Following his recent 2024 horror hit “Longlegs,” director Osgood Perkins returns to the big screen with an uncanny twist on horror in “The Monkey.” Although “The Monkey” differs in style and theme to his previous film, the result is still an entertaining and heart-pounding experience.
While “Longlegs” is predominantly disturbing and darkly realistic, “The Monkey” takes a more comical and absurd direction with its display of horror and gore.
The opening scene sets up the style of horror the audience will grow accustomed to throughout the film’s runtime. While the horror elements are consistent, the action never grows stale as the violence and ridiculousness only escalate as the movie progresses.
Anyone familiar with the “Final Destination” franchise will know exactly what kind of movie they are about to see. Unlike those films, “The Monkey” is not a collection of lengthy Rube Goldberg-style set pieces that lead to a character’s inevitable demise. The fountains of viscera are preceded by short and discreet nods to the audience instead.
There are no secrets between “The Monkey” and its viewers. The film is aware of its blood-soaked content and isn’t afraid to avoid unnecessary foreshadowing. The plentiful gotcha moments are not a hindrance to the impact of the movie’s key horror sequences.
Loud, eerie music and the appearance of the titular character are effective ingredients for the abundance of zany death sequences. Because of this, it is best to avoid developing emotional attachments to any of the film’s characters.
At its core, however, “The Monkey” is a family movie. Not a family-friendly movie in the slightest, but it centers around familial dysfunction and rebuilding relationships with the ones that are closest to you.
The movie follows twin brothers Hal and Bill who are doomed to endure a series of ludicrous and fatal accidents due to the curse of a windup monkey. Don’t call it a toy.
Lead actor Theo James plays both Hal and Bill as adults in the later half of the movie. In particular, James’ portrayal as Hal solidifies his great acting ability. He seamlessly embodies someone who has become desensitized to horrifically improbable casualties while struggling to prevent his remaining loved-ones from suffering such a fate.
There are well-acted performances throughout the film, but a cameo from Hollywood icon Elijah Wood was my favorite scene from the movie. Wood’s sickening positivity is an obvious juxtaposition to James’ deadpan nature, plus his brief appearance does wonders in setting up inner-movie relationships. No spoilers here.
Comedy and horror don’t normally join forces, and when they do, one of the two genres overshadows the other à la “Scary Movie” and its heavy focus on humor. “The Monkey” blends horror and comedy superbly. It has the audience laughing hysterically, yet grimacing at the sheer amount of carnage on display.
Perkins’ last two films prove that he will be a mainstay director in the horror genre, but “The Monkey” demonstrates his ability to branch off from the stereotypical narrative of a scary movie. There is no over-romanticization of character relationships, and no reliance on outright terror. It is an excellent depiction of comical violence intertwined with its characters’ aims to protect their family bonds.
Fans of blood, more blood, and bleak, relatable humor will have a great time watching this film. If you enjoyed “Longlegs” and all of its sadistic glory just wait until you see what Perkins’ insidious toy monkey is capable of…whoops.
