Osgood Perkins has proven himself a modern horror pioneer. He’s best known for writing and directing “Longlegs,” which received acclaim on social media and quickly became the horror film of the summer. With a lot to live up to, Perkins selected an intimidating and ambitious new project: a Stephen King adaptation.
King’s scary stories led to the creation of iconic films like the “It” movies and “The Shining.” There’s no doubt that a King adaptation has the potential to push a director to superstar status. So what happens when you combine Perkins’ brave, new-age filmmaking with King’s revered writing?
You get “The Monkey” — a deranged, morbidly funny movie chronicling the evil acts of a hauntingly ugly wind-up toy.
Based on King’s 1980 short story of the same name, “The Monkey” begins by chronicling the lives of young twins Hal and Bill, both played by Christian Convery. Bill constantly bullies his brother, calling him gay and blaming him for their father’s disappearance — regular evil sibling stuff. They discover a creepy wind-up monkey toy, one of the many random items left behind by their deadbeat dad, who, according to their mother, Lois (Tatiana Maslany), left for a pack of cigarettes and never came back. When the twins innocently turn the key, the monkey menacingly raises its arms to play its toy drum. At first, it seems like the family heirloom doesn’t work, but hours later, the terrifying toy begins to pound its drum, triggering a horrific freak accident that kills the boys’ babysitter. Spoiler alert, it involves hibachi and beheading. Tragedy follows the young boys as their loved ones continue to die every time the monkey’s key is turned.
When the boys finally dispose of the killer creature, they think the terror is over. The film fast forwards 25 years into the future, where Hal (Theo James) is all grown-up, trying to build a relationship with his estranged son, who he only sees once a year. Hal hasn’t spoken with his brother either, trying to forget their traumatizing past. As Hal spends an awkward week with his kid, Petey (Colin O’Brien), multiple townsfolk begin to die from — yes, you guessed it — freak accidents. Chaos ensues, including the twins’ reunion, a return of the monkey and many, many deaths.
In a movie revolving around horror, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of unremarkable and forgettable deaths. But the funniest — and most terrifying — aspect of the movie is the murders, which are insanely creative, campy and packed with body horror like ground-up body parts and flying intestines. From killer bees to gas stoves, causes of death get increasingly unhinged as the film progresses. Although the audience knows that deaths are coming, “The Monkey” subverts expectations, leaving audiences to wonder how someone dies rather than who dies. Yes, it’s horrifying, but the sheer absurdity invites the audience to laugh in disbelief as they squirm.
James gives a stunning performance, playing both Hal and Bill as adults. The twins are classic polar opposites — Hal is nerdy, sensitive and meek, and Bill personifies a tough guy attitude, rocking a dated mullet and leather pants. When the twins appear on screen together, it truly seems like Hal and Bill are played by two separate people. Each twin’s body language, inflection and facial expressions are personalized perfectly. Hal moves anxiously — his movements are quick and contained and he trips over his words, often looking to the floor while speaking. It’s the perfect juxtaposition to his brother, who exudes confidence, sauntering through life like a cocky asshole. His signature move — going in for a handshake only to run his hand through his tousled locks — is the perfect calling card for his character.
Besides the deaths and stellar acting, “The Monkey” works so well because it knows what it is — it’s silly, it’s campy, it’s disgusting. Someone melts their face off with steam from an espresso machine, cartoon-like cheerleaders celebrate as a dead body is carried past them, and the same priest who speaks at every funeral gives the worst speeches, asking funeral attendees why they haven’t died yet. The film doesn’t try to be mind-bending or deep, like other popular horror movies of our time, such as “Heretic” or “Cuckoo,” and that’s a good thing. There’s always a place for physiological thrillers in the film landscape, but besides the “Terrifier” trilogy, outright nasty slasher films have become a lost art. “The Monkey” embraces a horror formula seen in the timeless “Scream” and “Saw” franchises, and infuses it with dark, twisted humor.
The box that houses the monkey says it’s “like-life.” At first, it seems like the slogan is a misspelling of life-like, but that’s clearly not the case. The movie encapsulates life — chaotic, funny, stupid, and everyone dies.
Contact Annie Emans at [email protected].
