Writer-director Osgood Perkins (Longlegs) adapts for the big screen Steven King’s 1980 short story about a supernatural murderous mechanical monkey inherited by twin brothers Bill and Hal (Christian Convery, young; Theo James, adult). The brothers become estranged but are forced to reunite when the gruesome deaths they witnessed as children start happening again. (98 min.)
Glen This is such a signature Stephen King story: set in Maine, with an adult narrator recalling his youth, and an object imbued with occult powers. The film opens with the boys’ father, airline pilot Petey Shelburn (Adam Scott), attempting to return the monkey to a pawnshop. A freak accident ensues … or was it an accident at all? Soon after, Petey disappears, leaving his wife, Lois (Tatiana Maslany), to raise the boys. Fast forward to middle school. Bill, older by a few minutes, is a bully, while Hal is meek. They soon discover the monkey among their father’s possessions in the attic and fatefully turn its windup key. More graphically horrifying freak accidents ensue. The violence is cartoonish in its absurdity, and the film is populated by incongruous characters such as Rookie Priest (Nicco Del Rio), who comically and ineptly presides over a funeral, or the boys’ Uncle Chip (Perkins), a self-described “swinger.” It’s a wacky ride that intentionally takes every gag too far.
Anna I walked out of this film thinking, “Stephen King had fun with this one.” While his work doesn’t always translate well onscreen, this full-on piece of absurdity is perfect for it. The monkey itself is creepy with its signature smile and twirling drumsticks, and the havoc it wreaks is even more diabolical. King is such a master at these devilish short stories, packing a punch into every scene and letting the Stephen King world be brighter, bolder, and much more frightening than everyday life. From his tales, one would think that Maine is a hotbed of the occult, insane, and downright creepy. I can see why this may not appeal to people who shy away from cartoonish gore, but as a King fan and a fan of overindulgent gore, I have to say that this one was a win for me. Hopefully this director has some more of these short stories he wants to adapt to the big screen—I’ll be watching.
Glen It’s certainly a departure from Perkins’ last film, Longlegs, a quiet, somber humorless horror film about a rookie FBI agent trying to unravel an occult serial killing mystery. In The Monkey, the monkey business never stops. When they’re finally reunited 25 years later, Bill is still a jerk, while Hal has a young son, Petey (Colin O’Brien), who lives with his ex-wife (Laura Mennell) and her new husband, obnoxious parenting author Ted Hammerman (Elijah Wood). Hal only sees Petey once a year, fearing he might pass on his curse to his son. Wouldn’t you know it? On what’s supposed to be their last father-son trip before Ted adopts Petey and wants Hal out of his life, the deaths resume. There’s actually a lot going on about family dynamics, and it’s fun to see Hal reach his potential while Bill turns into the loser. In the final tally, there’s both justice and resignation, because this freaking monkey cannot be destroyed!
Anna Bill becomes the loner loser who can’t get the monkey off his mind while Hal has done everything he can to distance himself from the incessant drumbeat and death that follows. These are pretty cookie-cutter characters for King’s work, and I say that with kindness not criticism. He knows how to give us an everyman to believe in and a villain to root against. I won’t be surprised if this one gets a second viewing from me at some point. It just seemed to hit a lot of things I love. Gore, humor, and that sneaky little monkey make this film so much fun. Δ
Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Weddings 2025.