THE MONKEY
FILM REVIEW
Osgood Perkins delights us again with a feature film in his most satirical style
The American director Osgood Perkins, known for directing films like Gretel & Hansel (2020) and Longlegs (2024), has once again delighted us with a feature film in his artistic style, this time with the wild and bloody movie The Monkey, a literary adaptation of the short story by the King of Terror, Stephen King.
Every time someone winds up the toy monkey, it activates and starts playing its drum, signaling that someone is about to die: this is the premise of The Monkey, an adaptation filled with orchestrated deaths, tense moments, and plenty of dark humor.
The Monkey, one of the most chilling short stories by the renowned horror writer Stephen King, revolves around twin brothers Hal and Bill Shelburn (Theo Jones), who discover a peculiar toy among their father's belongings that turns out to be possessed.
The soul of the film comes to life through the hidden magic behind each death, brutal and overflowing with blood, at times evoking iconic scenes from the Final Destination saga. Perkins' adaptation follows the style of his previous films, using sound and silence to unsettle the viewer and create significant discomfort.
Starring Theo James, Elijah Wood, Sarah Levy, and Tatiana Maslany, this is not your conventional horror film, as it leans more toward an alternative, fun, and carefree horror, where both comedy and tragedy are equally enjoyable.
In my opinion, The Monkey has a fresh and spectacular start, with one of the best deaths shown throughout the film. Furthermore, the movie closes its 90-minute runtime with a climactic bloodbath and a satisfying ending.
Based on the short story by Stephen King and produced by James Wan (The Conjuring, Saw), The Monkey is a new project from Longlegs writer and director Osgood Perkins, distributed in the United States by NEON.
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