It’s deja vu all over again for Osgood Perkins and Neon. They’re using the same template as with ’ “Longlegs.” Cryptic marketing aside, the review embargo has lifted, three weeks before the film is released, but the trades are again not chiming in. It’s only been screened for a select few outlets.
Regardless, “The Monkey” sits comfortably at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. What I will say is that Perkins’ film is nothing like “Longlegs,” it’s a whole different beast. It’s a bloody affair, almost reaching camp-level entertainment. It has none of the slow-burn nature of Perkins’ previous films, but is just as well-shot and photographed.
“The Monkey” makes it quite clear that, whether he’s playing it serious or farcical, Perkins has a deranged mind. Don’t expect another “Longlegs,” this is in the total opposite horror register — bloody, comedic and disturbing. Oh, and watch it with as large an audience as possible. It benefits greatly from crowd being seen with a crowd.
“The Monkey” tackles twin brothers, Hal and Bill, played by Theo James, who discover their father's old monkey toy in the attic. Three decades later, a series of gruesome deaths starts occurring all around them. The monkey must be destroyed.
A24 isn't being subtle. This Friday, "You Can See Everything" will expand to roughly 600 additional theaters, bringing it to 3,243 screens nationwide. That's a studio going after the top spot at the box office.