Why so much hype?

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Nice effects though.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Bogart and Hepburn are an unstoppable duo in this movie. Most movies that are based off of books never seem to live up to the title, but his film by John Huston should make C.S. Forester proud. These two opposing characters create an interesting story line as they travel down a river in Africa. One character who is prim and proper juxtaposed to one that is unclean and unshaven make the picture automatically appealing. The viewer is entranced and wants to know how the relationship between these to characters will play out. I won't give any hints, but you should find out for yourself how it ends.

Cinematography in this movie was amazing. Beautiful scenery of Africa and sets. Legendary actors, Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn have great on screen chemistry. Movie has a great deal of symbolism within it, such as hunting crocodiles as a symbol of Germans. I believe that this movie revolutionized the adventure genre. Not to mention the combination of adventure and music was fun and catchy.

I must say, I found this movie to be less than impressive. It was a good watch but I definitely doubt that I would be watching it again. Certainly, the acting from Bogart and Hepburn is great. They do a good job of making Charlie and Rosie believable and realistic characters. However, despite how good their acting is the love story is very stiff and seems to be a long stretch, almost as if it's being forced. The cinematography is fantastic however. I watched the Netflix version so it may be retouched but the colors and quality were fantastic. The high contrast between the bright greens of the scenery and the dark browns and grays of the boat, Charlie, and Rosie make for a beautiful setting. It emphasizes how much Charlie and Rosie stick out/don't belong in the African wilderness. I also appreciate that the sound (specifically dialogue) isn't drowned out by the non deigetic background music. You can hear both of them clearly without interfering with each other too much.

Directed by John Huston & based on the 1935 novel of the same name by C. S. Forester, this call to adventure/romantic film tells the story of two mismatched personalities, rough-and-ready, but coarse, boat captain Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart) & prissy and proper, British Methodist, Rose Sayer (Katherine Hepburn), colliding together on a tramp steamer, as both travel down steam on Ulanga River, in an attempt to escape from the German, during the start of World War 1. Without spoiling the movie, too much, while this movie is one of the classics of Hollywood adventure filmmaking. It is without a few faults. First off, the pacing for this movie is way off. Everything happen, way too quickly. A very good example is how the war was introduce in the opening. It's weird that Mr. Allnut would spill exposition about what was happening in Europe, only to leave, a few seconds before German soldiers raid the village. Wouldn't the troops, notice his ship!? After all, supposedly 'the African Queen' is wanted by the Germans. Another good example of the film, going too quickly, is how Katherine Hepburn's character comes off, too strong about taking vengeance against the German after the raid. For somebody who is in Christian missionary. She really does seem to want to kill a lot of people! She seems like a psychopath in certain scenes in this film. Also, it was a bit off that she knows a lot of information about making torpedoes for somebody living in a farm in the jungle of Africa, away from machinery. Then, you got Charlie; for a tough guy, he's such a push-over. He didn't even angry about all the gin, being poured out. Since, we are at it, it was a bit out of the blue, that alcoholic like himself, can quit, cold turkey, and be able to function, without much problems with withdrawal. You would think, he would get sick or something. Then, there is the love affair, Allnut & Sayer developed, in their short trip. It was a bit implausible. Don't get me wrong, I get that, being in consent danger, does force people to live for the moment, but I thought, the screenwriters: James Agee, John Huston, John Collier and Peter Viertel should, at least, leave some room for it to develop much slower. It's a bit off, that both were willing to die for each other and their country. After all, it's weird to see Charlie, be OK on using his only ship that he loved as a barring ram. Even, the ending was a bit awkward. Did they make it to Kenya or not!? Also, what happen to the rest of the sailors!? It's feel to me that they didn't have an ending pick, since rumor has it, they had three altered endings. Despite that jarring climax, there were a lot of good things about the film, as well. For starters, I like the fact that the movie was in color and mostly film in location in Uganda and the Congo. However, I did think the movie went, a little overboard on the animal sound effects. Trust me, the jungle isn't that noisy. Still, it did really help, the film by having Bogart and Hepburn there. I like how both of them, look sweaty and weather-beaten the entire film. It made the film look so accurate to what the climate is like. The acting of the two principal actors - Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn - is some of the strongest ever registered on film, even if Hepburn was playing her generic type of a character, a strong will woman & Bogart wouldn't pull off, a British cockney accent, so the character was rewritten as Canadian. While, both were still past their prime, both made their characters, likable to a point that I can look past, their faults and their age, even if their character's sexuality for each other was a bit uneasy to watch. After all, seeing rapids making Rose wet between the legs was not what I wanted. Despite that, I still glad to see that Bogart's role won him his only Oscar, while Hepburn would add yet another nomination to her impressive collection. It's also nice to see to John Huston get nominated for an award as well. I really don't know, how he finished directing the film, with all the production troubles like sickness, bad weather and animal attacks, his cast and crew, went through. Nevertheless, what they filmed were some of the best work, I ever saw in a small boat movie. It was so good that the movie was part of the inspiration for the Jungle Cruise attraction at Disneyland in California. Even the action sequences in the steamer were intense. Because of the dangers of the water, all of the scenes with the performers swimming in it, were filmed in the United Kingdom, including the rapid shots. Regardless, it made one hell of a ride! In the end, I have to say, if you like this movie, also check out the 1977 TV movie of the same name starring Warren Oates and Mariette Hartley. Rather than being a remake, the plot continues after the events of the original story, with the couple having to transport a 75 mm cannon, down the river. It's not as bad, as people make it out to be. Also, check out, 1990's film, 'White Hunter, Black Heart', which was loosely based on Peter Viertel's 1953 account of his experiences making the film. It's unique for what it is. Overall: I have to say, the film is accurate enough to the source material, and entertaining enough to be a call to adventure of a lifetime for all that watch. So pick it up! It's worth your time. It's a sweet ride.