By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
A film about a toy monkey may seem ridiculous, but it’s nothing to scoff at, and whatever you do, don’t call it a toy. “The Monkey” is a horror film based on Stephen King’s short story and is Osgood Perkins’ follow-up to his highly successful horror last year, “Longlegs.” Suspenseful scenes mixed with dark comedy make this twisted story worth watching, but the superfluous amount of gore makes it just another piece of shock value cinema.
Living with their mother Lois (Tatiana Maslany), young twin boys Hal (Christian Convery) and Bill (Christian Convery) couldn’t be more different from each other. However, when they find a weird, old toy monkey that their estranged father left behind, horrible deaths start occurring around them that temporarily unite the brothers. They quickly realize the monkey is responsible and throw it away, moving on with their lives and severing all ties.
25 years later, the demonic monkey resurfaces and resumes its murderous spree, forcing Hal (Theo James) and Bill (Theo James) to begrudgingly reconnect. With gruesomely freakish deaths occurring at a feverish pace throughout the small town, it remains to be seen whether the haunted brothers can set aside their hatred and stop this supernatural force before it kills loved ones they don’t wish to lose.
It’s clear from the outset that writer/director Osgood Perkins wanted to have fun with this film, and to that end it works. The dark humor is prevalent throughout with hilariously written dialogue and situational comedy. Perkins even sprinkles in moments of the heart pounding suspense he previously demonstrated in “Longlegs.” However, he undercuts these efforts by employing an excessive amount of gore that seems to only become more popular in modern cinema.
Perkins creates a blood-soaked grotesquerie, designed to shock, appall, and turn viewers’ stomachs. His over-the-top death scenes make the human body seem like it’s made of silly putty. The absurdity of these scenes reaches preposterous levels when he depicts one person literally exploding from a single gunshot wound, or another person also blowing up from electrocution, or the worst yet, a man who turns into a bag of mush after being stampeded by horses. The excessiveness may be funny at first, but it quickly becomes tiresome and sickening, rapidly diminishing the entertainment returns.
Best known for his role as Four in the “Divergent” trilogy, English actor Theo James stars as both twin brothers in this film. He does a good job in the dual roles, differentiating the personalities with different traits that put the two characters at odds. As Hal, he tries living as solitary a life as possible to avoid putting anyone he cares about in mortal danger, especially his son. As Bill, he internalizes hatred over the untimely death of their mother, narrowing his focus to a singular purpose. In this way, James credibly portrays two separate, identifiable characters that elicit zero confusion.
With such well-written dialogue, it makes it easier for the cast to shine, but there were some standout supporting performances and cameos that further enhance the quality of production. Foremost is Tatiana Maslany, who recently starred in Disney’s TV series, “She Hulk.” She supplies her jaded character with the perfect amount of sarcasm that makes her lines poignantly funny. Then there’s Nicco Del Rio, whose awkward portrayal of a young priest is memorably hilarious. There’s even a funny cameo of Elijah Wood as the expert parental love interest of the main character’s ex.
If the supernatural force from “Final Destination” manifested itself into a tangible form, it would be “The Monkey.” There is a good, dark sense of humor coupled with rare moments of intense suspense that will appease the vast majority of horror fans, but the increased amount of visceral overkills will alienate many. For those who enjoy creative displays of blood and guts like the “Terrifier” films or “The Substance,” then you will likely find “The Monkey” highly entertaining, but for those with a weaker stomach or those who simply appreciate more subtlety in their horror flicks, then you may want to skip this one or wait to watch at home.
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