Project Nim was a bit of a deceptive documentary. The trailer sets up the film as a scientific study of a chimpanzee in the 1970’s: teaching the chimp how to sign, raising as a human and otherwise attempting to cross a new bridge between animal/human relationship and how its brain functions and learns.

Coming off the heels of watching Rise of the Planet of the Apes - I couldn’t help but draw parallels between the two films. Both films feature the relationship between scientists and a chimpanzee, but also end up turning into more of a political and ideological debate on animal rights and testing on animals. 

I was surprised when Project Nim went from being a story about how difficult it was raising a chimp without any preconceived notions of how the animal would develop to a story about animal rights.

Still, it’s a very compelling insight into how completely irresponsible and absolutely ridiculous it was for a group of individuals to take on a task like this in the 1970’s, but it still comes with a lot of heart, and I don’t regret watching it (despite feeling like I was somehow tricked into watching an activism film).

It’s not going to be for everyone, but if you’re at all captivated or fascinated by the trailer, it’s worth watching.