Monkey Shines

Name: Monkey Shines
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller, Horror
Released: July 29, 1988
Duration: 113 min
Rating: 71
Cast: Jason Beghe, John Pankow

1988

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 10 Ratings

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6.6

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6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 10 Ratings

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Monkey Shines

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Movie Details & Credits

Orion Pictures | Release Date: July 29, 1988 | R

Starring: Jason Beghe, John Pankow

Summary: A quadriplegic man has a trained monkey help him with his paralysis, until the little monkey begins to develop feelings, and rage, against its new master.

Director: George A. Romero

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 113 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Empire Rob Beattie

Getting the best out of a middling novel, Romero finds new, less gruesome avenues for his skills. Read full review

Time Out London Staff (Not Credited)

What sets this apart from most modern horror movies, besides a sparing use of special effects, is Romero's careful development of a credible emotional context for the pyromaniac madness and razor-wielding terror. Romero's is a formidable talent which others can only hope to ape. Read full review

Dave Kehr

One of Romero's most complex and challenging creations. The film shifts effortlessly between playfulness and outrage, between a distanced irony and an awful, immediate horror. Read full review

Rick Groen

This is Romero at his best - a set-piece of sustained chills all precisely shot and rhythmically cut, good enough to make us forgive (if not forget) the cast that is merely competent, and an ending that is downright tepid. But even at half-throttle, Romero can quicken the pulse. Worse than it could have been, Monkey Shines is still better than most. [29 July 1988]

Roger Ebert

Romero loses momentum in the closing passages because he has too many loose ends to keep track of. Somewhere within this movie’s two hours or so is hidden an absolutely spellbinding 90-minute thriller. Read full review

Juan Carlos Coto

For Romero fans, Monkey Shines may lack the graphic punch of his earlier work, but it's still a crafty piece of entertainment. [29 July 1988, p.C5]

Peter Smith

Monkey Shines is just humdrum theater fodder that exploits the problems of quadriplegics for a cheap buzz of fear that it can't even deliver. This movie could make the apes sorry that we're related. [29 July 1988, p.9]

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User Reviews

TheQuietGamer

Jun 18, 2021

There are two things George Romero loved bringing to theater screens: zombies and socially conscious horror films. Usually both at the same time. With Monkey Shines he delivered a twisted little story about the evils of animal testing. It follows a quadriplegic man as he forms an unhealthyThere are two things George Romero loved bringing to theater screens: zombies and socially conscious horror films. Usually both at the same time. With Monkey Shines he delivered a twisted little story about the evils of animal testing. It follows a quadriplegic man as he forms an unhealthy bond with a lab-animal-turned-service-monkey named "Ella." Things start off cute enough. The adorable Capuchin at first proves to be a charming, shockingly intelligent helper for the disabled protagonist, and the master/pet affection that grows as a result is genuinely sweet leading to quite a few moments that will surely make you go "aww." However, it's not long until you begin noticing that the two are having a very negative effect on each other's behavior and the chimp crap hits the fan.

This seems like something that shouldn't work at all as the concept doesn't sound even the slightest bit frightening, but Romero is able to make a surprising amount of tension come from this game of cat-and-mouse with a homicidal primate. On top of making the leading man largely immobile and therefore very vulnerable, he also gives the house where most of the action takes place an atmosphere not unlike that of one in a traditional haunting flick when the situation really begins getting dangerous.

Your suspension of disbelief will receive a strong test though when the psychic connection between the man and the beast is introduced. This is only a problem because it's never explained how that's possible. Especially since another character has to inject himself with the same compound being used on Ella in order to experience similar results to his friend who was able to attain them through mere proximity. It never manages to bridge that gap between the scientific and the supernatural. By the time the credits roll as far as we know maybe this monkey just "shines" in the same way as Danny Torrance.

That flaw aside however, you'll find no monkey business here. This is a very effective bit of simian terror. Something that is in no small part due to it doing its own unique thing to the point where it still feels original and inimitable to this day. I mean, it's animal rights horror for crying out loud. How many times have you seen that before?

9.2/10… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Mayfieldja

Oct 7, 2017

There are flaws scattered throughout this entire film. It has it's moments but overall, the over the top performances and issues in the writing hold it back.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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