The Monkey

"Don’t sure what to make of this movie tbh. I really enjoyed the silliness of it all, I love when things are silly! But I’m not sure how I felt of the story as a whole seemed kinda put together maybe? Kinda disappointed by it. "

"As goofy as it is violent. Though it does feel like a twisted 80’s Horror movie."

"Meh"

"I LOVED this ! Twisted, wild, and dare I say hilarious! Everything about this works ! The actors were amazing , the story was entertaining , and there wasn't a dull moment ! If you are a BIG fan of Stephen King like I am you will love the Easter eggs and name drops ! "

"The Monkey was quite a pleasant surprise. I liked the Stephen King story that inspired this movie, but Osgood Perkins really outdid himself with this adaptation. The kills are gory and creative, the sense of humor is killer, the themes of fatherhood and family give it an emotional punch, and the (not a toy) monkey sure is creepy. I want to see to see Theo James in both more horror and comedy films because he gives a great performance in the dual roles of Hal and Bill Shelburn."

"Not at all what I expected in a good and bad way. There was way more blood and gore than I was expecting. There were several unique and gruesome kills as well. Things do get a little over the top but not on the level of say a Terrifier or anything. Things do get a bit bloody though. So if you have an issue with that this may not be for you. The comedy part was unexpected in a bad way. I was thinking this was going to be more of the one liner dark comedy kind of thing but they were really trying to be funny. Some of the bits land and some just fell out of place with this level of violence. If I had to describe it with another movie, it would be a comedic version of Final Destination. While the set ups to the kills are not long and drawn out like those, the kills are pretty random everyday events. There isn’t much of a story holding all of this together. This either needed more suspense, less comedy or more of a horror element. There really isn’t anything scary about this. Overall I would say its worth a watch since I am a fan of the genre. Not sure this will qualify for everyone else. Please check out my podcast Mostly Low Budget Movie Reviews with Clarence. I provide a spoiler free breakdown of exactly what the movie is about, the Rotten Tomatoes score and my complete thoughts. Available on all streaming platforms. Link is in the bio. Thank you!"

"Unexpectedly funny. Got everyone in my theater to chuckle at least once."

""The Monkey" is a gore filled horror comedy based on a Stephen King short story. Overall, I enjoyed this movie, but it didn't completely "wow" me. It was jam-packed with dark humor and had beautiful cinematography throughout. I felt like the plot dragged out longer than what was needed to prove the end point a few times throughout the movie. The kill scenes were overly exaggerated, so if you do not enjoy gore, then this movie will definitely not be something you will enjoy. In terms of being "scary," in my opinion, I did not find this movie scary at all. Rather, it was more of a "thriller" level of horror elements. (This is coming from the opinion of a seasoned horror movie fanatic, so I do not scare easily at all... 🤣) I love movies based on Stephen King's works, so I had to see this movie. It didn't disappoint me, but I felt like it could have been way more powerful if it had that "x-faxtor" to it, which sadly was missing, in my opinion. By no means is this a bad movie. It is extremely artistic in nature and beyond creative, but it's not joining my list for my favorite horror comedies for 2025."

"The Monkey, directed by Osgood Perkins, is a 2025 horror-comedy that adapts Stephen King's 1980 short story into a darkly humorous exploration of fate and family. The film centers on twin brothers Hal and Bill Shelburn (portrayed by Theo James), whose lives are upended by a cursed wind-up monkey that triggers gruesome deaths whenever its key is turned. As children, the twins discover the malevolent toy, leading to a series of tragic events that haunt them into adulthood. Perkins infuses the narrative with a blend of macabre humor and horror, crafting inventive and over-the-top death sequences that are both shocking and darkly comedic. While the film's tonal shifts may not resonate with all audiences, The Monkey offers a unique and audacious take on the horror genre, blending elements of family drama with absurdist violence."

"Funny and gross all at once. Not my usual, but was fun to watch a horror movie for once. "