I wanted Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey to be a chilling horror…or at least a sharp-edged comedy. Instead, the adaptation of Stephen King’s short story mostly just bangs its drum and hopes for the best. While the film offers creative, Rube Goldberg-style deaths that make for some fun, twisted set pieces, it struggles under the weight of its lackluster performances and an underdeveloped storyline.
Theo James takes on the dual roles of twin brothers Hal and Bill Shelburn, who discover a cursed wind-up monkey (don’t call it a toy) that kills every time it plays its drum. As the brothers grow up, so do the stakes, with the film shifting between goofy supernatural hijinks and moments that almost touch on real horror. James, known for his performance in the Divergent series, plays his roles with enthusiasm and intensity without really connecting with viewers. Meanwhile, Tatiana Maslany does her best as their mother, even reminding her boys that everyone dies, but the script gives her little more to do than look concerned.
On the interesting side, the film features a few fun cameos from Adam Scott (Severance) and Elijah Wood (Yellowjackets), though their characters seem to exist solely to give audiences a “Hey, I know that guy!” moment.
Where The Monkey truly excels is in its kills. Perkins leans into absurdity, orchestrating elaborate, Final Destination-style deaths that give the film its best moments. One particular sequence featuring an electrified swimming pool is both hilarious and horrifying, proving that Perkins knows how to make an audience whence while they laugh.
Unfortunately, outside of these creative death scenes, The Monkey lacks bite. It never fully commits to either horror or comedy, leaving it somewhere in an awkward middle ground. The result? A film that’s occasionally entertaining but ultimately forgettable—like a wind-up “toy” that loses its key before it gets anywhere interesting.
RHFC Rating: 3/10🍿
