Osgood Perkins, son of Psycho actor Anthony Perkins, utilizes horror films as a therapeutic outlet to navigate his complex childhood. In his latest work, The Monkey, based on a Stephen King story, he depicts a dysfunctional family haunted by a mechanical monkey that symbolizes deeper trauma. The film attempts to blend dark humor with horror, but struggles with emotional connectivity. Its exaggerated deaths come off as satirical, undermining the serious theme of absent fatherhood. While visually striking, The Monkey ultimately fails to effectively balance comedic elements with genuine horror.
Osgood Perkins makes horror films as therapy, addressing his complex childhood as the son of Psycho actor Anthony Perkins, particularly evident in Longlegs.
In The Monkey, a Stephen King story adaptation, themes of absent fatherhood create a disconnect hampered by glib humor, failing to resonate emotionally.
The mechanical monkey in The Monkey symbolizes a family’s hidden trauma, killing innocents and representing the secret horror passed down from father to son.
Despite exemplary visual direction, The Monkey struggles with tonal consistency, balancing satire and horror while failing to develop emotional depth in its dysfunctional characters.
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