Review of Monkey Shines (1988) by Mark N — 21 Dec 2011

George A. Romero is an esteemed director who has worked outside of his comfort zone a few times in his career, and "Monkey Shines" is one of the best detours he's ever taken. He's famous for his gory "Living Dead" films, but this film is story and character driven with a de-emphasis on blood and guts.

Romero is also the screenwriter ere, and he's a masterful storyteller. The film is deliberate but never boring. It builds the suspense, sets up the characters and unfolds at a very leisurely pace. Even the conclusion is a drawn-out, suspenseful affair that a less skilled filmmaker would have rushed through to get to the payoff. The finale lasts over thirty minutes, and because of that, the payoff is all the more satisfying.

There's not one huge star in the cast, but I really enjoyed the performances by Jason Beghe and John Pankow. Neither of them ever made it to A-list stardom, but they are both quite good here. Romero also hired longtime friend Tom Savini for the effects, but considering his notoriety, he has a pretty easy day at the office here. My only qualm with the effects are the monkey attack scenes in which the actors look like they're fighting with a stuffed cat. Still, the movie is grounded in reality, making it even more effective.

The horror takes place in an everyday setting, and while the "mind meld" that takes place between man and beast is hard to swallow, everything else is completely credible. "Monkey Shines" wasn't appreciated much during its initial release. But it still holds up well and is definitely worthy of a look today.