Hot on heels of the success he had with Longlegs last year, Osgood Perkins is back with another horror film, this time in the shape of The Monkey. Based on a short story by Stephen King, this an entirely different beast from the director and proves Perkins has plenty of versatility within the genre.
After stumbling upon their father's vintage toy monkey in the attic, twin brothers Hal and Bill (Theo James) witness a string of horrifying deaths unfolding around them. In an attempt to leave the haunting behind, the brothers discard the monkey and pursue separate paths over time. However, when the inexplicable deaths resurface, the brothers are compelled to reconcile and embark on a mission to permanently eliminate the cursed toy.
Films that set the tone right away just assure you that you're in good hands and Osgood Perkins does that so brilliantly with The Monkey, an opening sequence so daft and gory you just know this isn't going to be a serious film by any means. Perkins runs with this and leans into the comedic side of things throughout, taking devilish delight in the kills he delivers throughout. Think Final Destination without Death teasing us with all the foreshadowing. It is there though in some cases and when it pays off, it does it ever so well, going down an absolute treat with a crowd.
Based on a short story by Stephen King, which you can definitely tell with how it feels they're stretching it as far as it can go, The Monkey plays around with a simple concept and is all about the crowd-pleasing gore at its disposal. If this is what we get after Perkins feels so locked in while making Longlegs, I'll take it all day long - Perkins letting himself off the leash to simply have fun, and it exudes from the screen.
Amidst all the chaos, there's an intriguing dual role played ever so well by Theo James. The cursed nature of the torment the titular figure brings twins Hal and Bill Shelburn allows James to deliver two very different performances. Hal is more prominent in the film and his nervous energy that springs from the uncertainty of this evil monkey shows James utilising some fine comedic chops. Christian Convery deserves a shoutout for his portrayal of the young Hal and Bill, wickedly funny at times as they discover the monkey is behind all the death in their family.
The Monkey is sheer unadulterated fun at the cinema that makes me excited to see what Osgood Perkins does next. Being based on a short story, there is no great lore to explore so ultimately, this is very much a case of monkey see, monkey kill.
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