The last half of The Naked Jungle is an exciting adventure flick, a man vs. nature story that is hard to resist. Unfortunately, the first half is padded out with a rather soapy romance story that, while it serves to tell the audience a great deal about the character of Christopher Leiningen, simply isn't very interesting. This schizophrenic halving of the film is unfortunate, for if all of Naked was as well done as its climactic invasion sequence, it would have been quite memorable. It would also have been a better film if the romance story had been a bit fresher, or if the first half (and, it must be admitted, the film as a whole) had contained decent dialogue. Modern viewers will also be turned off by the manner (in both halves of the film) in which the natives are portrayed, as well as by the egotism of Leiningen. But Naked does boast one of Charlton Heston's better, less mannered performances, as well as a dandy one from the lovely Eleanor Parker, who knows how to make a strong impression even in a film in which a swarm of ants is the real star. And by the last half, when the crisis becomes known and Heston and Parker swing into action, the film does become engrossing, with a number of nail-biting moments. Though clearly produced on a budget, the special effects are quite impressive, and director Byron Haskin knows exactly what he's doing from the time the focus switches from romantic troubles to a physical crisis. Though the lack of buildup may mute its impact somewhat, The Naked Jungle is probably a better film that's better if you catch it halfway through.
