A big hit in the states, the maker of last year’s Nicolas Cage hit Longlegs returns with Stephen King adaptation The Monkey.
The story centres on Hal and Bill, brothers who discover a toy monkey in their estranged father’s possessions. Whenever the object comes to life, someone close to them dies in a horrific accident, leading them to bury it. Twenty-five years later, the brothers (both played by Theo James) reluctantly reunite when it appears The Monkey has resurfaced and begun killing again.
The film is directed by Osgood Perkins, son of legendary Psycho star Anthony Perkins and a celebrated filmmaker in his own right. He steps outside of what is expected from both himself and the genre, taking the wacky tone of his previous film and infusing it with pitch black humour.
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The randomness of death, as well as the weight of grief, are explored beneath the gags and gore, making for something more affecting than you might expect. Based on a Stephen King short story, the macabre and emotional nature of the author’s work comes shining through. James, enjoying a surge in popularity thanks to TV shows The White Lotus and The Gentleman, puts his all into Hal, who is the hero of the story, a man torn apart by terror and guilt.
Filling their small supporting roles delightfully are familiar faces such as Tatiana Maslany (She-Hulk) as the boys’ mother, and a wonderfully manic cameo from Severance’s Adam Scott as the man who starts the curse. Offering thoughtful frights rather than mindless shocks, The Monkey has something to satisfy most people’s needs from a horror movie. The unnerving stare of the title character is also an effective villain, and one we may be seeing for many sequels to come.