Elisabeth Shue, in her first top-billed role, plays Jane Chase, an American student living in England. She desires to work with renowned anthropologist Dr. Steven Phillip (Terence Stamp), and gets a job as his assistant. But soon after she arrives at his coastal estate, she finds that the "good" doctor is a jerk towards his simian housemates. Phillip disappears, and the apes take over the asylum. Janes' nemesis is the orang-utan Link (played by Locke), who's been acting and dressing like a butler. Link goes crazy, supposedly a reaction to some news he may have heard.
The film is decidedly quirky for a while, owing to a silly script by Everett De Roche, who usually turned out better material than this. It does seem to be played as tongue in cheek at first, considering how goofy the dialogue and situations are. It really starts to "cook" once the flustered Jane has to try to babysit these out of control apes (the other two occupants are a pair of chimps). It's hilarious at times, coming up with some truly ridiculous moments. Apparently Link can go anywhere and do just about anything. The film also gets some mileage out of the ever-likeable Shue, who's easy to watch as always. Stamp is fairly amusing in his brief time on screen. But Locke has to be the real star of this thing - his actions, and reactions, are a riot. Kudos, also, to veteran animal trainer Ray Berwick, who guided the feathered antagonists for Hitchcocks' "The Birds", and trained the apes here.
Nice use of rural locations (that countryside can be gorgeous) is a bonus. Jerry Goldsmith, ordinarily a very reliable composer, is not averse to repeating himself, though: his score here often calls to mind the one he did for "Gremlins" two years previous.
This viewer will give producer / director (and known Hitchcock disciple) Richard Franklin some credit: his nutty animal-attack thriller does deliver one of those rip-roaring finales that truly brings the house down. Lockes' final scene is hysterical.
One might team this with "Shakma" for a double dose of killer-ape schlock.
Five out of 10.
The film is decidedly quirky for a while, owing to a silly script by Everett De Roche, who usually turned out better material than this. It does seem to be played as tongue in cheek at first, considering how goofy the dialogue and situations are. It really starts to "cook" once the flustered Jane has to try to babysit these out of control apes (the other two occupants are a pair of chimps). It's hilarious at times, coming up with some truly ridiculous moments. Apparently Link can go anywhere and do just about anything. The film also gets some mileage out of the ever-likeable Shue, who's easy to watch as always. Stamp is fairly amusing in his brief time on screen. But Locke has to be the real star of this thing - his actions, and reactions, are a riot. Kudos, also, to veteran animal trainer Ray Berwick, who guided the feathered antagonists for Hitchcocks' "The Birds", and trained the apes here.
Nice use of rural locations (that countryside can be gorgeous) is a bonus. Jerry Goldsmith, ordinarily a very reliable composer, is not averse to repeating himself, though: his score here often calls to mind the one he did for "Gremlins" two years previous.
This viewer will give producer / director (and known Hitchcock disciple) Richard Franklin some credit: his nutty animal-attack thriller does deliver one of those rip-roaring finales that truly brings the house down. Lockes' final scene is hysterical.
One might team this with "Shakma" for a double dose of killer-ape schlock.
Five out of 10.