Adaptations of Stephen King are always a gamble. There are the classics like “The Shining” and “Stand by Me,” the horror films that manage to take themselves somewhat seriously (“It” from 2017, for example, one of my favorite adaptations), and there are those that simply enjoy having fun with the original material.
“The Monkey,” based on King’s short story, belongs exactly to the third category. It does not attempt to be a masterpiece or claim the title of “Horror Movie of the Year,” and it fully understands that.
Instead of trying to truly scare, it positions itself somewhere between “Final Destination” and “Child’s Play,” only this time, instead of a killer doll, there is a mechanical toy monkey with a drum that puts everyone around it in a deadly, bloody circle.
The Plot of “The Monkey”
The story follows two brothers, Bill and Hal, who discover a mysterious and horrifying mechanical monkey toy that belonged to their father who disappeared.
They discover that the toy is cursed. Every time the monkey finishes drumming on its drum, someone around them dies in horrific circumstances.
They try to destroy it repeatedly but always fail. Eventually, they decide to hide it somewhere no one will find it, thinking the monkey’s curse has ended.
Years later, Hal and Bill are estranged, each trying to live as far from the other as possible, until it seems the monkey toy returns, more murderous than ever.
Classic Stephen King Details
The atmosphere of “The Monkey” is very much in line with King’s classic stories. You will not find overly complex characters or deep ideas about human nature.
Instead, the film places the characters in a small town where everyone knows everyone, layering the story with suffering and fear reminiscent of towns seen in films like “The Shining” or “It.”
It is so classically Stephen King that most of the story takes place in Maine, the state where King grew up and where most of his novels are set. There is something comforting in this simplicity, knowing that strange things happen in a place that seems so ordinary, and everyone is detached from the fast pace of the modern, large world.
It is also a film that successfully evokes moments of childhood fear the desire to know what is in the storage room or behind closed doors, but this time with a deadly twist.
The film builds a dark and disturbing atmosphere without trying to be too clever. It offers experiential entertainment, beginning with mild tension and ending with brutal killing.
Over time, the characters move further from what seems like reasonable reality turning into caricatures that make the film several levels more ridiculous than expected, but paradoxically, this also makes it much more enjoyable. The chemistry between the characters is very human at first, but as they develop cartoonish traits, it drives the film into the silly, fun, and absurd place it intends to show from the start.
The actor playing the twins does a good job and more or less carries the film on his shoulders. It is hard not to notice that he resembles a calmer, balanced version of James Franco which amusingly distracts at times, but in a good way.
Other actors also perform well, and there is even a cameo that is unexpectedly amusing, especially compared to another recent popular and slightly philosophical content piece, “Severance.”
Dying with a Smile
What distinguishes “The Monkey” is, of course, the monkey itself. It is not a talking toy or one that moves, but an encounter with an inanimate object that causes people to die mysteriously.
The film plays with this fear cleverly it is not horror that requires constant tension, but exaggerated and over-the-top gore that arrives exactly when least expected.
There are plenty of these moments from bloody scenes to accidents that provoke laughter, relieving tension to absurd levels. The film makes this transition very clear it is a horror film, but one that also has a lot of comedic freedom, developing into highly amusing areas.
As it progresses especially in the final part it begins to lose control. Some characters become near-complete caricatures, almost like “Evil Dead,” and the internal logic of the plot breaks several times.
This does not really ruin the experience. On the contrary, it is exactly what makes the film enjoyable. There are brilliant comic timings that make you laugh uncontrollably, even when they are not necessarily intentional.
The horror here is not truly frightening, and that is not necessarily a flaw. The film zigzags between particularly graphic gore and completely campy moments, reminiscent of “Final Destination” movies or series like “The Boys.” It is not a chilling atmosphere, but rather a “let’s see how people die in the most exaggerated way possible” approach and that is exactly what works so well.
The Bottom Line What Did We Think of “The Monkey”?
If you expected a horror film to blow your mind for days this is not it. But if you are into horror-comedy with lots of blood, funny timings, and one mechanical monkey that will make you look at toy stores differently “The Monkey” is a great option for a light evening, especially with its perfect runtime of about an hour and a half.
The film “The Monkey” will not enter the Hall of Fame of King adaptations, but it is exactly the type of movie that makes you say, “Okay, that was silly… but I enjoyed it.”