The undisputed king of horror is Stephen King, which makes anything inspired by his works an interesting watch. That’s not to say some adaptations have missed the mark in the past. The Monkey is not one of those adaptations.
In fact, you could argue that this horror comedy directed by James Wan is exactly what horror fans need in today’s climate. Sure, there is the insecurity of not knowing when the next gruesome death will occur, but the over-the-top theatrics within the writing make this film a playful mix of fear and humor.
If you are a fan of cheesy, cliche, or campy horror films, then The Monkey is exactly what you want. However, if you go into this movie thinking it will be similar to some of James Wan’s other horror films, you will be disappointed in the end.
The best way to explain the overall vibe of this film is the Final Destination series meets 1000 Ways to Die. No matter what, you’ll never look at “toy” monkeys the same way again.
Two Brothers – One Likable, The Other…Not So Much
Theo James does a fantastic job shouldering the burden of being both Hal and Bill, twin brothers who are estranged and have a more hate than love relationship. There is a clear distinction between each role, which is a testament to James’ talents.
First, we have Hal, who is the meeker, more insecure, and easily spooked of the two brothers. Then, there is Bill, who, from the moment we meet him as a young child at the start of the film, is clearly deranged and a dick of the highest degree.
These two brothers give completely different perspectives on the monkey at the center of everything. Hal is more than happy to do everything he can to avoid further interactions with it.
Meanwhile, Bill goes out of his way to find the monkey as an adult and attempts to bend it to his will. His goal in life is to ensure the monkey kills his brother, but he neglects to see that something influenced by fate can’t be manipulated.
Sure, both brothers were severely traumatized by the fact that their father abandoned the family. Then, not long after, their beloved mother and babysitter were the first victims of the monkey toy they discovered amongst the things their father left behind.
Seeing a person beheaded and another bleed out of every orifice would be traumatizing for anyone, let alone two boys who feel no kin to each other. At a time when they should’ve had each other to lean on, Bill refused to be kind to Hal, and Hal refused to see his brother as anything more than a bully.
Ultimately, what makes this plot compelling is that no matter what, their bond is always at the back of viewers’ minds. Even when they are adults and the story mostly focuses on Hal’s life instead of Bill’s.
Theo James does an excellent job of providing us with enough of Hal’s motivations and trauma to allow us to feel empathetic toward him. On the flip side, James’ drastically different performance for Bill tells us from the word go that this man is deranged and can’t be trusted, nor should we feel positively about him.
Fate Dictated Deaths
For people who are huge fans of Final Destination, the deaths are the best part of this movie. No one has a completely average, normal death once the monkey has decided you’re next.
The first death we see is at the start of the film when Adam Scott’s Petey goes to return the monkey after realizing its power. He doesn’t want to pass this on to his boys, but the monkey has other plans.
His arm comes down to play the drum, and just like that, the shop owner is speared by a tool in his shop. The tool is then retracted, and the man’s organs come with it.
From that moment on, we know that none of the deaths in this film are going to be as simple as a stabbing or a car accident. Nope, these characters are all going to die bizarre yet horrific deaths.
The babysitter being beheaded at a hibachi restaurant is definitely bizarre but also entertaining to see unfold. It isn’t until Hal turns the key on the monkey and asks it to kill his brother that we realize exactly what we are dealing with here.
The monkey doesn’t take requests because, like death and fate in the Final Destination franchise, there is an order to things. Therefore, since Hal asks, the monkey decides to take the one family member Hal actually wants alive, his mom.
From there the deaths become more and more interesting, as well as unexpected. There is the Aunt and Uncle who took the boys in and were avid gun owners.
Sarah Levy, as the elderly version of the Aunt, is fantastic. She doesn’t say much but the fear and chaos she puts into her performance as the woman is slowly dying is chef’s kiss.
Out of all the deaths in this movie, the realtor being shot in the head with a shotgun, causing her head to basically explode, is the most shocking. By the time the final death rolls around, viewers are begging for it to happen, so it’s less of a shock and more of a sigh of relief.
At the end of the day, the main takeaway is that you can’t dictate the actions of fate and death. If you try, the rules won’t apply to you, and you will be handled.
Stray Thoughts:
- The small cameo performances from Adam Scott and Elijah Wood are well worth the few minutes we spend with them.
- The fractured bond between Hal and his son, Petey, shows the depth of Hal’s trauma more than anything else.
- Speaking of that bond, I am grateful that the two were able to reach an understanding in the end.
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Mads Misasi
Mads is a part-time entertainment journalist and full-time marketing content creator. They love reading the latest in Queer novels -- especially romance ones and watching the latest dramas, sci-fi/fantasy, Star Wars, and romcom films/TV shows. You can join the conversation by following them on Twitter: @dorothynyc89.
