Watch Shakma

Shakma is a 1990 horror movie directed by Hugh Parks and Tom Logan, and starring Christopher Atkins, Amanda Wyss, and Ari Meyers. Set in a research lab in the midst of an experiment, the movie follows a group of medical students who become trapped with a rogue and aggressive baboon named Shakma. The film kicks off with a group of medical students gathered at the research lab, situated within an old, labyrinthine building. Led by Dr. Sorenson (Roddy McDowall), the students are conducting an experiment to test the intelligence of a group of baboons, including Shakma. As the experiment unfolds, things quickly take a dark turn, with Shakma becoming increasingly aggressive and eventually attacking and killing one of the students.

As the other students attempt to flee, they soon realize that they are trapped within the building, with Shakma actively hunting them down one by one. As the body count rises, tension and terror mount, and the remaining students must draw on their knowledge of the lab's layout and equipment to try and evade the rampaging baboon.

Despite its low budget, Shakma delivers a genuinely suspenseful and frightening story, with the action taking place almost entirely within the confines of the lab building. The tight and claustrophobic setting is used to its full potential, with the filmmakers taking full advantage of the dark, cramped corridors and dimly-lit rooms to build a sense of unease and dread.

Christopher Atkins is the lead character in the film, playing Sam, one of the medical students. Sam is resourceful and level-headed, and emerges as the de facto leader of the group, along with Tracy (Ari Meyers), a colleague who works in the lab. Meyers offers a spirited performance as Tracy, showing both intelligence and bravery in the face of the danger posed by Shakma.

Another standout in the cast is Amanda Wyss, who plays Kim, one of the medical students. Wyss delivers a solid performance, showing both vulnerability and strength as the group is threatened by the baboon. Her character is one of the most well-developed in the movie, and she brings a necessary dose of humanity to this otherwise horror-filled story.

One of the most impressive aspects of Shakma is the titular baboon himself. Played by a real baboon (named Typhoon), Shakma is a formidable and terrifying opponent. The animal's sheer strength and agility are on full display throughout the movie, as he relentlessly pursues the trapped students, and his battling with various crew, cameras and sets – while clearly orchestrated for safety reasons – adds to the tension.

In addition, the use of practical effects rather than CGI adds a level of realism to the movie that is often missing from modern horror films. The makeup effects used to show the injuries sustained by the students are particularly well done, further adding to the sense of believability and horror.

Overall, Shakma is a gripping and innovative horror film that delivers on its premise. The movie's tight settings, strong performances, and realistic special effects all work together to create a tense and terrifying atmosphere that will appeal to fans of classic horror. A definite sleeper hit of its time, even if it has been largely forgotten by mainstream audiences today.

Shakma is a 1990 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.0.