Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Extremely gory, sometimes funny movie about death and grief.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Monkey
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 13 kid reviews
Kids say the film is a mix of dark comedy and gory entertainment, featuring numerous shocking and gruesome death scenes that may not appeal to everyone, although some found it to be quite funny. While the sexual content is minimal and not excessively graphic, the overall experience is more about outrageous humor and cinematic excess than genuine horror, making it suitable for mature audiences.
- dark comedy
- gory content
- minimal sexual references
- entertaining experience
- mixed reactions
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In THE MONKEY, young twin brothers Hal and Bill Shelburn (Christian Convery) live with their mother, Lois (Tatiana Maslany), and know little about their mysteriously absent father. He was a pilot who collected souvenirs from around the world, all of which languish at the back of a closet. The boys—shy Hal and the more outgoing, aggressive Bill—are fascinated by the closet and like to go through their father's things. One day, Hal finds a wind-up drumming monkey toy with hideously staring eyes and an eerie grin. Not long after, their babysitter, Annie (Danica Dreyer), is killed in a gruesome accident. After more horrible deaths, Hal tries to get rid of the toy. And for many years things are quiet. But when grown-up Hal (Theo James) is spending a week with his estranged son, Petey (Colin O'Brien), the monkey's dastardly deeds start happening again.
Is It Any Good?
In a break from his quietly moody horror movies, filmmaker Osgood Perkins embraces strange, cockeyed humor and gleefully excessive gore for this inventive yet odd Stephen King adaptation. The Monkey, which departs a good bit from the 1980 short story it's based on, blindsides viewers with its opening scene, showing a blood-soaked Adam Scott desperately trying to get rid of the monkey in a pawn shop. Things then ramp up with an insane killing right out of Final Destination, dialogue worthy of the Coen Brothers, and a closing moment that commands attention.
The humor continuously surprises throughout, jumping out at unexpected moments like a ghost or a serial killer. It can be innocuous, like Hal getting bullied in creative ways at school, or jolting, like some of the killings that are so shocking you almost can't help but laugh. Some of the jokes don't land (especially one involving a group of cheerleaders), and others may detract slightly from the gravity of the situation, making light of tragedy. But The Monkey is still rooted in death and mourning. The reality is that the characters have lost a great deal, and, in the end, the movie understands that loss and empathizes with it. As the twins' mother (beautifully played by Maslany) puts it, your best bet is to accept death, live in the moment, and dance.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Monkey's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Funny? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes like being scared?
How is bullying depicted? How do bullied characters respond to those who bully them? What are some positive ways of handling those who bully others?
Why do you think the extreme, shocking violence and gore in this movie might inspire laughter for some viewers?
How does the movie address the concepts of death and mourning?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 21, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : April 4, 2025
- Cast : Theo Rossi , Tatiana Maslany , Christian Convery
- Director : Osgood Perkins
- Inclusion Information : Middle Eastern/North African Movie Actor(s) , Multiracial Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Neon
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Book Characters
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong bloody violent content, gore, language throughout and some sexual references
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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