Project X(1987) <720p>

The story follows (Matthew Broderick), a young Air Force pilot assigned to a secret project as punishment for a minor infraction. He is tasked with overseeing a group of chimpanzees being trained on flight simulators. Jimmy bonds with a chimp named Virgil , who was previously taught sign language by graduate student Teri MacDonald (Helen Hunt).

: The film received generally favorable reviews, holding a 74% score on Rotten Tomatoes . Critics praised the performances of the chimpanzees, particularly "Willie" as Virgil. Project X(1987)

: Shortly after release, the film was hit by allegations of animal abuse during filming, championed by TV host and activist Bob Barker . While Barker claimed trainers used "blackjacks" to beat the chimps, the filmmakers and the American Humane Association (AHA) denied these charges; the AHA eventually won a defamation settlement against Barker. The story follows (Matthew Broderick), a young Air