Film Review – The Monkey

February 26th, 2025 | POSTED BY Allen Almachar

Some movies are just made to be viewed by large audiences. Responding to every joke, scare, thrill, or laugh simultaneously in a room full of strangers is one of life’s pure joys. In that regard, The Monkey (2025) should be viewed in the biggest theater with the largest gathering possible. This is a horror/comedy that hits the nail on the head in providing sheer entertainment value. There are moments of darkness, tragedy, and terror, but they are coupled with laugh-out-loud silliness, slapstick gags, and cartoon-like mayhem. It balances these conflicting tones with confidence and style. We come away surprised by the number of highs and lows it took us. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions – in the best way possible.

Surprising that this comes at the hands of writer/director Osgood Perkins. His last outing, Longlegs (2024) was a bleak and disturbing examination of a serial killer. While his latest effort isn’t lacking in shock and awe, this is clearly aiming for something less dreary and more fun. Adapting Stephen King’s short story, Perkins introduces us to a conceit involving a windup toy monkey. In a vein not too unsimilar to The Ring (2002) and The Grudge (2004), “The Monkey” is cursed – anyone who winds it up will lead to death. The twist is that the death can be anyone associated with that person: a loved one, a friend, an acquaintance, or a stranger who just happens to pass by. The uncertainty of who will be the next victim creates a heightened sense of tension.

It’s not a stretch to say that The Monkey is representative of The Grim Reaper – the vessel of death coming for everyone, anytime, anywhere. Much like real life, those closest to us can be here one day and gone the next. Oh, you can try to run from it, hide it, or fight against it, but eventually all paths lead to the same place. But what if we are knowingly responsible for those deaths happening? That is what befalls twin brothers Hal and Bill (Theo James). Hal is the introvert of the two, who not only gets bullied at school but gets bullied by his more assertive (and thus a jerk) brother. As kids (Christian Convery), they found The Monkey in their father’s closet. Unfortunately, that discovery led to catastrophe, and now the grown versions of Hal and Bill live with the generational trauma of being tied to a haunted children’s toy. The theme of inherited pain and torment is especially relevant for Hal, who worries that his own son Petey (Colin O’Brien) could become afflicted by the same curse.

The Monkey has a lot going for it, but perhaps the biggest accomplishment is in making the twin brothers feel real. Both Theo James and Christian Convery occupy the dual roles with ease, successfully making us believe Hal and Bill are different people. The special effects and editing make the twins’ interactions seamless. It’s hard to imagine James and Convery acting opposite a stand in or prop because of how convincing their characters feel. Their performances align with one another exceptionally well – we can see how the experiences Hal and Bill went through as kids informs their personalities and behaviors as grown adults. James’ work deserves specific note, in how he manages the dramatic and comedic sides of the brothers. James can wordlessly portray how much this ordeal has taken a toll on Hal and Bill, yet at the same time his deadpan delivery during scenes of extreme violence is hilarious.

When it comes to the horror elements, Perkins and crew do not hold back in showing the over-the-top blood and guts. The construction of the kill scenes are ridiculous but clever. Fans of the Final Destination (2000) franchise will recognize the intricacies and suddenness of someone biting the dust. Some sequences are elaborate, where one piece of the puzzle will trigger another and so on, creating a domino effect resulting in someone’s untimely demise. Other times, the camera will push in for a close up so we can see faces and bodies as they burst, spraying red everywhere. Perkins punctuates these moments with well-timed comedy. Characters will be frozen in place – in utter disbelief over what they just witnessed. Or the editing will cut off a person’s reaction at the perfect moment, throwing us off kilter so that the only reaction we can have is to laugh. The horror scenes escalate at a rapid pace, never afraid of taking things to ludicrous levels. Some might think these examples are too dumb to take seriously, but that’s kind of the point. The entire movie is set up like a heightened version of Looney Tunes – violence done as caricature.

Despite the film’s biggest theme involving parents and their children, that also turns out to be the least convincing element. We can see what the narrative is trying to do – drawing parallels between Hal’s father passing the curse to him and his brother, and Hal trying to prevent that same situation happening with his own son, Petey. The problem is that the dynamic between Hal and Petey was not as effective as it was trying to be. Petey continuously calls Hal a deadbeat dad, and Hal does not put up much of a counter argument. That is the extent of their relationship throughout a large chunk of the screen time. Perhaps the lack of development between the two is due to the nature of the story. The way things unfold, the connection between Hal and Petey takes a backseat to the more pressing one revolving around Hal and Bill.

The Monkey is a good time at the movies. It takes an absurd premise and mines the potential to its fullest extent. It isn’t concerned about whether this all makes sense, the origins of the toy monkey or the curse attached to it, or if logic plays any part of what we see. Its main goal is to draw us in and engage us with off the wall shenanigans and gruesome hysterics. By that measure, this passed the test with flying colors. 

Christian Convery, Colin O'Brien, Featured, Final Destination, Longlegs, Looney Tunes, Osgood Perkins, Stephen King, The Grudge, The Monkey, The Ring, Theo James