Families that let a chimpanzee roam free in their home deserve what they get.
We come to that conclusion midway through “Primate,” when a rabies-infected chimp attacks co-eds who have come to the Hawaiian home for a little rest and relaxation.
Once the prey realizes Ben, the chimp, has rabies, they head for the pool where he won’t follow them because the disease has given him hydrophobia. After one is attacked and another friend has gone over the edge, the women in peril try to figure out how they’re going to get out of the pool and summon help.
Jessica Alexander, left, as Hannah and Miguel Torres Umba as Ben in "Primate."
The cat-and-mouse game takes too long (don’t they understand distraction is key? Then, you run!) and gives everyone a moment of tension.
While some have compared this to “Jaws,” it’s hardly as clever, particularly since the crazed chimp is always around. “Primate” has some chilling moments, but those result when Ben starts ripping body parts. They’re graphic and gross.
Ben is a bit of a question mark, too, changing sizes throughout the film. (That could be because an actor fit the suit and was called upon for key scenes.)
Johnny Sequoyah as Lucy in "Primate."
The real surprise is that recent Oscar-winner Troy Kotsur agreed to do this. He plays the father of two of the pool girls and, naturally, he’s away when the trouble happens.
Returning home late in the film, he figures out how to get the pet to back off so the young women can get help. It’s a clever play on the character’s deafness and a good way to mask the film’s big flaw — no lights in the house.
Clearly, a family that includes a chimp should be trained in dealing with issues, even if rabies is not a textbook problem (he gets it from a mongoose).
Director Johannes Roberts should have avoided “The Shallows” reactions and tried for something clever. Clearly, scenes with young women clinging to an air mattress are not.
“Primate,” in case you couldn’t guess, leaves the door open for another all-nighter, but there are several moments in the very short film when we’re ready for it to end.
