'The Monkey' Review: An Insane, Outrageous, Funny & Wild Ride

'The Monkey' Review: An insane, outrageous, darkly funny & wild ride and I loved every second of it.

Horror and comedy have always made for strange but compelling bedfellows, and The Monkey is the latest film to walk that thin, blood-soaked line between fear and laughter. Directed by Osgood Perkins (Longlegs), this adaptation of Stephen King’s 1980 short story takes a wild departure from the director’s usual slow-burn horror in favor of something much more outrageous. Imagine Final Destination meeting a demented Looney Tunes episode, with a possessed toy monkey orchestrating the carnage. That’s the kind of twisted fun that The Monkey delivers.

A Toy with a Deadly Beat

The film follows twin brothers who, as kids, stumble upon their father’s old wind-up monkey toy—a seemingly harmless relic with a sinister secret. Every time the monkey claps its drum, someone meets a gruesome, often darkly comedic end. Years later, the twins—both played by Theo James—have grown apart, but when the cursed toy resurfaces, so does a whole lot of death and chaos.

Theo James pulls double duty as Hal and Bill, two estranged brothers dealing with their past in very different ways. James fully embraces the absurdity of his dual roles, making each character distinct while also diving headfirst into the film’s over-the-top energy. Whether he’s playing the responsible, reluctant protagonist or the unhinged wildcard, his performance keeps the movie engaging.

And let’s not forget Tatiana Maslany, who plays their mother with a level of nonchalance that’s downright hilarious. In the face of absurdly gruesome deaths unfolding around her, she delivers cutting one-liners like someone who has simply seen too much horror to be fazed. She’s the perfect comedic counterbalance to the film’s high-stakes chaos - offering moments of relief from the chaos.

Blood, Guts, and a Side of Absurdity

If you’re a fan of creative, over-the-top death scenes, The Monkey does not disappoint. The movie turns seemingly mundane objects into instruments of destruction—flower arrangements, kitchen appliances, even a seemingly innocent toaster become part of a macabre Rube Goldberg machine of doom. The film never takes itself too seriously, ensuring that even the goriest moments carry an element of dark humor.

But beneath the layers of carnage and comedy, The Monkey also explores deeper themes of fate, grief, and mortality. Perkins infuses the film with enough existential dread to give weight to the chaos, making it more than just a series of elaborate, blood-soaked set pieces.

Divisive but Daring

As with any horror-comedy, The Monkey is bound to divide audiences. Some will praise its campy, self-aware approach and Perkins’ willingness to embrace the ridiculous. Others may find it too outlandish, too over-the-top, or just plain bizarre. But that’s the beauty of films like this—horror doesn’t always have to be purely terrifying. Sometimes, it’s about laughing at the absurdity of it all while still getting your dose of gut-wrenching suspense.

Should You Watch The Monkey?

If you love your horror mixed with dark humor, The Monkey is well worth a watch. It’s a wild, chaotic, and refreshingly unhinged ride that delivers both scares and laughs in equal measure. Just be warned—after watching, you may never look at a wind-up toy the same way again.

Be sure to check out my interviews with Theo James, Rohan Campbell and Osgood Perkins in this episode of Pop Culture Weekly where it's all about The Monkey!

Check out Kyle Mcmahon and subscribe to the Pop Culture Weekly podcast. You can follow him on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram and check out his official Amazon Store.