MXP: Most Xtreme Primate
By Pam Gelman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Young animal fans will enjoy snowboarding chimp.
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What's the Story?
From the creators of Air Bud, MXP: MOST EXTREME PRIMATE is a comedic tale Jack the chimp, who misses the days when he played hockey and rode a skateboard. To lift his spirits, his human "mother" decides to take Jack and other chimps in the family to Mexico. Mistaken identity at the airport ensues; Jack ends up on a plane to Colorado. He befriends two brothers and moves into their home. And in the backdrop of this all, two silly gangsters want to steal Jack to sell and pay off a debt. Jack learns to snowboard and enters a race with Pete, the younger brother. When kidnapped by the gangsters, the boss is not happy as he's placed good money on Jack and Pete winning the race. They do win the race and at the finish line, Jack is reunited by his "mother" and baby brother chimp.
Is It Any Good?
There's just something wrong about putting a chimpanzee on a snowboard. If you can get past it, you'll enjoy this movie. Despite the obvious animal-rights issues, this film shows brothers caring for each other, a single dad (played by Robby Benson) facing the challenges of raising kids alone, and the struggles of middle childhood, especially when kids have to make new friends. Pete is the hero in this story and a likable character. He's also a radical snowboarder and shows his stuff at the end with pro snowboarder Bjorn Leines. Parents will need to breathe deeply when listening to the very annoying surfer/snowboarder accent of the older brother. He's no Jeff Spicoli. And, very young kids may be scared by the gangsters, who are really just a pair of bumbling idiots. But if your kids are into chimps and snowboarding, it's a totally awesome flick, dude.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the challenges faced by kids who move to a new town. Also, children might want to discuss the ethics of using animals in films and teaching them to do stunts, such as snowboarding.
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 20, 2003
- On DVD or streaming: January 20, 2003
- Cast: Devin Douglas Drewitz, Robby Benson, Trevor Wright
- Director: Robert Vince
- Studio: Buena Vista
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts, Adventures, Wild Animals
- Run time: 88 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- MPAA explanation: all audiences
- Last updated: October 14, 2022
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