‘The Monkey’ Review
Stars: Adam Scott, Christian Convery, Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Rohan Campbell, Colin O’Brien, Elijah Wood, Sarah Levy | Written and Directed by Osgood Perkins
It was only seven months ago that Osgood Perkins delivered his most high-profile film yet, the unsettling work that was Longlegs, yet he has already returned to unleash onto audiences a new slice of horror. While his 2024 serial killer work was a terrifying experience, he has changed tactics with The Monkey to instead have a bloody good time (with emphasis on the word ‘bloody’).
The feature opens in an antique shop, where an airplane pilot (Adam Scott) desperately attempts to return a wind-up monkey (don’t call it a toy!) The reason for this soon becomes apparent, as the monkey plays its drums and soon causes a grisly death via a chain reaction. This is just the beginning of a horrifying killing spree, which forever changes the lives of estranged twin brothers Hal and Bill Shelburn (both played by Christian Convery as children and Theo James as adults).
Attached to this feature is horror royalty, as Perkins adapts a short story by Stephen King while James Wan is attached as a producer. The result offers a look at how parental trauma lingers with their children, remaining with the offspring long after the parents have left them, while also focusing on the unavoidable nature of death. Admittedly, the latter element is hammered home through unsubtle moments of dialogue, yet that is not the only way it is brought to the screen.
Perkins employs a more attention-grabbing way to depict the absurdity of death, and that is through show-stopping death sequences. Characters are shuffled off the mortal coil in unflinchingly cruel ways that are shot so artfully and utterly fun to watch, whether it is courtesy of an electrified swimming pool, a misplaced shotgun, or Chekov’s bowling ball. Speaking as a sicko who loves convoluted death scenes, getting this the same year as a new Final Destination film is heavenly.
While he may be saddled with a shaky American accent, Theo James delivers stellar performances as the dual brothers whose lives are forever changed by the ensuing deaths. The fear and grief have left both to live isolated lives in response, but while the bespectacled Hal worries that his existence is a danger to those he loves, his elder brother (by 3 minutes) Bill rages against the world. Spare a thought for Rohan Campbell, who deserves a pay rise for acting underneath the most ghastly wig within this film (and that is saying something!)
But the real star of this film is the titular object, as the monkey is shot with such menace that leaves it utterly unforgettable. Across a filmography which has included unsettling antagonists played by marvellous actors, Perkins may have outdone them by gloriously shooting what the props department have crafted. This may not be a stronger work from the Legally Blonde star, yet The Monkey remains a grisly blast that is worth your time. Here’s hoping the momentum continues with his next feature, the Tatiana Maslany starring Keeper which is out later this year.
***½ 3.5/5
The Monkey is in cinemas now.
