Monkeybone

Hence the title.

Getting in is an easy thing. Get out is not. Which is why the plot introduces a scheme, a plan by Monkeybone to take over Stu's body and escape Downtown.

Meanwhile, back in the less-interesting part of the movie, Stu's life seems to be coming to an end: His sister is itching to pull the plug on ol' Stu. But. . .

Girlfriend Julie scans a chart of Stu's brain and decides that Stu isn't dead yet: He is in a nightmare loop.

She scans a chart of his brain? She makes a medical diagnosis? Don't ask.

Anyway, Julie decides that the only way to save Stu is to inject him with something called 'Nightmare Juice'.

Now. At the same time she is injecting him with this stuff Monkeybone leaves Downtown and takes over Stu's body, so when Stu comes out of the coma everyone thinks it is Stu when it is Monkeybone.

Still following? All right.

Stu takes to acting funny, but Julie doesn't think anything of this, chalking it up to the juice.

And on. And on. And on. There are so many logic and reason holes in this stuff you could drive a multi-plex through them.

All right. So there isn't much of a plot. I suspect the director of this nonsense, Henry Selick, knew this, so he loaded up on the special effects, computer effects, make-up, and the likes.

Now. If, based on the trailers for "Monkeybone", you noticed how this movie looks like "The Nightmare Before Christmas" or "James and the Giant Peach" or "Beetlejuice", don't worry. Selick has borrowed liberally from all of them.

There is a pleasant appearance by Chris Kattan from "Saturday Night Live". The character he plays, although nasty and vile, is the redeeming element of "Monkeybone".

Unfortunately, that is not enough to make this movie worth watching.

But given Hollywood is about to go on strike and effectively close down, maybe now is a good time to rewatch "Beetlejuice", to see how a gothic comedy--a successful gothic comedy--is done.

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