This
sci-fi,
thriller released in
1987 was directed by
Jonathan Kaplan. It was written by
Lawrence Lasker and
Stanley Weiser. The cast includes
Matthew Broderick,
Helen Hunt,
Johnny Ray McGhee,
Johnathan Stark,
Robin Gammell,
Stephen Lang, Virgil The Chimp, and others.
Following Orders isn't the only Way to become a Hero...
Jimmy Garrett (Matthew Broderick) is fairly new in the military and is given the simple task of watching after some chimpanzees that are already in cages. The chimps are being used in a secret project, "Project X". We find out the project is trying to find out how long a chimp can fly a plane in a simulated situation, through the use of flight simulators. The situation is a lethal dose of radiation. The purpose of the research is to find out if needed could a human pilot still deliver his payload after nearby nuclear blast. Jimmy begins to take a liking to one chimp and after learning what it is the final fate of this animals decides he must try to save them. With the help of Teri (Helen Hunt) they go to work.
Predictable and cheesy, but an ok movie. It does have a couple worth while messages, "cruelty to animals is bad" and "don't blindly follow orders." It is probably worth it just to see chimps fly flight simulators. I really don't think it has much re-watch value.
There is also two other movies by this same name one is from
1968 and the other from
1949, but I have not seen either of these.