, this is one for any adult seeking inspiration.

But beware: have the Kleenex close at hand!

A decent drama with a touching story, good cast and decent direction

[PersianPlaya408 · 8/10 · 8 August 2005]

A touching story about a friendship between two middle school boys. Max(Henson) is a big kid who has a rough past, while Kevin or "freak" as they call him in the film is a boy with a physical disability that prevent him from walkin without stilt like crutches. Kieran Culkin was great in this film, very good performance early in his career. Elden Henson was not bad in a role that could have been played better, but he was decent, it was a bit of a hard role. Gandolfini was great and stole his limited number of scenes. Harry Dean Stanton was good as well, as was Gillian Anderson. The one disappointment was Sharon Stone who was very good in her scenes, but a bit wasted due to the screenplay concentrating mostly on the teenage characters. This film moves a bit slow, but is nonetheless a very heartwarming and touching picture. The direction is good, and screenplay is solid as well, acting is good for the most part. a Solid film. 8/10

very well made movie about friends-beautiful storytelling

[JBoze313 · 3 March 2001]

This is a great movie with great actors. I really liked the two friends, especially the tall kid (I'm too lazy to look his name up again)...anyhow...he has done some good work in some very small films (mostly), and he always gets the characters he plays just right. The movie overall is a very touching story, and it's hard not to get teared up every now and then. The cast works really well in all the roles, and all of the acting is very good. I really like the use of music in this movie, it goes a long way in making the story that much better...and it seems to lend a certain mood to the entire film.

It's refreshing to see "feel- good" movies like this, without all the pointless, useless violence and/or sex scenes. It seems to be a movie made for one reason- to entertain and enlighten (to a point)...not for cash, like most movies. It might not have done a huge box office, but it's well worth whatever you spend renting it, or you might stay up late and catch it on one of the premium networks. I would definitely recommend this movie, you won't be sorry.

9/10

Wonderful

[sofia_blink182 · 7/10 · 31 July 2001]

I wonder why this is not a global hit!? I love this movie It`s a wonderful story about the smart but "weak" boy and the "stupid" but strong boy, and together they make the perfect team! I cry so much when Kieran dies. Something I wonder is why there is five persons name before Kieran Culkin and Elden Ratliff`s name? they have the major roles? it`s always that when teenagers or kids have the leading parts, that the parents or some adults comes first...weird. Anyway It`s a great movie so rent it and cry! Love Sofia

More than "Mighty", it's great!

[mikalobe · 10/10 · 14 December 1999]

This movie is a real sleeper. I heard it was pretty good from a friend. My friend really understated.

Every thing about this movie is thoroughly enjoyable. The story is enthralling. The cinematography and special effects are wonderful. The acting is, well Harry Dean Stanton and Gena Rowlands do their usual great job and the two boys who play Max and the Freak (Kevin), Elden Ratliff and Kieran Culkin are impressive. Meat Loaf and Gillian Anderson are a trip to watch and Sharon Stone showed me acting that I didn't think she had in her. All in all a cast that does a great job.

The sound track is really something. I thoroughly enjoyed the music. If there was a small impediment in the film, it was a story that could of played on sympathy, but I don't think it was harmful. I've seen this storyline before, but the way it was done I didn''t care.

See it.

Very Heart Warming

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 9 January 2006]

On the surface THE MIGHTY is yet another of those TVM schmaltz-fests with its disease of the week story lines featuring dying children and kids battling against physical and social adversity but give it a chance and you'll see beyond the clichés

The story starts with Max , as a kid from the wrong side of the tracks whose father is serving serious time for murdering Max's mother getting picked on by the local gang ( Yes it's a multi ethnic gang as always )but as the story goes on he strikes up an unlikely friendship with a crippled kid called Kevin . I say unlikely and the more you think about it the more unlikely it becomes but both Elden Henson as Max and Kieran Culkin as Kevin act convincingly enough to compel you enough to believe this is entirely genuine

Both Henson and Culkin carry the film but they're ably assisted by big name actors namely Sharon Stone , Gillian Anderson , Harry Dean Stanton , James Gandolfini and Meat Loaf so you can't fault the acting especially if the story could have descended into overly sentimental schlock . My only real complaint is that the production values make it feel like a made for television movie ( As does the storyline ) rather than the cinematic production it actually is

Rent it. Buy it. Borrow it. SEE IT!!!!

[deciphur · 9/10 · 20 June 2004]

I heard about "The Mighty" after I saw The Battle of Shaker Heights and thought I'd find more movies with Elden Henson. I find that he has an ability to play the stupidest characters well ("Idle Hands") and the most clever ("Shaker Heights"). Anyway, I rented The Mighty because of its good rating and strong cast.

It was not what I expected.. it was so much greater. I have seen more than one's share of films and trust that the Mighty will not disappoint. A gem in the rocks? Much more. I have never read "Freak the Mighty" but this movie has me out seeking a copy.

Of course, Rowland's and Stanton's acting was solid. Elden Henson's and Kieran Culkan's are stunning. I believe this is one of Sharon Stone's best performances and Gillian Anderson shows her ability and range. Gandolfini was also as strong an asset as anyone else. This movie was just filled with stellar performances and moments that just make the audience get into the scene.

I really wish this movie had been advertised much more. I mean, my seeing it was quite an oddity. Makes me wonder how many of these great unseen movies I'm missing. Rent it. Buy it. Borrow it. You will not regret it.

The Mighty-King Arthur To the Rescue ***

[edwagreen · 7/10 · 4 March 2007]

Two outcasts find friendship and a way out of their difficult lives in 1998's "The Mighty."

A young lad with a physical problem befriends a learning disabled young man whose mother was killed by an insane father. They live through the book of King Arthur and the knights of the round table. This book enables them to win out over a gang of school bullies and rescue the learning disabled youth when his father suddenly reappears and kidnap him.

When our sickly youth succumbs at the end, his friend is able to go on and write a book.

This is a warm story that carries us through adversity.

Nice to see that Sharon Stone sacrifices her usual sexy roles to portray the mother of the ill youth.

Loved every minute

[Boyo-2 · 9/10 · 13 December 1999]

This movie was great and I'd encourage anyone to see it. Both of the young actors are fantastic, especially Eldon Henson, and the adults in the movie are pretty good, too. Gillian Anderson and Henson have a really beautiful moment at a bus stop near the end. I also cried at one point quite a lot. It really was an amazing movie and deserves some praise.

Wow.

[cableaddict · 10/10 · 4 November 2005]

Caught this one on late-night cable (where else) and just had it on in the background while I worked.... About ten minutes in it pretty much had my attention. About 30 minutes in, as the unique relationship between the two main characters comes into being, I was hooked.

This thing fires on all pistons. Great story, great actors, intelligent humor, moments of genuine tension, and genuinely touching moments without a hint of sappiness. There's not a cliché' in site. The script is wonderful, and the director throws a few remarkable cinematic touches at us, despite this being obvious a lowish-budget flick.

Did I mention that it's a wonderful, wonderful film? I'd give it a "12" if I could.

How to manipulate the emotions of the audience

[pluis · 7/10 · 23 October 1998]

I am sure that director Peter Chelsom isn't in the same league as Steven Spielberg. Nevertheless, he almost equals the master in the art of manipulating the audience into whatever emotion he deems appropriate. Time to weep? Chelsom makes us weep. Time for an outburst of laughter? Everyone is laughing madly. I would have to watch the movie a couple more times to be able to analyze what does the trick, and I don't either have the time nor the motivation to watch this film once more, let alone three or for times. Even while shedding a few tears or laughing aloud I was very much aware of being manipulated, but that didn't prevent me from behaving in the "right" way. This is not to say that The Mighty is a worthless movie. The two main characters (Elden Ratliff as the dumbest kid in town and Kieran Culkin as the paralyzed and soon-to-die genius) do some great acting, and some of Culkin's wisecracks are hilarious, as are his impersonations of Groucho Marx and Marlon Brando. A less Spielbergian approach might have resulted in a really great film. As it is, The Mighty will reinforce the point of view shared by many European critics (not me) that every Hollywood production is an all too obvious vehicle to make a lot of money, while furthering the corruption of western culture.

Pretty good film

[AKS-6 · 5/10 · 6 April 2000]

"The Mighty" is a pretty good film about two young boys who do not fit in. One of them has a weak body, while the other has a weak mind. However, they believe in fairy tales and fill their days with quests. Now, this is the type of film that could easily end up a sugary fairy tale, luckily "The Mighty" stays clear of that, most of the time at least. It gets too sentimental sometimes, but then it gets more serious. I guess the weakness of the film is that it never decides what it wants to be. Sentimental drama or serious drama. It's kind of confusing, but I would say that overall it is a rather nice film and the two leads (Kieran Culkin and Elden Ratliff) are magnificent. (5/10)

Sounds cheesy, but The Mighty is anything but.

[walshio · 5 January 1999]

"Sometimes seems like the whole world has just seen me on America's Most Wanted." (Max Kane)

So says the imposing gentle giant Max (the excellent Elden Ratliff). He is a 13-year-old with a murdered mother and murdering jailbird father (James Gandolfini), who has twice failed 8th grade and lives with disgruntled grandparents Gram and Grim (the particularly morose Harry Dean Stanton and Gena Rowlands). It's a wonder he isn't Mad Max. However, he has a saviour. A minor miracle named Kevin Dillon (Kieran Culkin). Sounds cheesy, but The Mighty is anything but.

Peter Chelson, director of the inventive and original Funny Bones, has lovingly superimposed Rodman Philbrick's successful children's book Freak The Mighty to the screen. The result is as moving as any kiddies film you've seen in the last ten years.

Kevin is suffering from Morquio's syndrome, a progressively degenerative disease that makes him unable to walk without leg braces. However, the boy is a considerable intellectual giant trapped inside a small, fragile body. As luck would have it he is consigned to tutor Max in remedial reading. In the words of Bogart it's the start of a "beautiful friendship".

Kevin introduces the big guy to Arthurian legend. "Every word is part of a picture. Every sentence is a picture. All you do, is let your imagination connect them together. If you have an imagination that is," he says.

Inspired by the knights in the book, the boys invent a fantasy world in which honour is everything. Together, Max and Kevin set out to battle their foes, both real and imagined.

Do not be put off by the presence of a Culkin or the mention of King Arthur. The Mighty is sincere, without being turgidly earnest, and genuinely uplifting. Sharon Stone equips herself well as the distraught mother of Kevin, but can't quite convince us that she doesn't ooze glamour. The "bad" kids also do not quite fit, resembling the troublesome urchins in Bugsy Malone rather than vicious Cincinnati hoodlums. However, these are minor quibbles, for ultimately The Mighty is several notches above the average children's film.

Ben Walsh

Corny but it worked

[roedyg · 7/10 · 16 April 2006]

This is a somewhat traditional corny Hollywood movie, designed to pluck your heartstrings. It succeeds admirably making you weep both with joy and sorrow. If you don't want to be seen teary-eyed, don't watch this with others.

If you were a kid who was beaten up every day of your life at school, or or had an abusive parent, this movie is a triumph fantasy.

The hero of the story is really the secondary Kieran Culkin character the "cripple" who simply does not let his handicap slow him down for a second. He displays not the tiniest scrap of self pity.

It is a love story of sorts, without any sexual overtones, about two misfit kids getting together and by combining talents enriching both their lives.

"Mighty" under-appreciated in 1998.

[happipuppi13 · 10/10 · 2 August 2005]

Granted,this film was no "blockbuster" when it came out in 1998. It did good business but after it's run,it was sort of forgotten. I have never even seen it on TV (to my knowledge).

Thank goodness for home video rental & libraries! I just watched it for the first time in 7 years and it was still as great as it was then. Simple plot,a very large boy with a troubled family past,meets and makes friend with a young boy who,despite walking with two hand-grip crutches seems almost fearless and able bodied. As well as very able minded,a genius he is!

I wont spoil this movie by going into too much detail except to say,watching these two young actors "interact" is what makes it such a triumph in film-making. Stone is great also as the little boy's mother and one would almost not recognize Gillian Anderson outside of the X-Files,I know I didn't! Buy or rent it. Good for kids,to age 8 and up I'd say!

Edit : August 2010 , finally read the book!

Worth Watching

[dougpaz · 7/10 · 24 February 2001]

A well done film that didn't get enough acclaim. If you don't have explosions or huge special FX or whatever, nobody even hears about a film today. Excellent acting especially from the boys. It is a little predictable but very touching and humorous nonetheless. It reminds me of an old favorite," My Bodyguard" Check them both out.

There have been very few films that have made me cry. This one made me weep.

[blondy360 · 10/10 · 8 April 2007]

Every single cast member gives a riveting and moving performance in The Mighty, a beautiful film about the power and strength of friendship and imagination and especially faith. Max is a giant stuck in 7th grade because of his low IQ. He forges a very close friendship with newcomer Kevin, a tiny scientific genius with a severe back deformity. Max protects Kevin from bullies, and Kevin teaches Max about the Knights of the Round Table. With Kevin on Max's shoulders, they go around on adventures and doing good deeds like their heroes, the Knights.

My only problem with this film is that I think Sharon Stone gets way too much credit. Don't get me wrong, she does an amazing job. It's just that I don't think her role is that big compared to the rest. Other than that, it's AMAZING!!!!!

In the words of another enthusiastic commenter: "Rent it, buy it, SEE IT!!!"

Sharon Stone gets the credits but doesn't deserve them

[Amigard · 6/10 · 28 October 1998]

What most annoyed me was that Sharon Stone got the most credits while she is not the main acting pesonality and when she shows up she completely blows it. I've seen you a lot better but your career gets worse every time.

Also the movie is over-sentimental (a minimum amount of tears is required to go to the next scene), and over-all it's more something between "Good Will Hunting" and "Dragon Heart".

To end with something positive: Elden Ratliff and Kieran Culkin did a great job at saving the movie a bit.

Still a Great Movie After All These Years

[slimer8489 · 9/10 · 22 May 2017]

When I was in seventh grade, we read a book called Freak the Mighty, which was about a boy with a learning disability who befriends a crippled boy. It was pretty good. Then, we saw the movie, which was also pretty good.

Times have changed and I am now a graduate of high school. I recently revisited this film and I was quite amazed at how excellent it was.

The whole cast turned in great performances. Sharon Stone really knocked it out of the park with her role of Gwen Dillon. Elden Henson (aka Fulton from The Mighty Ducks) was also great, especially in the emotional scenes. The score was brilliant and the ending was really good. It's a shame that not many people know about this film. They're really missing out.

I give this a 9/10.

like the general idea of the story

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 16 March 2015]

Maxwell Kane (Elden Henson) is a quiet giant kid in Cincinnati living with his grandparents (Harry Dean Stanton, Gena Rowlands). He fears the return of his imprisoned killer father (James Gandolfini). He is hounded by classmate Blade and his Doghouse Boys. Kevin Dillon (Kieran Culkin) is his cripple next door neighbor with his mother (Sharon Stone). Blade bowls Kevin over and blames it on Max. Max gets detention and Kevin starts tutoring him. They become friends imagining themselves as a Knight in King Arthur's Roundtable as Freak the Mighty.

The movie starts off poorly with the school bullies. They are very much two dimensional cartoons and played by weak kid actors. Elden is basically silent except for his narration. Kieran Culkin does a good job with a nice performance and has nice chemistry with Elden. The movie starts off weakly. Then the kid bullies take a backseat and Gandolfini makes a surprise appearance. He shocks the movie into another gear despite the odd accent from Gillian Anderson and the outlandish journey of Kevin. This is hardcore sentimental. I like the idea but the execution isn't the best.

Very Good Movie

[siontracer · 10/10 · 17 June 2005]

This movie was very good. I don't usually rate a movie a full ten. I believe that I have only rated maybe a dozen movies in my lifetime this high. The ending musical score will make one soar with the bird. It is an amazing final scene. Others I have scored high are Network, A Clockwork Orange, O Brother, Where Art Thou? The Long Riders and Cat Ballou. I believe that Harry Dean Stanton and Sharon Stone did not receive enough on screen time. The Mighty flowed pretty smooth and there weren't a lot of slow periods. I would have liked to have seen more action when the boys were bullied but then again that may have given younger viewers ideas. But beware..the soundtrack to The Mighty does not include the ending theme music which is the best part of the soundtrack.

Just a tear syrup

[Daniel-10 · 6/10 · 16 December 1998]

I've got really disappointed with this film. I thought I would see an honest human drama but all I've got was the feeling of being manipulated all the time. If it was meant to be a "Stand by Me" of the nineties it failed completely.

The story is a tear syrup about a young boy physically deficient but with a great brain and another one who is strong but with no brain at all. Guess what? They'll meet and help each other to overcome their deficiencies.

The only difference between this movie and lots of others in the same (low) range is the cast. They're all very good. Gillian Anderson was a nice surprise! Sharon Stone had already shown her acting skills in "Casino" and here she did a correct work in a small - but made-to-fit - role. The boys (Kieran Culkin and Elden Ratliff) are all right and so are the older ones (Gena Rowlands and Harry Dean Stanton). It's a shame that a cast like this is not enough. You can be sure you've seen this film a thousand times before.

Overwrought tear-jerker with great actors

[LittleFugitive · 5/10 · 16 April 2002]

Was this a Sharon Stone film? Or was Miramax angling from the start to throw an Oscar-worthy contender into the role of the mother and market the film as a best-supporting-actress vehicle? It's only too bad that all the other supporting characters, played to perfection by James Gandolfini, Jillian Anderson, Harry Dean Stanton, and most especially Gena Rowlands, were simply not fleshed out enough in the script to merit award status. I was thoroughly impressed with the child actors, whose names should have received top billing. Meatloaf, as always, is fun to watch.

But acting aside, this film was sheer crap, wrought with cliche, sentimentality, and oh-so-pretty music to disguise the fact that this is a really lame story, re-told ad nauseum, which had nothing new to offer. "Loved the music!"... From now on when anyone tells me they "loved the music" from a movie I will refuse to watch it. Directors tend to use the musical score as a crutch to paint over their mistakes. When the entire score is THAT good, clue into the fact that he's blowing smoke in your eyes to hide the inherent flaw of the movie: that the story itself, from beginning to end, is flawed.

7-out-of-10, for acting alone.