A legendary fifteen-foot tall mountain gorilla named Joe is taken to an animal sanctuary in California by a zoologist and a young woman whom he grew up with. A poacher from the past returns to seek vengeance on him.

Andrei Strasser: [points a gun at Jill's face with intent to kill her] Goodbye, Jill. Meet your mother... in Hell.
Jill Young: [stares back at him very calmly, even a slight hint of a smile on her face] Goodbye.
[Strasser turns around and sees Joe towering over him]
Jill Young: So, this is L.A., huh? Everything looks the same. How do you know where you are?
Greg O'Hara: It's easy. The ocean's that way, the mountains are that way, Mexico's that way, and Canada's thataway. You don't have to worry about the rest; you'll never see it through the smog.
Andrei Strasser: Monsterle! Monsterle!
Cecily Banks: [has just gotten word that Joe had arrived at the zoo] Okay, people! Elvis is in the building!
Greg O'Hara: [Joe is holding him in the air by his leg] You think you could you get him to put me down?
Jill Young: Joe, drop him.
[Joe drops him roughly and Greg passes out]
Jill Young: [Gregg is holding out his hand to shake on their deal that Jill is in charge of Joe if they go with him to L.A] That's not how we make deals around here. You have to get bitten by a Mahooky Spider, you'll get a fever and delusions. You'll start to say things. Then if you're intensions prove true... we trust you.
Greg O'Hara: [pausing] If I get bit and prove true, you'll come with me?
Jill Young: Yep. What do you think?
Greg O'Hara: [staring at her] I think that's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard.
Jill Young: [smiles] maybe you're not such a fool after all.
Elegant Woman at Party: She reminds me of somebody, but I can't think who it is.
Gentleman at Party: You, when we first met.
Jill Young: [sees Greg coming out of the infirmary] He's walking already? Joe should have dropped him harder.
[At Strasser's estate in Africa, watching a news report on Joe, recently moved to a conservatory in California]
Andrei Strasser: My God... Pindi was right.
[Garth enters the room]
Andrei Strasser: He's beautiful. The most beautiful animal I ever seen.
Garth: And the most valuable, that's for sure.
[sits down, watches as Jill appears on screen]
Garth: Isn't that the...?
Andrei Strasser: Wait! Be quiet!
[Both men's expressions are of recognition as Jill is identified as the daughter of the primatologist they had killed twelve years earlier]
Garth: Bloody hell! That's him!
[pointing at the screen]
Garth: That's him, that's the little feller who bit your finger off!
[Strasser glances down at his mangled right hand, missing the thumb and index finger]
Andrei Strasser: I'm always amazed how, if you wait long enough, the opportunity for justice finally comes. Garth, book us two tickets to America. We are going to pay a visit to this incredible animal.
[smirking, puts a half-glove on his right hand]
Andrei Strasser: I think I know how to convince his current owners to part with him.