Winding the Key

We all had a favorite toy during our childhood, with many laughs, smiles, and positive memories made because of them. But what if that toy you cherished all those years ago harbored a dark secret with lethal consequences? That’s what The Monkey aims to answer in a gruesomely comedic way. Based on a short story by beloved horror author Stephen King, this film features a plethora of big names from the genre involved in the film’s production. 

Not only is the film based on King’s writing, but it was produced by James Wan, known for his work on Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring among many other big-name projects. Additionally, it was directed by Osgood Perkins, an up-and-coming filmmaker in the genre known for crafting tense stories out of modest budgets. In fact, his 2024 film Longlegs was critically praised and shattered the box office, becoming the highest-grossing independent flick of that year.

The reception to The Monkey has been similar to that of Longlegs, earning strong reviews from both critics and horror fans. Simultaneously, it has maintained a steady stream of financial success, having already grossed $21.6 million worldwide as of Thursday, Feb. 27. As someone who loves the horror genre, I was excited to check this movie out because of its crazy trailers and bizarre premise. Plus, I adored Perkins’ previous film, Longlegs, and I admire the many works of King and Wan. All the stars were aligning for me, as I eagerly felt this could be one of the best horror flicks of the entire year. 

On Sunday, Feb. 23, I grabbed a ticket and attended a screening at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas, just a ten-minute drive from campus. As the monkey played its final beat, I was left with one question: did the three horror maestros compose something magnificent, or was it nothing but a sour note in their filmographies?

Swinging Into Action

The Monkey focuses on two twins, Hal and Bill Shelburn, as they discover a toy drum-playing monkey that belonged to their father. However, they soon realize something demented hidden under all the fur: every time the toy is activated, it selects a random person and kills them in a brutal way. The drum-playing demon returns 25 years after the twins seemingly get rid of it and go their separate ways, leaving it up to them to stop the monkey before it strikes again. The film’s cast includes names such as Theo James, Christian Convery, Tatiana Maslany, Rohan Campbell, Colin O’Brien, Adam Scott, and Elijah Wood among others. 

As a fan of the horror genre, this movie met my expectations, perhaps even exceeding them. I was particularly impressed with how it handled its writing. Seeing how it sports a rather ludicrous concept on paper, the script actually found ways at making it feel believable while still maintaining a lot of crazy content. The core story is engaging with plot details at every turn, resulting in an unpredictable final product that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Additionally, while the monkey is playing its music and causing havoc among several characters, there is a surprisingly well developed subplot between Hal and his son, Petey, who inadvertently joins his father on his journey to stop it. Because of their realistic interactions and skepticism, it adds more drama to the film through meaningful dialogue and impactful performances.

The cast in general is fantastic in their respective roles, especially those who share the most screen time. The standout performance was James, who plays a dual role as Hal and Bill, the estranged twins who initially discovered the monkey’s secret. Despite being played by the same actor, James provides unique personality traits to each brother, both positive and negative, helping them to stand out from one another and stick with viewers. 

The rest of the performers, including O’Brien as the aforementioned Petey and Maslany as the twins’s mother, embody their roles to make them their own, leaning into the movie’s craziness while still having a fair share of tender moments.

That said, one of my nitpicks with this movie was that some of the billed stars do not get much screen time and come off more as surprise cameos than meaningful characters. This is primarily the case with both Scott and Wood, arguably the biggest names on the cast list. The two only show up in one scene each, entering the movie once before never being seen again. I felt like their talents could’ve been utilized in more of the film’s runtime, especially since they both play their characters well for the limited screen time they had. Yet, I can still overlook this on account of the movie’s writing and central characters being strong and thoroughly well written. I just wish Scott and Wood got more time to shine.

Banging the Drum

Perkins’s previous film, Longlegs, was acclaimed for its dreary, disturbing, psychologically suspenseful tone which amplified as the runtime progressed. The Monkey still maintains some of this dread, but is a completely different approach from his prior work. Namely, this movie is much more graphic and creative with its usage of blood and gore, leading to an explosive and bizarre final product. The chaos level is turned all the way up for this film, resulting in many unexpectedly flooring moments.

These primarily come in the form of the movie’s death scenes, of which there are many. From the moment the film starts, it immediately lets viewers know what type of film it is going to be: one that does not take itself too seriously, but is not afraid to get graphic. It maintains this approach all the way until the credits roll, ultimately resulting in many surprising, graphic, and creative death scenes. The monkey itself practically plays Mouse Trap with every victim it claims, as precise actions frequently occur in a sequential format, culminating into an explosive end result–sometimes figuratively, other times literally. 

The creative kill scenes are accompanied by terrific practical effects, makeup, and stunt work, resulting in a grotesque final product which reminded me of other classic horror franchises. The strong practical effects and dark comedy reminded me of the Evil Dead series, while the sequential kills and bizarre circumstances were highly reminiscent of Final Destination. 

Unfortunately, even with these great aspects, there are also a few digital effects in the film which stick out quite a bit. Granted, the movie does not have a massive budget and relies mostly on the practical effects and makeup, but there were also some instances where computer effects were used. While not the worst I’ve ever seen, they were still noticeable and occasionally looked cheap, especially with one scene in the final five minutes. Even with this, the practical makeup and creativity in the death sequences do a lot of the heavy lifting, making up for the occasionally mediocre computer effects.

A High Note

The aspect of this film which surprised me the most was its tone. As previously mentioned, Perkins takes a vastly different approach from Longlegs, resulting in a more spontaneous and comedic approach than that movie’s slower psychological dread. The Monkey finds the right balance between horrifying and darkly hilarious, resulting in an engaging product which makes strong use of its unique style. Granted, this type of film might not appeal to some audiences due to its gory kills and dark humor, but for those engaged in horror overall, this movie provides something not seen in the genre in some time. 

This is a film that is not afraid to have fun with its concept about a killer toy, especially with its usage of humor. There were surprisingly a lot of times when I found myself laughing aloud at the events carried out on screen, whether it be a particular line delivery or unexpected kill. The morbid comedy throughout the film would strike when I least expected it to, and frequently had a hysterical yet jaw-dropping punchline, almost reminding me of the humor in South Park, which follows somewhat of a similar style. 

This film does not take itself or its core story too seriously, nor is it highly meta or self-aware. It does not fall into parody territory as it still acknowledges the fright and stakes of the situation, and what might happen if the monkey is not stopped. Despite a vastly different style from Longlegs, Perkins finds a way to balance two tones on opposite sides of one coin into its own unique style, resulting in one of the strongest horror-comedies I’ve seen in a long time.

A Prime Primate

Overall, even with some questionable digital effects and wasted actors, The Monkey is an insanely fun movie elevated by its great performances, phenomenal practical effects, perfectly balanced tone, sharp wit, and well-written leads. For fans of horror movies, dark comedy, and previous works of King, Wan, or Perkins, I highly recommend giving this movie a watch. 

While the movie’s morbid comedy and over-the-top content will undoubtedly turn some viewers away, for those who want something new from the horror genre, look no further than The Monkey! The film is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including Hackettstown’s own Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas. If you want to scream in fear or laugh out loud–or even both–Perkins has you covered with his latest outing. 

This monkey might not appeal to all audiences, but for horror fans like myself, it plays a great song which leaves them satisfied down to the last beat of the drum.

My Rating