Monkey Movie Review: A Bloody, Fun Ride
Horror enthusiasts have another rollercoaster ride coming their way in 2024 with The Monkey, a dark comedy but terrifying take on Stephen King's short story of the same name. Perkins' take on King's frightening short story is helmed by Osgood Perkins with a superb combination of gore, suspense, and psychological horror. Does it hold up to expectations, however, of King's die-hard fan base, though? Let's move in closer to this gory but fun ride.
A Dark Plot with Suspense
The Monkey is a tale of a killer toy monkey haunted that kills whenever it can get its cymbals clanging. The tale revolves around twin brothers who, as kids, found the killer toy and witness the killing effect. The killings persist later, and the brothers must live with the monkey's horrific curse.
The film takes King's short story to a wider extent, with greater complexity to the characters and the terror. Blending supernatural horror and psychological terror, The Monkey keeps the audience in suspense, with some rather darned shocking moments.
Fine Director and Cast
The movie features a fine cast, including:
- Theo James (The White Lotus) as the central character, with passion.
- Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings) as a major character.
- Christian Convery (Sweet Tooth), Colin O'Brien, and Tatiana Maslany (She-Hulk) all give good performances.
Spine-chilling horror movie director Osgood Perkins, who is famous for his spine-chilling horror genre (Gretel & Hansel, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House), makes an atmospheric charged setting look so easy. He does have a definite affection for the stories of Stephen King, which can be seen as he sticks to the original story structure as presented by the author and sprinkles a dash of his own personal touch to it.
Box Office and World Reaction
The Monkey was an overnight sensation when it came out among fans of horror. The highlights include:
- It did fantastic in North America, the UK, and Australia, where markets for consumer goods based on Stephen King adaptations are generally open.
- Box office on opening weekend was excellent, both a measure of popularity with the general public and among hard-core horror fans.
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: Both critic and audience rating, 70-80%, was a sign of positive response.
- IMDb Rating: A positive feedback through positive votes.
Horror and Gore – A True Stephen King Experience
The Monkey never fails if you are a fan of horror and gruesome killings. The movie includes:
- Brutal kill scenes, enhanced by practical effects and frightening cinematography.
- A slow burn psychological horror mood, typical of King's classics.
- A spine-chilling, tension-maintaining sound design, where the cymbal clang sound is terrifying.
Unlike modern jump-scare-ridden horror movies, The Monkey relies on atmosphere and narration to create fear. Thus, it becomes an engaging watch for individuals who appreciate old-horror-device methods.
Critics and Audience Reactions
The film received positive reviews as a horror, Osgood Perkins-directed, and Theo James-starring one. Others characterized it as "a wickedly fun horror ride", but other people did not enjoy the movie because they did not think it was good when some of the parts were very slow.
The audience adored the combination of gore and psychological horror. Social media enthusiasts have drawn parallels between the film and Stephen King's IT and Pet Sematary, relishing the foreboding atmosphere and brutal horror aspects.
Final Verdict – Is It Worth Watching?
If you’re a fan of Stephen King’s stories or love slow-burning horror with shocking moments, The Monkey is a must-watch. It delivers a unique blend of psychological dread, supernatural horror, and blood-soaked terror. While some may find its pacing deliberate, the payoff is worth it.
Content-wise, The Monkey is a gory but fun ride that proves that movies based on Stephen King works remain powerful in the horror category.
