Nerdly » ‘Ape x Mecha Ape: New World Order’ DVD Review

09th Apr2025

‘Ape x Mecha Ape: New World Order’ DVD Review

by Phil Wheat

Stars: Jared Rivet, Ashley Ahlquist, Ashley Dakin, Bix Krieger, Jessica DeBonville, Sean Young | Written and Directed by Marc Gottlieb

Ape x Mecha Ape: New World Order is the third film in what might be loosely called a “trilogy,” if only because someone at The Asylum remembered that things often come in threes. It all started with Ape vs Monster, rolled into Ape vs Mecha Ape, and now lands us here, where the only real “order” in this New World Order is the kind that comes with a side of chaos and B-movie absurdity. But let’s be honest—this franchise will probably keep going as long as Hollywood keeps churning out giant monster flicks that cost more than a small country’s GDP.

The movie kicks off in 2007, when a chimp named Abraham is chilling in orbit for… reasons. Suddenly, a mysterious space thingy buzzes his capsule and interrupts communications with NASA. Fast-forward seventeen years, and Abraham is now an angry, building-sized primate who’s stomping around his new home on Watkins Island. This concerns scientists Hank (Jared Rivet, who’s been in everything from Slashercise to Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar) and Mariana (Ashley Ahlquist; Super Volcano).

Meanwhile, Naomi (Ashley Dakin) is having a rough time—her parents were on a cruise ship that’s now vanished like socks in a dryer. With no help from the authorities (classic), she teams up with fellow reporter Sarah (Bix Krieger) to dig into the mystery. Spoiler alert: all roads lead to Watkins Island, because of course they do.

Unlike some of The Asylum’s recent releases, this one wasn’t made exclusively for Tubi – which, in this studio’s world, is basically a sign of prestige. In fact, it even got a tiny theatrical run when it was released in the US last May! That means writer/director Marc Gottlieb (Megalodon: The Frenzy, Cousin Howard) actually had something resembling a budget. Not, like, a real budget, but enough to afford a few more explosions and maybe an extra intern for the CGI department.

This modest upgrade brings us some real cinematic treasures: a rebuilt Mecha Ape piloted by Rio Tsukumoto (Jessica DeBonville), a kaiju chimp with attitude, and an ancient god who is definitely supposed to be Cthulhu – though they make a point of pronouncing it like Lovecraft supposedly intended (“khlûl′-hloo,” because that’s fun to say mid-scream). These creatures are all wrapped up in a plot involving a secret cult trying to bring back the Old Gods. How this cult has operated in secret despite names like “Eve Lemuria” (Sean Young) is one of life’s great mysteries.

Now, does the plot hold up under close scrutiny? Not exactly. It’s basically a thin excuse to get a bunch of monsters to punch each other. But hey, it does keep the action moving when the monsters aren’t onscreen—which is more than you can say for some big-budget kaiju movies (cough cough). And to the film’s credit, it hints at a sequel that might dive deeper into the cult subplot… unless The Asylum gets distracted by a shinier idea to parody next.

While the action is a bit limited, giant monster fights aren’t exactly cheap, the CGI is actually better than expected. The destruction mostly happens in isolated locations like Meteor Crater or an uninhabited island, because that’s what you do when you can’t afford to level a city. And when civilization is hit, the movie helpfully cuts to stock footage. It’s eco-friendly filmmaking!

Design-wise, Mecha Ape looks suspiciously like Mecha Kong from King Kong Escapes, and the plot feels like a remix of every 1970s Godzilla movie, just with cultists instead of aliens. There’s even a bit of retro charm, though the lack of miniature buildings being crushed is a missed opportunity to go full nostalgia.

Ultimately, if you know The Asylum, you know what you’re getting. And if you like what they do – cheap thrills, monster mayhem, and a healthy dose of absurdity – Ape x Mecha Ape: New World Order delivers some of their best work.