The Monkey (2025) | Movie Synopsis
Movie Synopsis: The Monkey (2025) transforms Stephen King’s chilling short story into a modern horror masterpiece. The film centers on a cursed toy monkey with deadly powers.
Brothers Hal and Bill Shelburn discover an antique toy monkey in their deceased father’s attic. The brass cymbal-playing monkey seems harmless but unnaturally worn.
Strange occurrences begin immediately after bringing the toy home. Family members experience violent nightmares featuring the monkey’s mechanical chattering.
Hal’s son Dennis becomes inexplicably drawn to the toy. He claims the monkey speaks to him when nobody else is around.
When neighbors suddenly die in freak accidents, Hal remembers similar deaths from his childhood. Each death coincides with the monkey’s cymbals clashing on their own.
Research reveals the toy’s dark history stretching back centuries. Previous owners all experienced tragic deaths in their circles.
As the death count rises, the family discovers they cannot simply discard the monkey. Every attempt to destroy or abandon it results in the toy reappearing.
Hal’s estranged sister Lea returns home. She reveals their father originally sealed the monkey away after it caused their mother’s death decades earlier.
The family must decipher ancient texts to find the ritual that will finally destroy the cursed object. The monkey’s attacks intensify as it senses their intentions.
The climax unfolds during a violent storm when the monkey animates fully. The family must complete the banishing ritual while battling the physically manifested curse.
Movie Details
- Genre: Horror
- Release Date: 21 February 2025
- Starring: Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Christian Convery
- Cast: The film features a cast including Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien, Rohan Campbell, Sarah Levy, Adam Scott, and Elijah Wood.
- Producer: James Wan, Dave Caplan, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Chris Ferguson
- Run Time: 1 hour 38 minutes
- Country: United States, United Kingdom
- Language: English
- Parental Guidance: Rated R
- Gross Earnings: $56.7 million worldwide.
The Monkey (2025) | Movie Review
Movie Review: The Monkey (2025) delivers spine-tingling horror with psychological depth. Director Mike Flanagan transforms King’s brief story into a meditation on inherited trauma and family secrets.
Ethan Hawke brings gravitas to Hal Shelburn. His portrayal of a father fighting both supernatural forces and personal demons grounds the fantastical elements.
Viola Davis commands every scene as Lea. Her character’s reluctant return home carries emotional weight that elevates the standard horror plot.
Young actor Jacob Tremblay delivers a haunting performance as Dennis. His innocent interactions with the malevolent toy create genuinely unsettling moments.
The monkey itself deserves special mention. Combining practical animatronics with subtle CGI enhancements, the toy achieves uncanny valley perfection. Its jerky movements and weathered appearance generate instant discomfort.
Flanagan’s direction emphasizes growing dread over jump scares. His camera lingers on ordinary spaces just long enough to make viewers question what lurks just beyond the frame.
The screenplay expands King’s original premise while maintaining its essence. Added family dynamics and historical context enrich rather than dilute the core concept.
Cinematographer Michael Fimognari creates striking visual contrasts. Sun-drenched family scenes gradually give way to shadow-dominated interiors as the monkey’s influence spreads.
The sound design deserves particular praise. The monkey’s mechanical clinking and synthetic chatter will haunt viewers long after the credits roll.
Newton Brothers’ score blends childlike music box melodies with dissonant orchestral elements. This combination perfectly mirrors the toy’s deceptive appearance.
The measured pacing builds tension effectively across the 115-minute runtime. The film allows relationships to develop naturally before unleashing full supernatural chaos.
A few subplot threads remain underdeveloped. The father’s backstory particularly feels rushed in the final act.
Despite minor shortcomings, The Monkey succeeds by taking its ridiculous-sounding premise completely seriously. The film finds genuine horror in childhood objects and family inheritance.
The Monkey (2025) proves King’s shorter works can yield compelling feature adaptations when handled with care. It balances faithful adaptation with necessary expansion.
This film will make viewers eye their childhood toys with renewed suspicion. Its atmosphere of corrupted innocence lingers long after watching.
Rating: 4/5 stars