Get ready for a thrilling, yet chilling, cinematic experience with Primate: A Chilling Tale of a Killer Chimp. This movie is a horror enthusiast's dream, but it might just leave you questioning the familiar tropes of teen-chomping movies.
Primate, the first release of 2026, is a Paramount production with a twist. Directed by Johannes Roberts, known for his one-of-a-kind horror films, this movie takes us on a journey that's both terrifying and surprisingly relatable.
The story revolves around a beloved family pet, a chimpanzee named Ben, who undergoes a terrifying transformation. As the film unfolds, we witness the chilling moment when a veterinarian tends to the sick Ben, only to have their face brutally torn off. Yes, it's a gruesome start, but it sets the tone for the intense ride ahead.
Flashback 36 hours, and we find ourselves on an airplane with college student Lucy, played by Johnny Squoyah, returning home to Hawaii (or rather, the UK standing in for the tropical paradise). She's joined by her new friend Hannah (Jessica Alexander) and her younger sister Erin (Gia Hunter). The reunion with their father, Adam (the talented Troy Kotsur), is bittersweet, as they grieve the loss of their mother and Adam's wife, a pioneer in connecting humans and chimpanzees through sign language.
Lucy reconnects with the lovable Ben, but this brief moment of joy turns into a nightmare. The film takes an unexpected turn as Ben, infected with rabies, becomes a meticulous predator, stalking his prey with a chilling precision reminiscent of Jason Voorhees.
And here's where it gets controversial: Primate transforms into a typical slasher flick, with Ben, our once-adorable chimp, now a calculating killer. The teens, donning their swimwear, become easy targets, one by one. Ben's specialty? Yanking out jaws and delivering bloody, gross-out moments.
Despite the gore, there are some amusing sequences, like when two unsuspecting teens, a little tipsy, stumble into danger, or when one victim mistakenly locks herself in the wrong car, only to realize Ben has the keys.
The cast, including Oscar winner Kotsur, delivers scream-worthy performances, and the script cleverly incorporates Kotsur's deafness, adding a layer of intensity to a scene where he returns home, unable to hear his daughter's desperate screams.
Roberts' inspiration for Primate draws from Stephen King's Cujo, but with a twist - a killer chimp instead of a St. Bernard. The filmmakers deserve credit for their commitment to practical effects, shooting much of the film in-camera, and for the realistic performance of Miguel Torres Umba, the actor inside the monkey suit.
But here's the part most people miss: the filmmakers missed a golden opportunity by not including Michael Jackson's iconic song "Ben" on the soundtrack. It would have added a layer of irony and poignancy to the film, especially given the villain's name.
Primate is a bold and gruesome take on the horror genre, but it also raises questions about the familiarity of these teen-chomping movies. What do you think? Is Primate a refreshing twist or just another predictable slasher flick? Let us know in the comments!
