Osgood Perkins's 'The Monkey' Delivers Gore-Filled Chaos but Divides Critics
The Stephen King adaptation leans heavily on shock value and gruesome set pieces, earning mixed reactions for its lack of depth and over-the-top approach.
- Based on Stephen King's 1985 short story, 'The Monkey' follows a cursed wind-up toy that causes death and destruction whenever it plays its drums.
- The film, directed by Osgood Perkins, alternates between flashbacks and present-day events, focusing on two brothers whose lives are haunted by the murderous toy.
- Critics noted the movie's heavy reliance on gruesome, CGI-heavy death sequences, drawing comparisons to the 'Final Destination' series but with less narrative cohesion.
- Performances by Theo James, who plays both brothers, and Tatiana Maslany received mixed reviews, with some praising Maslany's role but others criticizing the lack of character depth.
- While some appreciated the film's campy tone and gonzo gore, others found it overly self-indulgent, lacking the emotional resonance or thematic weight of Perkins's previous work, 'Longlegs.'
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