FILM REVIEW: THE MONKEY (15) RATING: 3.5/5

Toy Gory!

I spent way too long debating whether I should use those opening two words. As cheesy as they are, they’re staying!

We’ve all seen that creepy, cymbal-banging monkey toy. You probably recognise it best from Toy Story 3, where it terrorised Sunnyside Daycare.

Well, now we have a full-blown horror movie inspired by it. However, since Disney owns the rights to that specific toy, the filmmakers had to tweak things – so instead of cymbals, the monkey plays a drum. Honestly, I think this works better. I can imagine the constant clang of cymbals grating fast, whereas the drum adds a more ominous, rhythmic dread.

The Monkey is adapted from Stephen King’s short story of the same name, but the film makes some significant changes. The plot follows brothers Hal and Bill – both portrayed by The Gentleman’s (and the Divergent Series) Theo James – who, as children, discover that an eerie toy monkey seems to be linked to a series of gruesome deaths.

Terrified, they do everything they can to dispose of it. Years later, as adults, they begin experiencing eerily similar tragedies – leading them to wonder if the cursed toy has returned. Spoiler alert: it has.

One of the biggest deviations from King’s original story is the addition of Hal’s twin brother, Bill – a character entirely invented for the movie. This kind of change might ruffle the feathers of die-hard King fans, but rest assured, the master of horror himself has given his approval.

Directed by Oz Perkins – who has the highly-acclaimed horror-thriller Longlegs on his CV – the film embraces a muted, washed-out aesthetic that feels straight out of a seventies

B-movie. This is Perkins at his most unhinged. Unlike Longlegs, which was deeply unsettling, The Monkey leans into horror-comedy territory. It’s important to know that going in because some of the over-the-top moments border on parody, reminding me of Scary Movie. But once I realised this was a deliberate choice, I was completely on board.

The death scenes are a highlight, bringing a Final Destination-style unpredictability to the mix. You know carnage is coming – you just don’t know exactly how it’ll unfold. The creative, sometimes absurd kills add to the film’s offbeat charm.

If you’re in the mood for a goofy, self-aware horror comedy with creative kills and an old-school aesthetic, The Monkey delivers. But if you’re expecting something as chilling and atmospheric as Longlegs, you might want to recalibrate your expectations.

Accept the chaos, embrace the camp – and you’ll have a blast monkeying around.

ESP Rating: 3.5/5

Mike Clarke

Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough & Odeon Luxe Peterborough, Out Now

Cast: Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien, Rohan Campbell, Sarah Levy, Adam Scott and Elijah Wood

Running Time: 1 Hr 38 Mins

Director: Osgood Perkins

Film reviewed at: Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough

For all the latest film information and showtimes at Peterborough’s Showcase Cinema De Lux & Odeon Luxe Cinemas go to www.showcasecinemas.co.uk and www.odeon.co.uk