‘The Monkey’ Review: Making Horror Camp Again

The sound of Stephen King’s name should always be alluring to horror fans, and Osgood Perkins’ latest film “The Monkey” doesn’t disappoint in its adaptation of The King of Horror’s 1980 short story. The movie follows a pair of twins, Hal and Bill (both played by Theo James), as they grapple with the lifelong curse of a monkey toy with a dark ability to kill.

While King’s name will alert horror fans, Osgood Perkins may sound close to home for Harvard students from his role in “Legally Blonde” as David, Elle’s dorky friend. Perkins’ switch from comedic sidekick to horror director may strike some as odd. And it’s true — his movies are strange. But “The Monkey” is weird in the best way possible. Perkins’ new film is as full of humor and style as it is of guts and gore, and its campy tone and smart editing make for a funny, if not particularly terrifying, ride.

Perkins saturates “The Monkey” with equal parts over-the-top grisly violence and quirky humor — a combination that creates a unique, campy tone. The film is more of a comedy than a truly scary flick, and even the deaths caused by the cursed monkey are ridiculous and funny — take an early death, which results from a hibachi dinner-turned-beheading. Even the central plot is somewhat silly — a toy monkey causing mysterious deaths — and the film’s characters constantly acknowledge the absurdity of their situation in comedic ways. For example, there are many references to the fact that the dark presence controlling the plot is just a toy monkey. The film feels parodic rather than eye-rolling-ly cliché because it chooses to make fun of itself so much. This overarching tone lets the movie revel in over-the-top gore. It’s clear that Perkins was having fun with building each monkey-caused death to feel more extreme than the last.

The film’s balance of laughter and horror is supported by its fast and smart editing style. “The Monkey” doesn’t lag and is just over 90 minutes long. The film feels blessedly succinct in our modern era of over-saturated runtimes. Keeping the movie short reduces redundancies and makes every scene feel important to the story. Besides keeping things fast, editing is also used for comedic effect. In one scene, the twins fight over testing the monkey’s powers. In the middle of their argument, the film cuts to the boys at a funeral, clearly showing the result of their squabble. Such smart cuts generate the film’s largest laughs, and the editing is essential to establishing the film’s tone.

Beyond that, the film is also successful due to the earnest performances of its cast. “The Monkey” surprisingly boasts an all-star credit list, with appearances from Theo James, Elijah Wood, and Adam Scott. Despite being in a wacky film, these veteran actors commit to their roles with a high degree of seriousness. Scott’s brief performance as the twins’ father is especially noteworthy — although he is only on-screen for a few minutes, he seems genuinely terrified of his cursed monkey toy and makes a deep impression on the film’s overall atmosphere. James, who plays both twins, also delivers a great performance and gives his characters distinct mannerisms and personalities. The actors’ engagement with the silly plot makes “The Monkey” feel like a purposefully campy work instead of a mistakenly funny one.

Although “The Monkey” is an enjoyable ride, its strangely serious ending may confuse some viewers. Staying true to Stephen King’s love of mixing horror with moments of stunning gravitas, “The Monkey” attempts to shoehorn a deep message into its finale. This is the film’s only true instance of tonal inconsistency, and it leaves the ending feeling flat and overworked. Perhaps if the movie kept its comedic angle until the last moment, the overall impact of the story would feel more consistent.

Osgood Perkins makes weird films and “The Monkey” wields the director’s eccentricities to its benefit. The film pays homage to King’s original work while also staying true to its own tone. The movie is more absurdly grisly than scary, so horror fans shouldn’t look to this film for a good scare. But it is an excellent parody of the horror genre’s campiness and a decent comedy as well. Osgood Perkins’ shift to horror should be regarded as great news for the genre. “The Monkey” is a testament to his singular, if odd, vision.

—Staff writer Hannah E. Gadway can be reached at hannah.gadway@thecrimson.com.