The Monkey
Considering the serious nature of writer/director Osgood Perkins’ filmography thus far, it’s a tremendously pleasant surprise to find oneself laughing like a maniac throughout much of his new film, The Monkey.
Arriving less than a year after his masterful Longlegs, Perkins’ adaptation of the Stephen King short story of the same name blends thick terror and cheeky humor with some of the most creative deaths ever depicted in a mainstream movie not made by Quentin Tarantino.
Indeed, a QT-like playfulness is on display here as twin brothers Bill and Hal Shelburn (both played so distinctly by Christian Convery that you’d swear it was two different actors) navigate a bizarre family curse in the form of a hideous windup simian left behind by their deadbeat dad.
Though the whole “sins of the father” metaphor isn’t exactly subtle, the creepiness of the toy (“Don’t call it that!” multiple characters advise at various points) and the suspense surrounding what happens when someone turns the key in its back is a rich filmmaking well that Perkins returns to again and again with great success.
The core premise/conflict proves particularly effective after seeing it in action during the cold open, in which the boys’ mysteriously blood-soaked father (Adam Scott) attempts to rid himself of the device at a pawn shop. From there, it’s just a matter of simmering in dark comedic dread until the next imaginative kill, most of which are built up in the style of a Final Destination movie but with significantly more polished craft and far more cathartic and hilarious results.
Perkins and his crew nail The Monkey’s initial 1999 setting with era-appropriate attire and props, then excel comparably well once the action jumps ahead 25 years to check in with adult Hal (Theo James), who’s intentionally become his own version of a distant dad in hopes of protecting his teenage son Petey (Colin O’Brien, Wonka) from the “family curse.”
After picking his child up for their annual visit — a scene elevated by a gut-busting cameo from Elijah Wood as Petey’s parenting guru stepfather — Hal has his fears realized, but not in the manner he expected. While the bloody kills remain wildly entertaining and even receive an energetic montage, the film stumbles a bit in the reveal of its villain’s motivation, succumbing to the specific brand of King corniness that dogs even his best stories.
However, all is forgiven during The Monkey’s wild climax and arguably wilder “falling action” and “resolution” — a smorgasbord of tantalizing sights that fully show off Perkins’ gifts as a visual artist.
Grade: B-plus. Rated R. Now playing at AMC River Hills 10, Carolina Cinemark, the Fine Arts Theatre, and Regal Biltmore Grande.
(Photo: Neon)
