There’s nothing quite as unsettling as a toy that brings death and destruction into human lives. Whether it’s a doll, a puppet, or—God forbid—a grinning, drum-beating monkey. Something about their cold, lifeless eyes and sinister smiles just screams evil. While Annabelle is infamous for wrecking families, The Monkey prefers a more, shall we say, random approach—think of it as a supernatural game of (un)lucky draw.
The story follows twin brothers Hal and Bill who are abandoned by their father and live with their mother in America. One day, while rummaging through their dad’s belongings, they stumble upon a mysterious box labelled “Organ Grinder Monkey.” From that moment on, the film makes its intentions brutally clear. And trust me, it’s not here to monkey around.
Written and directed by Osgood Perkins (Longlegs) and produced by horror mastermind James Wan (Insidious, Annabelle, The Conjuring 2), The Monkey is based on Stephen King’s short story of the same name. And just like any good King-inspired horror, it doesn’t cut corners on the carnage.
Hal and Bill are total opposites—one’s the bookish type, the other a bit of a troublemaker—but their differences hardly matter when they come face-to-face with the true star of the show: the malevolent, smirking monkey. But don’t call it a toy. Seriously, don’t. I wouldn’t.
Whenever you turn its key, there’s a brief pause—just enough time for you to regret your life choices—before the monkey slits its disquieting grin. Then, one drumstick starts spinning, followed by both hands pounding the drum. And as soon as the drumming stops, someone—anyone—meets a gruesome end.
And oh, what a variety of ends there are. Hacking, slicing, burning, crushing—this film is a full-blown showcase of creative carnage. One minute, a body is barbecued like paneer (or chicken, take your pick); the next, someone’s face is getting juiced. It’s the kind of film where you stop feeling horrified and start morbidly anticipating the next outlandish death scene.
Needless to say, The Monkey isn’t for the faint-hearted. Or the squeamish. Or those who prefer their horror with a bit of subtlety. It’s a wild, bloody spectacle where everybody dies—sometimes in ways so absurd, that you want to stop taking death seriously. Whether you find that hilarious or horrifying is entirely up to you.
You’ll love The Monkey if you enjoy edge-of-your-seat slashers, have a twisted sense of humour, or have the appetite to discuss morbid topics over a cup of coffee or a drink.
You might want to skip it, however, if—like me—you prefer to “feel” your horror rather than laugh at it. At times, the film veers into unintentional comedy, and if you’re hoping for a tense, built up scare-fest, you may be left unimpressed. Plus, watching a theatre full of people laughing and cheering at creative dismemberment is… well, mildly disturbing.
But if you’re up for the madness, The Monkey is now playing in cinemas worldwide. It is distributed in India by Impact Films.
Just don’t blame me if you start side-eyeing every toy monkey you see. I warned you.
