Primate (2025) Review

Killer-animal movies are surprisingly hard to get right. With obvious exceptions like ‘The Birds’ and ‘Jaws,’ they are almost always schlocky. Yet, there is a surprisingly meaningful difference between good schlock and bad. The sheer ridiculousness of campy B-movie delights like ‘The Swarm’ and ‘The Killer Shrews’ can be a genuine pleasure, while drearier offerings such as Louis Morneau’s ‘Bats’ underwhelm at every turn.

Johannes Roberts’ ‘Primate’ is the latest entrant in the killer-animal menagerie. It follows Lucy, a young woman returning to Hawaii with her friends for a holiday. After her father’s pet chimpanzee Ben contracts rabies, their idyllic getaway descends into something darkly violent. Trapped in a paradise turning to hell, can any of them survive- and is the film monkey magic or merely mediocre monkey business?

Written by Roberts and Ernest Riera, ‘Primate’ is bananas in the best way possible. Gory, gruesome and utterly unpretentious, it’s neither particularly original nor unpredictable, but it is a lot of fun. If you’re the kind of person who thought ‘Friday the 13^th’ or ‘Halloween’ might be better with a great ape for a villain instead of a mute, seemingly invincible bogeyman, it’s the film for you (if such a person exists, that is, which is admittedly rather doubtful).

Roberts knows exactly what he wants to make: not a deeply philosophical slice of social commentary, but a bloody good, unaffected slasher. His characters are little more than archetypes, and the plot hits familiar beats: young, attractive people trapped in one location, forced to battle a relentless menace. Even so, it is quite tragic, its horror rooted in the suddenness of contagion, the loss of agency and the destruction of something- or someone- worth mourning. There are moments of genuine sadness as Ben struggles against the virus, flickers of the gentle animal he once was breaking through.

That said- to borrow a phrase from the band Godiego- it’s really just about “a cocky, saucy monkey” on a rabid, ravenous rampage. It’s not a tragedy. Let’s not beat around the bush. The film works so well because Roberts embraces that. It isn’t due to Roberts and Riera’s shallow characterisation, nor their unremarkable dialogue and plotting. It’s a success because everyone involved was totally committed to creating the craziest creature feature they could.

It’s a tense thrill ride, driven by suspenseful savagery and tactile practical effects. The violence is visceral and unflinching, with blood, broken limbs and gnawed flesh rendered in startling detail. Movement specialist Miguel Torres delivers a remarkably convincing chimpanzee performance, balancing animal ferocity with fleeting traces of tenderness. His work is so persuasive it renders CGI unnecessary, anchoring the film in sweaty, raw, old-school creature craftsmanship.

Cinematographer Stephen Murphy’s camera thrives in darkness, using shadow and tight framing to create claustrophobic tension, while Simon Bowles’ production design pops with striking contrasts-the pool’s electric blue glow against the deep reds of spilled blood, the lush Hawaiian foliage framing scenes of carnage. Additionally, Adrian Johnston’s synth-heavy, 80s-inspired score, reminiscent of John Carpenter’s work, amplifies the suspense, alternating between eerie minimalism and pulsing, adrenaline-fueled bursts, heightening the impact of the cheeky chimp’s carnage.

Roberts and Riera’s characters may be in peril, but their cast is game, selling every scream, stumble and frantic fumble like seasoned horror veterans. Johnny Sequoyah leads the pack as Lucy, and while she’s largely stuck in “final girl” mode, her panic and desperate dashes feel genuinely tense and full of grit. Jess Alexander shines as the sultry, sharp-tongued Hannah- a mean girl up against a meaner monkey. She plays the role with a delicious flair, while Troy Kotsur impresses as Lucy’s father, even with limited screen time.

Johannes Roberts’ ‘Primate’ is pure pandemonium: a blood-soaked love letter to the killer-animal genre. Tense, thrilling and gobsmackingly gory, it’s wildly entertaining from start to finish. Well-acted and atmospherically shot, with terrific practical effects and a great, John Carpenteresque score, it delivers chaos, carnage and just enough cheeky fun to make you grin through the screams. In short, it’s ape-solutely worth a watch.