The Monkey

Osgood Perkins Stumbles with King Adaptation

Osgood Perkins comes from horror film royalty, being the son of Psycho (1960) star Anthony Perkins. He began directing in 2015, sticking to the genre that made his family name famous. However, he hadn’t truly broken out as a filmmaker until last year’s serial killer-themed Longlegs (2024). As such, his follow-up, an adaptation of a Stephen King short story, arrived with high anticipation.

The Monkey (2025) is adapted from King’s 1980 short story of the same name. We follow young twins Hal and Bill (both portrayed by Christian Convery), who discover a wind-up toy monkey among their absent father’s (Adam Scott) possessions. However, a series of gruesome deaths seem to follow the monkey’s discovery, leading the brothers to attempt to dispose of it. Years later, as estranged adults (both played by Theo James), the monkey’s return forces them back together.

King’s short story comprises the film’s first half, centering on the middle school-aged twins. This is evident in the overuse of narration, which lifts King’s evocative prose straight off the page, and in the coming-of-age horror tropes often associated with his work. This section is the film’s strongest, effectively building a sense of dread and unease as the twins begin to suspect the monkey’s connection to the surrounding violence. Perkins brings a detailed and creative visual style that immerses the film in an odd and unsettling atmosphere. However, as the film’s screenwriter, he struggles to translate King’s rich descriptions, character motivations, and emotional depth onto the screen. The excessive use of voice-over becomes a crutch, allowing Perkins to rush through these “younger years” rather than fully developing them.

The second half is where The Monkey unravels. Without King’s material as a guide, the film devolves into a wannabe horror-comedy that fails to be either truly funny or scary. Notably, this story was previously adapted in the film Merlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonders (1996). That version built tension organically, allowing paranoia to develop as the deaths mounted. In contrast, The Monkey rushes through any buildup, prioritizing gory deaths and instant exposition over genuine suspense. As a result, it feels more like a bootleg Final Destination (2000) film than a Stephen King adaptation. It even mimics that franchise’s signature style—crafting elaborate, accidental deaths—though with a more sadistic, comedic tone.

The film’s second half also suffers from a lack of clear narrative direction. The characters’ motivations feel murky, leaving the audience unsure of what they are striving for or why their survival matters. This issue is compounded by uneven performances. In Longlegs, Perkins effectively guided his cast, using Nicolas Cage’s maniacal performance as a striking contrast to the film’s otherwise grim tone. In The Monkey, however, every actor seems to be performing in a different movie. Theo James is left as a reactive figure, reduced to shouting variations of “Holy shit” or “Jesus” at every death. Tatiana Maslany, as the twins’ mother, plays her role with exaggerated comedic flair, while the supporting cast drifts through the film without clear direction. The lack of tonal consistency falls on Perkins; as a director, it’s his job to unify performances and maintain a cohesive atmosphere.

In the end, The Monkey is a disappointing follow-up to Longlegs. Perkins continues to demonstrate a strong visual style and a knack for unsettling horror imagery, but here, he falters in fundamental storytelling. The rushed adaptation of King’s material, paired with a directionless second half, uneven tone, and poorly managed performances, results in a film that neither scares, entertains, nor leaves a lasting impression.

5.1/10