The Monkey

Evil-looking windup toy monkey causes someone's gory "accidental" death every time it beats its toy drum. That's it, for an hour and a half. Every ten minutes somebody dies in an elaborate fashion that nonetheless lacks the ingenuity or suspense of the "Final Destination" (or even "Saw") movies because it's all played as a joke. Even that would be fine if the director really had a flair for jaunty black comedy--something like early Coen brothers--or spectacular bad-taste slapstick. But he doesn't, so this just comes off as one dumb gag after another, played out by characters who are all cartoonishly one-dimensional, so there's zero emotional stake in their fates.

I enjoyed at least some of Perkins' prior movies, but this reminded me that the weakest thing about Stephen King books and writing is when they're trying to be funny (think "Maximum Overdrive"), which is not his strong suit. It's better crafted than a lot of low-budget movies in a similar vein, but given that it's not particularly low-budget and involves some talented people, its ideas should be better than that of your average lowbrow gore comedy. I was very disappointed. If my expectations had been lower, I would have found it an okay throwaway movie--but even so, one that's neither particularly clever or scary, just sort of mildly amusing.

If Final Destination and Wish Upon had a child, it would be The Monkey. That was our immediate thought as we left the theater. This film blends supernatural horror, dark comedy, and absurdity in a way that feels both ridiculous and wildly entertaining. It's a film that knows exactly what it wants to be; an over-the-top, blood-soaked thrill ride that makes you laugh even as you cringe at its gruesome kills.

What sets The Monkey apart from its influences is its surprising dose of humor. Horror comedies are tough to pull off, but this film manages to create an odd yet satisfying balance between gory chaos and weirdly charming absurdity. You're not exactly belly-laughing, but there's this strange, undeniable urge to smirk and chuckle at the madness on screen. It has the energy of a violent children's fairy tale. Think of a silent-era slapstick comedy, but with splattering blood and twisted fates. It's bizarre, but it works.

Now, let's talk about what horror fans are really here for; the kills. And The Monkey delivers. It's gruesome, creative, and wacky in the best way possible. The deaths feel like something conjured from a child's chaotic imagination; illogical yet strangely poetic. The Monkey itself, this cursed toy at the center of the carnage, has a mischievous, almost gleeful way of orchestrating its victims' fates. If you love the elaborate, almost Rube Goldberg-esque deaths of Final Destination, you're in for a treat. It's all so over-the-top that it somehow becomes hilarious. The violence is exaggerated, stylized, and so absurd that it loops back around to being entertaining rather than just shocking.

Then there's Theo James, the ever-dashing star who's given the impossible task of playing an insecure, jittery father. And let's be honest; this man is too effortlessly suave for that. No amount of nerdy costuming can fully strip away his natural charm, and while he gives it his best shot, it's hard to fully buy into his transformation. He does a decent job, but there's a lingering sense that he's slightly miscast.

As for the story, it's simple... maybe too simple. The Monkey doesn't aim for deep narratives or complex character arcs. It moves along swiftly, focusing more on its chaotic spectacle than its plot. But credit where it's due: the film isn't just a copy-paste horror template. Unlike Wish Upon, which follows a predictable formula, The Monkey throws in enough surprises to keep things fresh.

That is, until the third act. This is where the film goes off the rails, not necessarily in a bad way, but in a 'Did we just jump the shark?' kind of way. It tries to up the stakes but ends up pushing the absurdity a bit too far. The motivation behind certain character decisions feels weak, and it loses some of the controlled chaos that made the first two acts so enjoyable.

Still, despite its flaws, The Monkey is a damn good time. The suspense is solid, the kills are outrageous, and the execution of horror-comedy is commendable. Could it have been better? Sure. A slower, more tension-filled buildup to the deaths would've elevated it further. But as it stands, it's an undeniably fun horror flick that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Verdict: The Monkey is a wild, ridiculous, and gory thrill ride that embraces its absurdity in the best way possible. It's like eating a sour candy; sharp, intense, but with a strangely enjoyable sweetness underneath. While Theo James struggles to shed his natural charisma for his role, and the third act goes a little off the deep end, the film remains a thoroughly fun and entertaining horror experience. If you love blood, chaos, and dark humor, you'll have a blast with this one.

The previews made this horror movie seem different and it peaked my interest.

In the end, the previews were better than the movie.

This seemed like a take on a couple of Twilight Zone episodes. The one with Talking Tina and the one with another doll that showed up in war zones and as evil charm.

The two main characters, the twins, were not likable characters. You didn't really get to know them, but what you do see in them, it's not something adorable or likable.

The killing scenes were just over the top unrealistic, made it seem like a cheap slasher movie made to attract a high school audience. We don't learn much about the monkey and not because of a cloud of mystery, more like and oversight. The plot in the end wasn't believable and the movie did little to make it believable. ...again, like they were more interested in just showing guts, buckets of blood, heads being blown up or removed, and deaths that defied the laws of physics . The other bright spot was I had the entire theater to myself with a bucket of popcorn and a Coke Zero.

I read the Stephen King short story in anticipation - which was a bad idea. The narrative is used more as a springboard for the further development of the concept. Don't get me wrong - I'm all on board for this expansion of the short story. I love the idea of the totem object that could possibly be a deity or god of some sort and how it follows the brothers into adulthood.

What I was sold was not what I got. I would say it compares to the use of the monkey drum toy for the poster of the film Monkey Shines (1988) by George A. Romero. Which is to say - they have nothing to do with each other - one is used to sell the other - and it's misleading. I blame the trailers. The Monkey - in terms of a film - is closer to a real bloody version of The Cable Guy (1996) or Very Bad Things (1998). If you go into the film expecting the tense horror/suspense of Longlegs, you'll end up a sad monkey.

As I walked away from the film I think I would have really enjoyed it if it was marketed more as a dark comedy (and sure some of this blame is on me as a viewer to do my research). As it stands - if you've seen the trailers you've already seen 90% of the suspense in the film. What you haven't seen is the absolute mayhem and chaos that surrounds those situations. I think the first 10 minutes of the film tells you exactly what it is - how the humor works - and how it plays out through the monkey.

If you're on board with the opening - it's a perfect roller coaster. My problem was that I thought I was on a rollercoaster and instead ended up tripping on a bunch of banana peels. Regardless, I think the film is worth viewing (and to continue using animal innuendos) you might find it a hoot! But in the end, the film is just monkeying around with the audience.

Right from the start you can tell how you'll fell at the end of the film. You either love or hate this movie. There's no in-between.

The movie is too goofy to work as a horror movie and it's too serious to be a dark comedy. There are horrible tonal shifts throughout the entire film. This actually feels like someone tried to write "marvel humour" into a Stephen King movie. By the way, that "based on Stephen King works" is a total disappointment, no single recognizable traits from his works can be seen in here. There is a kind of "twist" at the mid point but it's there just for shock value and totally inconsequential.

The worst part of this "slasher" is that all the deaths are so complicated yet so boring.

What a waste of time.