Out this week in Irish cinemas is The Monkey. Based on a short story by Stephen King and adapted by Osgood Perkins this horror film is quite the experience.
Starring Christian Convery, Theo James and Tatiana Maslany this horror follows twin brothers Hal and Bill as they come across a disturbing toy monkey one day going through their absent father’s things. Quickly, Hal discovers that this is no ordinary wind-up toy. He realises that when it is wound up the monkey will bang its drums and people will die. After tragedy ensues the film fast-forwards to 25 years later where we see how Hal (Theo James) is doing. Believing himself to be cursed he stays away from friends and family. Unfortunately, he has a child and events begin to spiral out of control as he learns from Bill that the monkey may have resurfaced and that they had to deal with it.
With Hal reluctantly bringing Petey (Colin O’Brien) along they fall into a series of seriously unfortunate events.
The Monkey – Like Life
The Monkey, to me, is one of the best films of the year. Now, that’s not saying much as it is still quite early in the year, but I have seen several films back to back in the last week alone and this stood out as something truly outrageous and memorable. I loved almost every moment of this film. From its off-the-wall characters, the impressive acting by Theo James in his dual roles as Hal and Bill, to the utterly bonkers deaths, The Monkey is a film you won’t soon forget.
What made the film for me were the performances. For the time she has on screen, Tatiana Maslany’s character Lois is wise, and weary but also loving. I loved her in the film. Then there is Theo James, who is a particular highlight. His performance as Hal was fun and offbeat, but it’s his performance as Bill that shines. This is a man who could never get passed one heartbreaking point in his early life and it has turned him into something from a Shakespearean play. Every bit of dialogue that came out of Bill’s mouth was hilarious and over the top and utterly memorable. Also, he has a look that tells you everything you need to know about him, which is a testament to the costume department in this film.
On the topic of the crew, The Monkey has a stellar team behind it. Director Osgood Perkins has crafted a memorable story, one that I learned he put a lot of himself into. He’s a director who has utilised his own personal trauma to tell human stories while also sprinkling in supernatural elements to further enhance the horror of the story he is telling.
The crew behind the film has to be lauded for their work on this film with regards to the death scenes. There are many and they are all brutal. Each one is telegraphed but in a cheeky kind of fashion that taps into that dark part of our humour. A particular favourite of mine involves a woman, fishing tackle, a small gas fire, and a sign. The setup and the payoff for each of these deaths are brilliant.
When I came away from The Monkey I was giddy. This was a film that found a balance between the grotesque and the slapstick. Every now and then there is also a human story that is felt through the acting of the intimate cast.
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