As a critic, one of my biggest pet peeves is movies that are terrified to take chances. I can forgive a number of things, but being gutless isn’t one of them. So, when a film comes along that knocks you for a loop in the best way possible, I have to take notice. We can all agree we shouldn’t go into movies with preconceived notions, but it happens. Well, The Monkey hits theaters this week after a marketing campaign one can only describe as kooky. Does the horror film honor the promises it makes? Or is this monkey music box out of tune?
About The Monkey
The Monkey follows Hal (Theo James), who, as a young man, discovers a monkey music box buried in his absentee father’s things. However, it doesn’t take long to notice that every time the music box plays, gruesome deaths start to occur. Will he be able to save not only himself but the people he loves from the wide-ranging chaos he’s carried with him since childhood? Tatiana Maslany, Colin O’Brien, Rohan Campbell and Sarah Levy co-star in the movie. Osgood Perkins directs The Monkey from his own script. The film comes from a Stephen King short story of the same name.
Friends, I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a film experience quite as much as I did with The Monkey. Don’t let Longlegs lull you into a sense of security. I thought I knew what I was getting into with The Monkey. Full disclosure: I wasn’t over the moon with Longlegs, and as such, I wasn’t expecting much from The Monkey.
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Boy, was I wrong. It seems Osgood Perkins is a director who deserves some substantial kudos for being wildly versatile. The Monkey is certainly gory and bloody to an extreme (know your limits). At the same time, though, Perkins’ creative team flawlessly executes this blackest of black comedies with an enjoyable ease.
This film had its theatrical audience laughing throughout. Occasionally, the giggles may have shifted to shocked guffaws, but I digress. Like I said, The Monkey is outrageously gory, and the “kills” are on a new level of crazy.
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Yet this film shines thanks to the seamless gelling of Perkins’ creative voice along with the editing and the performances. There’s an instinctive understanding of timing and the potential to carve a joke out of the simplest moments. It is even possible to land a joke through a simple, abrupt cut. Everything seems to work here, as long as you have a slightly macabre sensibility.
At the same time, Perkins assembles a whip-smart cast who firmly buy into his directorial vision. This, of course, begins with Theo James, who steps into dual roles and carries the movie with his pitch-perfect delivery.
However, we must also call out this gem of a supporting cast. While many of these performances are little more than cameos, Elijah Wood, Sarah Levy and Tatiana Maslany bring spot-on timing capable of carrying the humor. Keep an eye out for director Osgood Perkins in a memorable cameo.
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Kids, I have to be honest: The Monkey was a “10 out of 10! No notes!” movie for yours truly. So, let me apologize for a boringly over-the-moon rave. This film is a gory, bloody hoot. Its tongue is firmly planted in its cheek, and it is truly this sense of humor that elevates The Monkey to a brand new level. If you like your comedy black and your gore over the top, this one is for you. Check this one out with an audience if at all possible. You won’t be sorry.
The Monkey opens in theaters around the country on February 21, 2024.
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