Simian slayings: 'Everybody dies and that’s life’

On Feb. 21, NEON released its hotly anticipated horror-comedy film “The Monkey,” a film helmed by Osgood “Oz” Perkins, son of “Psycho” star Anthony Perkins, and the director who gave NEON its smash hit “Longlegs” just last year.

Touted with its to-the-point tagline “Everybody dies, and that’s f—ed up,” or in some cases, “Everybody dies, and that’s messed up,” “The Monkey” is a whirlwind of blood and guts, and it’s not afraid to get dirty.

The film, based on Stephen King’s eponymous 1980 short story, follows twin brothers Bill and Hal (portrayed by Theo James in a well-acted dual role) as they discover a toy wind up monkey that, when it bangs its drums (or cymbals, in the short story), someone ends up dead. Then, 25 years later, the monkey returns and sets off a killing spree that forces the brothers back together to confront the cursed toy.

The short story, featured in King’s 1985 collection “Skeleton Crew” (which features novella “The Mist,” which was also adapted into a film by MGM in 2007), follows the same plot with many differences.

The years within the short story are never revealed, whilst the film places us in 1999 and 2024. The short story has two sons who are not twins, the mother collapses to the floor at her workplace, and it concludes with Hal throwing the monkey into the depths of a lake, and a newspaper clipping of several fish being dead, a testament to the monkey’s seemingly never-ending death clock.

While the film itself barely shares much with its source material, it does come bearing its own twist on the concept. The short story and film both explore the monkey being a harbinger of death (not unlike the Final Destination franchise), with the monkey seemingly targeting people close to Hal.

Both versions see the monkey kill Hal and Bill’s mother, as well a babysitter (though the babysitter is different in both versions, the film’s version bears the same name as Annie Wilkes from King’s book-turned-film, “Misery”). In the short, however, animals and childhood friends are also victims of the monkey, while in the film, the monkey kills complete strangers.

I enjoyed the movie’s second act, where we see Hal as more of a character even though he’s not as fleshed out as he could be. By the time Hal attempts to bond with son Petey (played by Colin O’Brien) halfway through the movie, the adoption subplot introduced earlier with Elijah Wood (in a hilarious show-stealing cameo) feels it was only added to the plot for a sense of urgency that never pays off.

The final act begins with the discovery that Hal’s estranged twin, Bill, has the monkey. His obsession with Hal and the monkey leads to a confrontation in a warehouse full of Rube Goldberg traps, including hanging katana blades and an axe which almost kills Petey. You’ve got to get through this ridiculous “Saw”-esque sequence in the film before the movie heads into its rather melodramatic ending.

It’s a back-and-forth between Bill and Hal, one pushing for Petey to turn the deadly monkey’s key while the other fights to save his son. But in the end, who cares because by then, you’re really just rooting for the monkey to beat its drum — which it does in a frenzy that spills widespread chaos and destruction through this small town where the twins grew up in a scene reminiscent of 1985’s “Return of the Living Dead” and its explosive finale.

Imagine Death riding through town and it’s a monkey. And did I mention the bus full of cheerleaders slaughtered by an oncoming truck, a gruesome sight of bloodied half bodies hanging out windows as the final shot of the movie.

If you think that’s bad, this bus was something the studio, promoting the film, decided to drive around Los Angeles. And yes, there’s video.

While this film promises — and delivers — on its blood and guts, it all feels rather plotless. In fact, the movie wanders pointlessly when it’s not delighting in its gore, seemingly bored that it also has to be a movie with a story, and not just a murder marathon.

It’s also a sharp contrast compared to “Longlegs.” Where “Longlegs” lures its viewers in with a twisty story and a gripping narrative, “The Monkey” prefers to bounce from bloody kill to bloody kill, not caring about the plot in any regard.

While the kills are creative and entertaining, there’s little given to Hal and Bill. The movie simply does not seem to care where the characters came from, bearing resemblance to King’s tale in little more than name.

If you, like me, enjoy gruesome kills, this one is definitely for you. I enjoyed the creativity of the kills, and how the film is not afraid to throw in something that feels shocking, such as the ending. I also enjoyed how the film put its own spin on the short story, opting to root it in more modern times, as opposed to its ambiguity in the book.

The performances of many cast members, including Christian Convery’s dual role as young Bill and young Hal, stand out. James is especially brilliant in his dual turn, bringing a sense of derangement to Bill and sympathy for Hal. O’Brien, Rohan Campbell, and even Tatiana Maslany in her turn as the twins’ doomed mother, Lois, also round out a great supporting cast.

And make sure to look for Adam Scott in a fun cameo at the beginning of the movie.

I also enjoy the look of the movie. Bill’s house has a dirty sort of atmosphere, achieved through minimal lighting, and the design of the set. The titular monkey is unsettling, not too similar to its real life counterpart with the cymbals.

The special effects work is absolutely wonderful, from the sheer amount of blood used to the intestinal tightrope seen in the opening scene. Of course, I may be biased as someone who enjoys gore. But hey, it’s horror. It’s something you’re just gonna see in a horror flick.

“The Monkey” has grossed about $53.5 million at the worldwide box office, which given its roughly $11 million budget, makes it another hit for NEON. The film sits at 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, with its audience score being less generous with a 58% rating. Letterboxd has the film sitting at an average of 2.8, meaning a decent three out of five stars.

While critics and audiences seem to be very divided on where “The Monkey” sits with them, I enjoyed it for what it is: a not so serious little movie about a killer toy monkey.

As the movie says, everybody dies. And that’s life.

Final verdict: three out of five stars.

“The Monkey” is currently showing in theaters. And make sure you sit through the credits for a sneak peek at Perkins’ next project, “Keeper,” slated for an Oct. 3, 2025 release.

Adrien Coakley is a writer who not only enjoys horror movies, but every aspect of movie making. He is getting ready to launch a new podcast, where Gen Z and Gen X go the movies and offer their takes on new and classic films.