When twin brothers Bill and Hal find their father’s old monkey toy in the attic, a series of gruesome deaths start. The siblings decide to throw the toy away and move on with their lives, growing apart over the years.
Director Osgood Perkins’ latest film, “The Monkey,” unexpectedly departs from the slow-burning, exposition-heavy style of his earlier work, “Longlegs.” This fresh endeavor blends the fatalistic thrills of “Final Destination” with Lynchian oddity, creating unsettling scenes in which characters’ bewildered reactions to inexplicable events border on the darkly humorous.
The film adapts Stephen King’s short story, following identical twins Hal and Bill throughout their lives. Theo James takes on both adult roles, while Christian Convery handles their younger versions. The plot kicks off when the young twins uncover an antique mechanical toy—a cymbal-banging monkey—left behind by their absent father. This seemingly innocuous discovery proves deadly: each time the wind-up toy performs, someone meets a horrific end. Following their mother’s death (Tatiana Maslany), the twins find themselves living with their Aunt Ida (Sarah Levy) and Uncle Chip (played by director Perkins himself) in a rural setting.
Initially, the brothers manage to suppress the evil by securing the monkey with chains and hiding it in a well. Their lives take separate paths until Ida’s passing brings them back together. The situation spirals when an unsuspecting real estate agent in charge of selling Ida’s property, discovers and frees the monkey, forcing Hal to team up with his young son Petey (Colin O’Brien) and his distant brother Bill to stop the murderous toy’s rampage.
The film demonstrates Perkins’ growing range as a director and his successful transition to more mainstream horror but suffers from overzealous marketing. By revealing too many crucial scenes in the film’s previews, particularly the elaborate death sequences, the trailer undermines the movie’s ability to shock and surprise viewers. Nevertheless, the cast delivers compelling performances, especially James in his challenging dual role and Maslany in her limited screen time. While the death scenes maintain technical excellence, their impact is dulled by their prior exposure in film’s said trailer. Perkins proves his ability to handle different horror subgenres, though one wishes the marketing team had shown more restraint to preserve the film’s intended impact.
In Theaters Friday, February 21st
