I think most of the people attending the Cineworld Secret Screaming 5 knew that the movie being shown would be The Monkey from Osgood Perkins and it showed as the cinema filled up with excited horror fans.
The movie is based on the Stephen King short story, and produced by James Wan (The Conjuring, Saw), The Monkey is a new trip from Longlegs writer/director, Osgood Perkins.
When twin brothers discover a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey starts a new killing spree, forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.
With James Wan being involved in the movie and Osgood Perkins taking on the mantle of writer/director, I knew that we would be in for a ride with The Monkey and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. Right from the start the film has a feel to it and that runs right the way through.
We are introduced to the young Hal and Bill, both played by Christian Convery (Cocaine Bear, Sweet Tooth), back in 1999 when we find out about how the toy (sorry, don’t call it a toy) is brought into their lives and the tragic losses they go through after finding The Monkey in a closet and turning the key for the first time!
After a few gruesome deaths and the boys trying to get rid of The Monkey, only to have it strangely return, we jump forward 25 years to 2024 with Hal (played by Theo James) trying to get on with his life and having a somewhat strange relationship with his soon. Then Bill (also played by James) gets back in touch with the news that the evil toy is back!
It’s always interesting watching a Stephen King adaptation on the big screen and I enjoyed this one, the cast worked very well together and I loved Theo James’ portrayal of the adult twins, also Convery’s younger version of Hal and Bill was great to watch with their very different characteristics. The voice-over with older Hal pulls you into the story and it’s much like the feel you get from watching IT which is another super piece of literature from King.
It’s great to see Elijah Wood in the film! For those who are paying attention, you can also spot Osgood Perkins in a role, also look out for Bea Perkins. No cheating—just go watch the film and see if you can spot them!
The visual effects in The Monkey are brilliant and some of them certainly aren’t for those with a weak stomach when it comes to gore in a horror movie, I did see a few people look away in certain scenes and some moments of people in the audience saying, “ewwwww!”. Look out for the sleeping bag incident and the signpost in the garden!
The Monkey isn’t going to be for everyone, but if like me you enjoy the stories from Stephen King and the directing style that Osgood Perkins has then this is a movie that you will want to see on the big screen. I was surprised by the comedic moments, which work in several moments to set you at unease. If you are a tad jumpy then there are plenty of scenes that will have you jumping, so be warned.
The Monkey is in UK cinemas from the 21st of February.
The Monkey will Creep You Out!
Movie title: The Monkey (2025)
Movie description: When twin brothers Bill and Hal find their father's old monkey toy in the attic, a series of gruesome deaths start. The siblings decide to throw the toy away and move on with their lives, growing apart over the years.
Date published: February 17, 2025
Country: UK
Duration: 1h 38m
Director(s): Osgood Perkins
Actor(s): Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Christian Convery
Genre: Dark Comedy, Horror
Summary
The Monkey is one of those movies that will possibly give you nightmares, but damn they’re worth it!
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
