Ape (2017) User Reviews

Hutcherson; An astonishingly good directorial debut.

[yusufpiskin · 8/10 · 13 December 2020]

What I got to say about "Ape" it's a good short movie. "It's intense, tragic and reality bending." The performances by the whole cast is good. "Josh Hutcherson really give a transformation type of performance like you never seen before." This Josh Hutcherson's first director debut, and I have to emit it's really good. The screenplay by Jon Johnstone is creative and realistically written. The cinematography is good. The score and effects are good as well. "I have to report that "Ape" maybe a short film but in my opinion, it has a strong and mind blowing story behind it."

Well made and well acted short

[jackcwelch23 · 27 September 2017]

Josh Hutcherson is excellent in this creepy, surreal short about a troubled man's fractured mind. High production value and a nice soundtrack add to the film's effect. A simple yet memorable story of low self esteem, mental health and melancholy. On the strength of this Joshy should probably look in to directing a feature.

A promising debut held back by a mediocre generic story

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 24 December 2017]

"Ape" is a 13-minute live action short film from February 2017, so this one iss not even a year old now and it is the first and so far only writing credit by Joe Johnstone, but the reason why it is so well-known is because it is the first and only directorial effort by successful young American actor Josh Hutcherson that most people these days probably know from the Hunger Games franchise. He also plays the main character, perhaps the title character you could say, a pretty deranged young man really struggling with psychological illness hearing voices that aren't there and seeing people that aren't there all of which may result from a trauma that dates back to his younger years. Things especially go out of hand when he ends up making out with an attractive young friend. All in all, for a first director's work, it wasn't too bad. You can see that Hutcherson learned a lot from the many filmmakers he worked with. His work behind the camera or in front of it aren't the problem here. Neither is that you won't probably recognize any of the other actors. But the major issue here is the story. The plot never drew me in and neither did any of the characters sadly. It is what it is I guess. As part of a full feature film, these slightly over a dozen minutes may have worked. As an individual movie, I cannot say the same. Still from what I saw in here, I am curious about and eager to see Hutcherson's future works behind the camera. This was fairly promising at times here, also from the atmospheric perspective. Still story is key and from that perspective I have to give the overall outcome here a thumbs-down and say that I'd only recommend it to Hutcherson's fans to see. Everybody else can go for something other instead.

surprising

[Kirpianuscus · 30 September 2017]

not only because a young actor like Josh Hutcherson could be perceived as director with skepticism, but for the delicate theme. the mental disorder is far to be an easy subject. but his performance, the atmosphere, the controversies about characters and theirs significance are the good argument for a promising career as director for Hutcherson. because all is precise and each detail proposed as perfect piece of puzzle. and this does "Ape" more than a first exercise of its director.