THE MONKEY
****
Directed by Osgood Perkins.
Starring Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien.
Horror comedy, US, 98 minutes, Certificate 15.
Released in cinemas in the UK on 21st February by Black Bear Pictures
Before striking box office gold last summer with LONGLEGS, writer and director Osgood Perkins had been quietly making a name for himself with a string of measured, doom laden horror films. Dealing in death and madness in an introspective fashion, it seems odd that after finally making his mark with a mainstream audience, he would decide to make a comedy involving a stuffed toy. Odd indeed, but for fans of Stephen King, on whose short story this is based, it was a very exciting choice. In the end what is truly surprising is not the film's zany tone and madcap story but how well it fits in with the rest of Perkins filmography.
Theo James plays Hal, recounting his life story and how it came to be cursed by the titular object at the heart of the matter. After his father mysteriously and suddenly leaves home, the younger Hal and his obnoxious identical twin brother Bill come into possession of this ghoulish toy. The staring, lifelike, terrifyingly vacant eyes gazing into oblivion are bad enough but the rictus grin that stretches back before raising its arms to strike its drum are even worse. It is when the drum is struck however that things take a turn for the worse, as each beat signals an imminent death in the most violently amusing way possible. Despite destroying and disposing of it, The Monkey always returns home, silently and malevolently daring its owners to turn its key so the drum can be banged once more.
Now living a solitary life, the adult Hal is dismayed to learn from his long lost brother that The Monkey has returned, with bodies dropping faster than ever. With his estranged teenage son in tow, Hal reluctantly sets out to destroy The Monkey once and for all, whatever it takes.
Right from the beginning, Perkins lets loose like never before. There is no slow build-up here. The rules are set out in the opening minutes, and the effects of not following them are shared in a breakneck and eviscerating fashion, with the laughs coming thick and fast from then on. Perkins proves beyond a doubt that this is yet another wheelhouse he is suited for, able to take the bare bones of King’s original, and very different, story and make it his own. Horror comedies are hard to pull off, but Perkins manages to juggle the wildly differing tones and blend them into something entirely original, resulting in one of the best genre mash-ups in years.
Theo James may be a tad too clean cut and straight laced for the role(s) he plays here. As his younger self, Christian Convery beats him hands down with the dual performances of the straight laced and timid Hal and his bullying brother. This angle of familial hostility has also been added in by Perkins. It perfectly complements King’s own storyline, expanding on it, and the bodycount, in a way that makes this one of the strongest and original King adaptations in a long time.
At the heart of it all is the spectre of Death. Throughout the film it is often remarked upon that it comes for us all. The only unknown factor about it being how messy and/or chaotic it is going to be. It is a remarkably dark conceit for a comedy to dwell on to the extent that it does here. Sharing the stage are the lingering effects of grief and how it affects us all in different ways. Considering the circumstances surrounding Perkins own parents tragic deaths- his father Anthony dying from AIDS in 1992 after concealing his sexuality, only for his mother Berry Berenson to die nine years later during the terrorist attacks of 9/11- the film could be seen as an act of defiance. To turn away from the shadow of death that haunts us all and learn to live the best way we can until the end.
Until then, you can go see THE MONKEY. It’s great fun.
Iain MacLeod