*** Caution. Spoilers ahead ***
The Monkey is a boldly demented horror-comedy that redefines what it means to adapt a classic Stephen King short story. Far from being a straightforward rehash of familiar tropes, director Osgood Perkins takes a playful yet incisive approach, using the film’s outlandish premise, “Everybody dies, and that’s life,” to craft a narrative that is as absurdly funny as it is gruesomely violent. The movie proudly shouts its pedigree with the names of Stephen King, James Wan, and Osgood Perkins emblazoned on its posters, a move that underscores its horror credentials while promising a fresh, twisted take on mortality.
The story opens with a whimsically gnarly prologue featuring Adam Scott as a blood-drenched pilot, desperately trying to rid himself of a vintage monkey toy at a pawn shop. This cursed plaything, adorned with a little red vest and a tiny drum, is the catalyst for an intricate series of Rube Goldberg-like death sequences. Once its key is turned, the monkey’s macabre melody sets in motion a chain reaction of elaborate and over-the-top killings that span entire rooms and even front yards. The film wastes no time in establishing that when the monkey drums, death is inevitable—and often delivered in the most ludicrous, laugh-out-loud ways.
A pivotal part of the narrative centers on the twin sons of the pilot, introduced in a flash-forward that sees Christian Convery portraying their younger selves and Theo James stepping into the roles as adults. The brothers, Hal and Bill Shelburne discover the monkey in a dusty attic and soon find their lives irrevocably altered by its sinister powers. Their relationship is torn asunder by the cursed toy’s influence, which resurfaces throughout their lives to wreak havoc in a disturbingly comical fashion. Tatiana Maslany lends heartfelt gravitas in flashbacks as the twins’ beleaguered mother, offering a rare moment of poignant reflection amid the chaos.
Perkins proves to be a master of tone, balancing the film’s relentless barrage of gory, meticulously choreographed death scenes with a surprisingly thoughtful commentary on the inevitability of mortality. Rather than simply relying on shock value, The Monkey uses its carnage to drive home a central theme: no one can escape death, and the human desire to cheat fate is as absurd as it is tragic. The film’s tongue-in-cheek humor is infectious, managing to provoke both laughter and a grim acknowledgment of life’s inherent unpredictability. Every meticulously staged death sequence, every offbeat quip, underscores the movie’s central thesis with equal parts macabre wit and biting satire.
It’s easy to overlook that Stephen King isn’t just a purveyor of horror but also a lover of the absurd, a facet of his personality that harks back to the manic, zany spirit of EC Comics. Many critics miss that King’s work is imbued with a goofball charm, a playful energy that turns terrifying scenarios into over-the-top spectacles. The best adaptations of his stories, like It Chapter 2 and now The Monkey, capture this wild, irreverent side of his vision. These films don’t merely seek to scare; they revel in the absurdity of fate and mortality, reminding us that even in the darkest tales, there’s a spark of mischief and humor that is quintessentially King.
In its final moments, *The Monkey* poignantly highlights how not all legacies from our parents are scars. One character, moved by his experiences with death, takes solace in dancing—a habit he credits to his mother. This moment becomes a powerful metaphor, showing that despite the pain and trauma passed down, there are also positive, life-affirming traits we inherit that help us heal. It’s a reminder that by accepting our scars, we can still embrace the beauty and resilience embedded in our past, and that the good things we inherit can guide us through even the darkest moments. for a couple of seconds
Technically, the film shines with a vibrant yet eerie aesthetic that perfectly complements its dark subject matter. The practical effects, though occasionally overwhelmed by CGI, capture the sheer inventiveness of the death sequences—each one more imaginative and outlandish than the last. With brisk storytelling, dynamic performances from its eclectic cast, and a daring vision that embraces both the horror and the humor of its premise, The Monkey stands out as one of the most uniquely entertaining entries in 21st-century horror. It is a triumph that boldly reminds us that in the twisted realm of death and decay, sometimes the only sane response is to laugh.
5/5 Stars
