Directed by Osgood Perkins (Longlegs), produced by James Wan (Aquaman), and based on yet another work by Stephen King (It), The Monkey had all the right ingredients for a memorable horror viewing. Its premise, centered on a toy monkey that causes gruesome deaths whenever someone winds up the key on its back, carried the necessary eerie, macabre elements for top-tier entertainment. Unfortunately, the film starring Theo James (Divergent) in a dual role as twins Hal and Bill ends up being one of the biggest disappointments of the year so far.
Expectations should have been high from the start, but the initial reactions were quite polarizing. This time, however, it wasn’t due to the usual tendency of critics and influencers to exaggerate their opinions right after leaving the theater. The Monkey earns its extreme reception because its blend of genres and tones is so (deliberately) chaotic that it quickly becomes one of those cinematic cases that either clicks perfectly with the viewer or completely misses the mark.
Within mere seconds, The Monkey shifts from a tense, suspenseful moment to an explosion of gore – sometimes quite literally – then moves into an honest, thematically sensitive dialogue, only to end with a satirical joke that strips away any seriousness from what just happened. I repeat, all within mere seconds, a cycle that repeats throughout its nearly 100-minute runtime. Instead of coming across as an intelligent fusion of distinct styles, it feels more like aimless confusion.
At its core, The Monkey is a story about abandonment, childhood trauma, and parental issues, but Perkins never seems interested in delivering a deep, thematically rich study. As for entertainment, the horror sequences showcase praiseworthy technical elements – the makeup and VFX teams, along with whoever had to deal with massive amounts of blood, deserve credit – but they also fall into a repetitive pattern of “blood explosion” moments that lose impact with each bizarre new death. Regarding its humor, the constant satire feels more like a way to ensure the movie remains self-aware rather than a clever attempt to mislead the audience.
In short, Perkins tries to play with every kind of tone that fits his admittedly creative, bold narrative, yet the filmmaker not only fails to realize the potential of each generated atmosphere but also makes The Monkey feel like a film without a clear vision of what it wants to be. Adding to this, the structure includes multiple timelines, flashbacks, and narration… it’s a jarring experience in a negative sense. Still, I fully believe that this very strangeness and discomfort will be precisely what appeals to some viewers.
On the positive side, James delivers an effective deadpan performance in his dual role, and Tatiana Maslany (Stronger) once again proves there’s no part she can’t elevate with her natural talent. Meanwhile, Adam Scott (Severance) and Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings) have enough star power to justify more screen time than what they actually get. There are a couple of intriguing plot developments, as well as sequences that achieve the perfect balance Perkins seems to chase throughout the entire movie. However, The Monkey repeatedly falls into the same trap – never figuring out the ideal mix of ingredients needed to bake a satisfying cake.
Final Thoughts on The Monkey
The Monkey teeters between ingenuity and frustration. Osgood Perkins crafts moments of inspiration and gets the best out of a solid cast, but the lack of a cohesive identity prevents its erratic blend of tones and genres from reaching its true potential. For some, this chaotic, blood-soaked mix of horror, satire, family drama, and comedy will feel refreshing and daring; for others, it will be simply exasperating and disorienting. Personally, it didn’t work… at all.
Rating: C-
The Monkey is now playing in theaters.
Learn more about the film, including how to buy tickets, at the official website for the title.
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