The Monkey Has Good Kills, But No Soul

by

In his adaptation of a Stephen King story, director-writer Osgood Perkins takes pleasure in creating gruesome, humorous death scenes that are meant to elicit laughter rather than fear. Throughout the film’s duration of 1 hour and 38 minutes, Perkins’ characters, who are not well developed, encounter various freak accidents – their bodies catch fire, their heads are pulped by bowling balls, they are trampled by wild horses turning into mush, there are unexpected gunshot wounds causing splatter and intestines stretched taut by surprise harpoons. These events, reminiscent of the antics in ‘Final Destination’, aim for dark comedy. The movie is suitable for late-night screenings. Unlike other horror films that explore the moral implications of characters’ predicaments, this film finds amusement in their demise, giving it a somewhat nihilistic tone. However, the source of all these events is a cursed monkey toy which cannot be destroyed, whether it’s hacked to pieces or thrown into a well. The eerie, irritating music that plays as the toy bangs ominously on a drum, revealing its toothy grin beneath empty eye sockets, stirs more annoyance than fear.

Despite its creative kill scenes and compact duration, I found myself scribbling questions during my viewing: “When will this movie conclude?” “I’m just not invested.” The issue is that The Monkey lacks depth in its core. It fails to be laugh-out-loud funny, which detracts from the repetitive character stereotypes it employs, and it doesn’t strike an emotional chord with audiences regarding the generational inheritance of fatherly wisdom between brothers.

In the opening scenes, we meet twin brothers Hal and Bill (Christian Convery), who serve as a study in contrasts. Hal, our main character, is fragile — constantly hurt and frequently bullied, particularly by his brother Bill. Bill misconstrues rudeness for charisma, swears excessively, and treats Hal harshly, seemingly under the impression that their birth order separates them by years rather than mere moments. Their mother, Lois (Tatiana Maslany), struggles to care for them amidst her turmoil following her husband Petey’s (Adam Scott) mysterious disappearance, a fact hinted at in the opening scene. Their father left behind an unwanted monkey, and so too do Hal and Bill grapple with this burden when they discover it in a neat, robin’s egg blue hatbox in his room. Events rapidly spiral out of control as a series of strange deaths occur in their small town. The brothers eventually relocate to Maine with their Aunt Ida (Sara Levy) and Uncle Chip (Perkins playing the role of an uncouth uncle), and they dispose of the monkey by throwing it into a well.

In the span of twenty-five years and some additional tragic events, the monkey appears to be inactive. Bill and Hal have matured into adults, yet they still seem immature. They are now portrayed by Theo James, whose handsome features may compensate for the underdeveloped personalities of the twins. Bill’s insincerity has hardened into a form of obsessive madness; Hal is a solitary and cowardly individual. Continuing the theme of inheritance, Hal is Petey’s father, a teenager portrayed by Colin O’Brien. Hal only communicates with Petey once a year out of fear that being around him could put a target on anyone’s back. This lack of involvement provides motivation for Hal’s ex-wife’s new partner, played humorously by Elijah Wood in the film’s most successful comedic moment, to consider adopting Petey, which could potentially end Hal’s pretense of concern if it comes to pass. Family discord forms the basis of the storyline, but what a frail and damaged foundation it is.

Horror movies often rely on familiar stereotypes as victims, such as the dim-witted blonde, the popular cheerleader, or the gruff jock. These characters can help create a sense of familiarity within the film’s universe. However, for the deaths to be truly impactful, viewers must feel some sort of emotion towards the characters – whether it’s rooting for their survival or hoping to see an annoying character meet their end. Unfortunately, in “The Monkey”, there is little emotional connection to the characters, as they are more like rough sketches rather than fully fleshed-out individuals. Characters seem unphased by the losses they suffer, with the exception of the brothers, but their storyline mainly highlights Maslany’s exceptional acting abilities in a role that seems beneath her talents.

In simpler terms, “The Monkey” follows Perkins’ style of sleek but unengaging horror, with visual elements that draw unwanted attention. Conversely, “Longlegs” is more problematic in this aspect because it tried to be so serious despite lacking substance. It was essentially a well-executed marketing strategy in search of a better movie. In contrast, “The Monkey” attempts to add humor to its horror genre, offering some levity through characters like an inept priest or a desperate realtor. However, I felt the humor could have been more intense and brutal. Instead, the film relies heavily on gruesome deaths that eventually become too absurd. Unfortunately, a horror movie can’t thrive solely on violence, and the storyline of “The Monkey” – despite its technical prowess and reputation – is disappointingly dull.

Read More

2025-02-22 18:54