Oz Perkins is quickly establishing a notable place in the horror community. However, I know he will not be everyone’s cup of tea. Luckily for me, though, I am already on board to support whatever his insane brain chooses to show the world.
You will either love or hate THE MONKEY – nothing in between. For me, it’s one of the craziest and best horror films I’ve ever seen. I get why people don’t like it, but it will probably serve you well if you completely buy into the film. I have noticed over the past year that Neon is dominating the horror community right now (and the film community in general with its distribution of 2025 Best Picture Winner, ANORA). This film really cemented that Perkins and Neon are on to do great things. I was a huge fan of LONGLEGS, which landed in my top 3 of 2024 (along with WICKED and ANORA).
I like THE MONKEY equally as much as LONGLEGS but for opposite reasons. Both are so brilliant and add so much to the history of horror in such drastic ways. LONGLEGS paid homage to the great serial killer films of the 90s and explored the occult sinisterly. The MONKEY had insane special effects and was incredibly funny, tapping into the big questions behind death and why it happens. The film is almost nonsensical and has many larger-than-life caricatures, but Perkins utilizes these skills to help the bigger theme of the film, which is the complete randomness of death.
The cast is not only hilarious but also so stacked. I was unaware of the star-after-star cameos I would see, so I will not name them. Similar to the audience’s need to suspend disbelief, the cast follows this same logic and knows what to deliver. The comedic timing is superb, and you can tell it was such a collaborative effort between Perkins and the cast.
In terms of horror, Perkins takes a complete 180 from the jump scares and chilling nature of LONGLEGS to give THE MONKEY more of a horrific element in the deaths. The film is heavily tied to FINAL DESTINATION and SAW, where the deaths are so gruesome that you can not believe a human conceived them. THE SUBSTANCE was another horror film recently released that makes you uncomfortable, however, Perkins doesn’t make the deaths in THE MONKEY too squeamish where you feel like it’s happening to you, you have that layer between being a viewer and not an active participant.
The script is fantastic in terms of dialogue and the overall story.
However, when you break it down, it can start to get clunky and fall apart a little, especially towards the third act. I am really looking forward to watching the film again, having a grasp of what I’m actually watching, and being able to analyze all the details without the shock of the first viewing.
As of right now, THE MONKEY is my top movie I have watched in 2025. It feels like a niche film but serves you well if you enjoy what it’s giving you. You must go in willing to believe whatever they give you and play a part in the craziness that is Osgood Perkins. I promise you, THE MONKEY will be one of the weirdest and funniest movies you experience in your life.
As of 03/06, THE MONKEY is playing in theaters.
