With a lack of practical effects and character development, NEON’s The Monkey is a shallow, oddball of a gore fest. On the one hand, some of the kills or aftermath of the “series of unfortunate events” deaths linger. On the other hand, most of the characters exist only to die with performances seesawing between stilted and exaggerated. Beyond shock, there’s little else, and even that fades fast.
Written and directed by Osgood Perkins (Longlegs, The Blackcoat’s Daughter) and based on the short story by Stephen King, the film establishes its deadly, whimsical nature at the outset. The music leans into that vibe, giving the film an exaggerated, almost old-school “bam! pow!” feel. Some characters exemplify this playful quality while others play it deadpan/one-note, giving the movie an uneven tone that doesn’t coalesce.
The Monkey’s Directing and Editing Help With Engagement
The Monkey’s directing and editing are strong – sharp cuts from one scene to the next give the film a tense sense of humor and it does shock well – expect to gasp, laugh, and utter “oh my god.” Osgood Perkins chooses the angles and the point of view to maximize surprise, hooking me but just for a while.
Roughshod Collection of Performances
Theo James (Divergent, White Lotus) leads the cast, playing adult twin brothers Bill and Hal. While attempting to make the brothers vastly different, one character, Hal, becomes dull. However, his outbursts add to a comedic layer lacking in much of the dialogue. While as Bill, James’ performance is far more animated and fits the tone of the film, he’s not onscreen enough.
If Theo James’ Hal is usually bland, Petey, played by Colin O’Brien (Wonka, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone), is downright flat. Angsty teens have more spunk than him, even when trying to hide their hurt and frustration. Plus, Colin does not deliver any real shock – death, a gun, a hug, a storm, it’s all the same in this performance.
Purposeless Characters
Brief character appearances are fine when they serve some purpose. However, too many characters in The Monkey made me wonder why they are there at all. Elijah Wood (Bookworm, Lord of the Rings) plays Ted, Petey’s soon-to-be legal stepfather, but there’s no point to his character. His attempt at humor with “I stole your dad power” schtick is an airball, not a three-pointer.
The movie already sets up Hal’s nonexistent parenting with his conversation with his boss, Dwayne, played by Zia Newton (Campfire Christmas), another superfluous character with an unfunny gimmick. Tacking on another pointless character, Rohan Campbell’s (Halloween Ends) Thrasher is a headscratcher. Even her styling is confusing, raising questions about who The Monkey is for.
Thematic Shallowness
While the film touches on the issue of fathers’s legacies to their sons, The Monkey never gets below the surface level. Meanwhile, the literal terror runs rampant. Either explore deeper or leave it all surface because otherwise, it’s pointless. The start of the film raises questions about Bill and Hal’s father. But he never returns. Thrasher has some flashes about his father, who’s no longer around, but nothing comes of that. Rather than a cohesive horror comedy, The Monkey feels like different films, haphazardly mashed together.
The Less Appealing Final Destinations
Special effects rarely work better than practical effects. So, some deaths in The Monkey lack impact because they look unrealistic. If that is not enough, even some of the chaotic backgrounds look ridiculous. The joy fades from the movie as each death earns fewer and fewer vocal surprises. There’s too much that does not work. It’s like the worst of the Final Destination films under a different name.
The Monkey tries to be a gory horror comedy but lacks the cast or dialogue to nail the beats to illicit laughs. Even its gore and dramatic deaths wear thin when pointless characters start exploding too often. Truthfully, its execution feels childish, stretched then over its runtime. Although The Monkey tries to delve into comedic shock, its tedious dialogue, mixed-bag performances, and bland special effects make this little else but splatter entertainment. The scariest and funniest part of the film is the monkey itself, without saying a word.
