Monkey see. Monkey do. Monkey beat all over you.
Directed by Johannes Roberts, Primate tells the story of Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah), a college student who arrives home to her family’s remote Hawaiian home for a much-needed vacation. Returning to their tropical paradise with a few friends, Lucy is most excited to see her sister, Hannah (Jessica Alexander), father Adam (Troy Kotsur) and their family’s unexpected ‘pet’ chimpanzee, Ben. However, after Adam leaves for a work trip though, Lucy, Hannah and the rest discover that something’s wrong with Ben. Very wrong. All of a sudden, their quiet time of rest becomes a rush to survive their beloved primate’s vicious wrath.
In Primate, Roberts delivers exactly the sort of monkey madness that the trailer promises. Fueled by fury, this monster mash is firing on all cylinders. Wasting no time, the film dives immediately into the murderous mayhem. Rather than ease the viewer into the chaos, Roberts instead bludgeons them with primal pummeling from the film’s opening moments. In essence, Primate is closer in tone to Cujo than it is Jaws. This is a film that knows you came for chimpanzee violence and it doesn’t make you wait very long to get it.
Jessica Alexander as “Hannah” and Miguel Torres Umba as “Ben” in Primate from Paramount Pictures.
And, make no mistake. This monkey’s teeth are razor sharp.
As Ben works his way through his growing list of victims, Roberts treats his rabid primate as a one-monkey wrecking crew. Beating and biting anyone in his path, Ben shows no mercy. And neither does Roberts. Whereas many horror films utilize similar styles for their jump scares, Roberts seems to enjoy taking his attacks one step further. Broken bones and torn flesh are par for the course for Ben, leaving the viewer with the sort of gory visuals that come from the best of the genre.
Still, the film is more than just brutal bludgeonings. Roberts knows how to build the tension in his jump scares effectively, inviting the viewer to ‘know’ what’s coming next but still feel shocked when it finally does. Sometimes, he takes just that one… extra… beat before the ensuing attack to add to the moment while, in others, he feels like he jumps ahead. In doing so, he keeps the audience just off-kilter enough to keep them on edge.
What’s more, it’s worth noting that Roberts’ most creative moments seem to come when he’s playing with his sound design. In spaces that mimic Kotsur’s real-life deafness, Roberts sometimes builds tension by cutting the audio. It’s a simple and effective technique that allows for the viewer to feel the anxiety of seeing the impending attacks but still feeling helpless.
In that spirit, the performances in the film are solid, especially leads Sequoyah and Kotsur. Both do a good job of bringing the necessary terror to the moment. But, let’s be serious. The emphasis is always on Ben, played here by Miguel Torres Umba. As Ben, Umba does a good job of bringing the beastly beast to life. Bouncing onscreen with ferocious glee, Umba plays Ben as a force of nature. He’s soulless, nasty and (somewhat) unpredictable. And that’s exactly what makes him so nervewracking.
Now, having said this, Primate seemingly has no designs on any ‘elevated’ meaning. Whereas a lot of modern horror attempt to use their carnage as a metaphor for something greater, Roberts does not appear interested in doing so. (In fact, the film only barely explains how Ben’s infection happens at all.) One might expect this to morph into an exploration of our primal selves or maybe humanity’s drive to survive and evolve.
Nope. Not here.
Troy Kotsur as “Adam” and Gia Hunter as “Erin” in Primate from Paramount Pictures.
And, actually, in a weird way, I kinda respect him for it. Instead of adding subtext or subtly, Roberts seems entirely content to make exactly the premise promises. This is a movie about a rabid monkey attack in an isolated home with family and friends. From the opening scene, it wakes up and immediately chooses violence. But that’s exactly what he wanted to do. And, for the most part, it works.
So, be aware. Primate is not for the faint of heart. Roberts rolls up his sleeves and unleashes his monkey with unsettling results. But, for fans of this style of horror, Primate gives you precisely what you’re looking for.
Primal is available in theatres on Friday, January 9th, 2026.
