Summary
The Monkeyis soon to be released in cinemas and will be the next instance of a Stephen King horror coming to life on screen. Ahead of the film’s release, critics who had seen the movie early shared their reviews online, resulting in a promising Rotten Tomatoes score.
The new horror film is from director Osgood Perkins who scared audiences in his 2024 filmLonglegs.The Monkeyis based on a short story written byStephen Kingthat was published in 1980. The plot involves two twin brothers finding an old wind-up monkey toy in their attic which results in a string of horrifying deaths occuring around them. The brothers go their separate ways but the cursed toy returns to haunt them. The movie adaptation stars Theo James as both twins along with, Elijah Wood, Tatiana Maslany, and Adam Scott.
The Monkey’s First Reviews Revealed
The Monkeywon’t be released until later in February, but all signs are pointing to it being a hit. The film debuted onRotten Tomatoeswith a score of 91%. It has since dropped slightly to 90% based on 20 reviews, but regardless, this is a very promising debut for one of 2025’s most anticipated horrors. Critics have praised the film’s morbid humor and intense gore, with many saying the film is Perkins’ most entertaining yet.
Discussing Film’sreview saidThe Monkeyis “operating in a darkly comedic mode that he hasn’t tried before.”Total Film’sAmy West said in their review that the movie is “all things, all at once. Just like life.”Collidercritic Emma Kiely praised Perkins as a director, saying “The Monkeyis prime evidence that Perkins is one of the rare horror directors who can strike a sublime balance between comedy, suspense, and the type of gore and nastiness that has been missing from mainstream horror for years.” As far as what The Monkey may be similar to, critics mentioned in their reviewsFinal DestinationandGremlinsas tonal references, which should give audiences an indication of what they’re in for.
The Monkeyhas only two reviews that are not rated fresh on Rotten Tomatoes so far. These criticisms wereless lenient withThe Monkey’stonal balance, withInverse’sreview calling the film “neither funny nor bitter enough to make a lasting impact.” Jeff Nelson (Guy at the Movies) concurred with this saying in his review “the film struggles to break free from its one-note slump.” It appears thatThe Monkey’stone and humor will be subjective, but this initial crop of reviews is still promising for the Stephen King horror adaptation.
Even Stephen King Has Praised The Monkey
King himself has primed audiencesfor a fun time withThe Monkey,saying on Threads “You’ve never seen anything like The Monkey.” This sentiment bodes well coming from the author of the story. Not all adaptations of King’s work have been so well-received, so it’s a promising sign that the author has given The Monkey his stamp of approval.
