Primate

Future visits to a certain enclosure at the zoo might be scarred by watching Primate, a horror flick in which the title character is predictably smarter and more sophisticated than his human co-stars.

Jump scares and gratuitous gore are inevitable parts of the equation in this creature feature rendered more menacing by some high-tech animatronics. However, this slick and stylish thriller about a rabid chimpanzee that goes bananas isn’t clever or edgy enough to be more provocative or consistently unsettling.

The story is set in Hawaii, where Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) returns home for the summer from college. She brings a couple of classmates along to enjoy the lavish property — including a pool, spacious bedrooms, and a beachside view — owned by her father (Troy Kotsur), a deaf author who has been somewhat distant since his wife’s death.

Lucy also is able to reunite with Ben, the beloved family chimp, at least until he contracts rabies and goes on a murderous rampage for some reason. It helps that the free-spirited coeds are oblivious to the potential dangers of exotic house pets or the extent of their own naivete.

As Ben’s behavior quickly becomes more erratic, everyone ignores the red flags because, you know, he’s part of the family. “He would never hurt anybody,” insists Lucy’s younger sister (Gia Hunter). Yet their ensuing fight for survival, much of which takes place when dad is away at a book-signing event, proves otherwise.

At least the screenplay by Ernest Riera and British director Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down) doesn’t take itself too seriously. It doesn’t bother to develop the characters because — for the most part — they’re just random items on Ben’s checklist of carnage.

The film isn’t meant to withstand the slightest logical scrutiny, and is intermittently amusing on that level. The cast seems to have fun, too, including Oscar-winner Kotsur (Coda) as the obligatory voice of reason.

You can pass the time enjoying the scenic visual backdrop or admiring the phenomenal house with its abundant glass features that don’t survive intact until the closing credits.

However, Primate adheres to well-worn genre tropes rather than committing to its campy absurdity, which would have evolved this cinematic monkey business.

Rated R, 89 minutes.