This takes the famous monkey statue "Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil" and gives it a new twist. Unfortunately that twist isn't exactly a lucky twist because it ends up becoming one of the worst family films of the 80's, equal in its absurdities to "Howard the Duck" and "Baby the clay Brontosaurus". What could have been an amusing little comedy ends up as equally ridiculous as many of the 80's Saturday morning cartoons with an absurd premise that has a few funny moments but is on occasionally very cruel and over the top in its juvenile nature and poor performances.
Young David Mendenhall had created a name for himself as an award winning child actor on "General Hospital" and goes from the monkey like antics of adopted brother Blackie (John Stamos) to a real talking monkey who won't shut up after learning how to say banana. Orphan Mendenhall is traveling through Africa with uncle Dom DeLuise and driver Jimmie Walker, and while the results aren't necessarily "dynomite!", at least the younger actor gives a sincere performance unlike those two and Herbert Lom, playing another stereotypical villain. The actor inside the monkey suit has a very annoying voice that seems to be imitating the dolphins who could get out a few words in the much better "Day of the Dolphin".
I feel sorry for the poor adults who were forced to sit through this with their children, and I even doubt that most children over 12 found this funny. There are so many faults within this, but the sight of the three leads in clown costumes (changed in record time from their street clothes) is rather scary. The little simian creature in "Land of the Lost" (Chaka) was a more realistic looking monkey. DeLuise and Walker are funny in small doses, and they are outshined by an actual African actor playing a law enforcement officer who gets genuine laughs with barely even trying. This is a genuine case of "Monkey see, monkey don't" or as the box office of this film indicates "Every Which Way But Profitable".
Young David Mendenhall had created a name for himself as an award winning child actor on "General Hospital" and goes from the monkey like antics of adopted brother Blackie (John Stamos) to a real talking monkey who won't shut up after learning how to say banana. Orphan Mendenhall is traveling through Africa with uncle Dom DeLuise and driver Jimmie Walker, and while the results aren't necessarily "dynomite!", at least the younger actor gives a sincere performance unlike those two and Herbert Lom, playing another stereotypical villain. The actor inside the monkey suit has a very annoying voice that seems to be imitating the dolphins who could get out a few words in the much better "Day of the Dolphin".
I feel sorry for the poor adults who were forced to sit through this with their children, and I even doubt that most children over 12 found this funny. There are so many faults within this, but the sight of the three leads in clown costumes (changed in record time from their street clothes) is rather scary. The little simian creature in "Land of the Lost" (Chaka) was a more realistic looking monkey. DeLuise and Walker are funny in small doses, and they are outshined by an actual African actor playing a law enforcement officer who gets genuine laughs with barely even trying. This is a genuine case of "Monkey see, monkey don't" or as the box office of this film indicates "Every Which Way But Profitable".
