प्रोजेक्ट X

Yes, I agree with all the other positive comments posted on this film; it is a remarkable triumph that not only redeems our emotional sensibilities but makes us again realise that the unquestioning acceptance of `intellectualism' as the yardstick by which everything must be measured, has made us damn and paralyze one of the best parts of our being. With the rise of contemporary secularism, (and, so no one should misunderstand me, I write as an atheist), we have allowed science to become our replacement religion; seems like mankind just has to have something to `worship', but in doing this, we have, (just as we did before with religion), sanctioned diabolical cruelties against sentient beings, whether human or animal, in its name.

As Bernard Shaw, (and, by default, this movie) reminded us, the arguments used to justify vivisection are those which can be used to justify ANY atrocity, and PROJECT X rekindles that spark of humane compassion that materialism and self-regard have almost eradicated from our consciousness with their constant bombardment of `rational', dictatorial, and authoritarian notions. `We mustn't be emotional about these things' the `intellectual' and the `scientist' will retort, but why not?! Why not give animal beings the benefit of the doubt, if for one second there actually were any?

PROJECT X is a modern parable in both ethics and attitude; a powerful indictment of our misuse of animal beings. Mankind can't have it both ways; if, as the scientist argues, evolution is the means, then it is wrong to deny the opportunities this process bestows, (and which have so benefited us), to other species. If it is not the means, as the religionist argues, then it's simply a question of blasphemy, because these people assume rights which are actually denied them in Genesis.

A most worthy film which is well worth watching more than once, and a reminder that love and compassion can also be powerful agents of subversion!

Air Force trainee (Matthew Broderick) is caught with a girl in a plane and is punished by being sent to a research facility where they train chimpanzees to fly with flight simulators. He becomes attached to one chimp in particular named Virgil, who was trained to speak sign language by Helen Hunt. Eventually he learns that the chimps are subjected to deadly experiments. So he seeks out Virgil's trainer so they can try to save the chimps.

Obviously this is an easy movie to deride. With its animal rights and anti-military themes, it's going to lose some audience members at the door. I'm not saying that the movie is completely fair on these issues. It's a pretty clear black & white/good vs bad kind of story that tugs at the heartstrings more than it engages the mind. But it does it very well. I enjoyed the movie a lot despite not agreeing with its oversimplified viewpoints 100%. Broderick and Hunt were great but the chimps really steal the show. It's hard not to feel sympathetic towards their plight. I also liked the ending, which many seem to think is silly. It was Disneyesque but appropriately hopeful. It's a good film. Check it out if you're not overly cynical.

A baby chimp is captured in the jungles of Africa and sent to the University of Wisconsin. Psych researcher Teri MacDonald (Helen Hunt) names him Virgil and teaches him sign language. A year later, her grant doesn't get renewed and she loses Virgil. She's told that Virgil is going to a children's zoo but instead, he goes to Lockridge Air Force Base in Florida. Pilot Jimmy Garrett (Matthew Broderick) gets a reprieve after stealing a plane to fly a girl on a date. He's brought to take care of the chimpanzees. He thinks Dr. Carroll (William Sadler) is teaching them how to fly but he's doing much more.

It's a touching movie with Broderick providing a good young lead. Hunt is the pleading liberal heart. It's a touching animal rights movie with its own Star Trek II death moment and loads of chimps. It has the feel of WarGames with Broderick being the same smartalecky young guy. The chimps are compelling with their own personalities which keeps the crazy ending somewhat believable. The alleged animal abuse during the filming is disturbing but I'm not going to subtract from my vote here. I'm just voting based on what's on the screen.

Matthew Broderick's big smiling face booms out on the DVD cover, there's also Helen Hunt looking strangely alluring, while a small silhouette shows a man and chimp holding hands in the glow of something bright. Lovely, just lovely. Yet this is something of a bum steer considering the film is very rarely funny or sexy!

Project X comes from the stable of films involving animals that are made to illicit a prescribed response from the human being. More so if you happen to be an animal lover as well. It all looks very dated while the message and thematics at work are frayed around the edges. In fact better treatments of "animal testing" films have been made both before and after Project X. But this in no way means Jonathan Kaplan's movie isn't any good, because it is. The cast are engaging, there's no demonising of the military humans and it hits all the right emotional beats of its subject matter. It just needs to be said that any expectation of a thought provoking and believable picture will only lead to disappointment.

Get the tissues ready and pray for a punch the air ending, while enjoy those awesome chimps as well. 7/10

I saw Matthew Broderick and Helen Hunt and thought, "Comedy." Comedy it was not.

A chimpanzee by the name of Virgil left the comfy confines of a Wisconsin University for the cramped cages of Lockridge Air Force Base in Florida. There he was being trained to do flight simulations by Jimmy Garrett (Broderick). Jimmy was enjoying his job until he found out what the chimps were truly being used for: to test their ability to withstand radiation while flying. These chimpanzees were being routinely killed presumably to find out how a U.S. pilot would fare in the same situation.

Sad, I know. Jimmy had grown attached to Virgil and couldn't bear to see him sacrificed in such a manner. This movie actually tugs at the heart strings. We can easily rationalize harming other creatures for the benefits of mankind, but this was a sad case. I don't want to prop this movie up like it's an Oscar-worthy movie, but it was done well.