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"The Monkey" is a 2025 American black comedy horror film written and directed by Osgood Perkins, based on Stephen King's 1980 short story of the same name. The film stars Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Christian Convery, Colin O'Brien, Rohan Campbell, Sarah Levy, Adam Scott, and Elijah Wood. It follows the harrowing tale of twin brothers Hal and Bill Shelburn, whose lives are upended by a cursed toy monkey that triggers a series of gruesome and inexplicable deaths.
Plot Summary
In 1999, Petey Shelburn attempts to return and destroy a drum-playing toy monkey at an antiques shop. Before he can do so, the monkey plays its drums, causing a chain reaction that results in the shop owner's death. Shortly afterward, Petey disappears, leaving his wife Lois to raise their identical twin sons, Hal and Bill. The twins eventually discover the monkey among their father's belongings and wind its key. Later that evening, while they are at a hibachi restaurant, the monkey plays its drums, leading to their babysitter Annie's accidental decapitation.
Bill's bullying of Hal prompts Hal to wind the monkey's key again, hoping it will harm his brother. Instead, their mother Lois suffers a sudden aneurysm and dies in front of Bill. Overcome with guilt, Hal dismantles and disposes of the monkey before he and Bill move to Casco, Maine, to live with their aunt Ida and uncle Chip. When the monkey mysteriously reappears at their new home, Bill realizes its power and winds its key despite Hal's protests; Chip is trampled to death by a horse stampede shortly afterward. The twins seal the monkey in its box and throw it down a nearby well, hoping it will remain hidden.
Twenty-five years later, Hal is estranged from both Bill and his own son, Petey Jr., whom Hal sees only once a year out of fear that the monkey will return and kill him. He also learns that his ex-wife and her new husband, Ted, plan to adopt Petey fully, effectively cutting Hal out of his son's life. Meanwhile, Ida is suddenly killed in a freak accident. Bill calls Hal and insists he drive to Ida's house, claiming he is suspicious that the monkey has returned and someone has been winding its key. Hal realizes it is true when a woman is electrocuted in a motel pool. Real estate agent Barbara reveals to Hal that, following Ida's death, a series of bizarre fatal accidents have occurred in the town over the past week, before a falling shotgun kills Barbara.
When Hal and Petey arrive at Ida's house, they learn that Bill is living in town and now possesses the monkey. He hired a local named Ricky to retrieve it for him due to Bill having long suspected that Lois's death was caused by Hal in an attempt to kill him, so he has spent years waiting for the monkey's return to use it in retaliation. However, the monkey has only been killing random people instead of Hal over the past week. Bill suspects whoever winds its key is immune to being the next victim and tells Hal that he will allow Petey to wind the key to keep him safe; otherwise, Bill will keep mercilessly winding it until Hal is killed, no matter who else dies in the town as a result.
Hal refuses until Ricky, who has grown obsessed with the monkey, forces Petey at gunpoint to retrieve it for him at Bill's house. Bill instructs Petey to wind the key, and Ricky is subsequently killed by a swarm of wasps. Hal enters the house, and Bill, seeing his brother is still unscathed, forces the monkey to drum without winding the key in a desperate attempt to kill Hal. In retaliation, the monkey drums uncontrollably and triggers widespread death and destruction throughout the entire town. Bill finally gives up, and the twins reconcile over their shared grief for their mother and apologize to each other. Shortly afterward, the monkey beats its drums one last time, and Bill is suddenly decapitated by a bowling ball bearing Lois's name.
Driving through the now-devastated town, Hal and Petey accept their fates as the monkey's owners to prevent the key from ever being wound again. A pale, black-eyed man riding a horse—implied to represent the Pale Horseman—passes by and acknowledges them. Hal, determined to reconnect with his son, suggests they go dancing as it is something Lois had loved, and Petey accepts. As they drive off, a school bus full of cheerleaders is decapitated by a passing truck.
Themes and Analysis
"The Monkey" delves into themes of generational trauma, the randomness of death, and the inescapable nature of fate. The cursed toy monkey serves as a metaphor for the burdens and unresolved issues passed down through generations. The film explores how the characters' attempts to escape their past only lead to its resurgence, emphasizing the cyclical nature of trauma. Additionally, the narrative examines the complexities of familial relationships, particularly between fathers and sons, and the consequences of estrangement and unresolved guilt.
Critical Reception
The film received generally positive reviews from critics. IGN praised it as "one of the best horror-comedies (and Stephen King adaptations) in recent memory, exploding off the screen with both gory kills and big laughs." However, some critics noted tonal inconsistencies. The AP News review highlighted that "despite engaging performances and imaginative death scenes, the film's effort to blend horror with family drama results in an uneven and chaotic feel."