Primate is a fun-filled horror flick that pits chimp against annoying teens, and thanks to some superb practical effects work, the movie delivers on the promise of that premise.
‘When animals attack’ is a fine horror genre, that has given us the satisfying ‘when pets go bad’ sub-genre, of which 1983 Stephen King adaptation Cujo is the gold standard.
Primate journeys into similar territory, using rabies as a way to turn a beloved animal into deadly killing machine.
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But rather than a sweet St. Bernard, it’s a chimp that turns evil in this instance, resulting in an antagonist with brute strength, big teeth, and an even bigger personality.
What is Primate about?
Paramount Pictures
The film kicks off with a prologue that sees Ben the chimp go on the attack, precipitated by a bite from a rabid mongoose.
Proceedings then jump back 36 hours to introduce Primate’s cast of characters/victims. And they’re a bunch of largely interchangeable youngsters, heading to Hawaii for some post-finals drinking and partying.
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Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) is our protagonist, with the group vacationing at her father’s beautiful house on the shore. And standard teen stuff follows, involving crushes, jealousy, arguments, and a spot of recrimination and resentment.
That’s the drama, while horror rears its head in the shape of rabid Ben. The visitors aren’t sure what to make of a primate being part of Lucy’s family, but she assures them that he’s fine.
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Which he very much isn’t, as the rabies starts to mess with his mind, turning Ben homicidal, and triggered by the sight of water. Which becomes a problem when Lucy’s friends go for a late night swim in the pool, precipitating a wildly entertaining battle between man and beast.
Magical practical effects
Ben is brought to life by Miguel Torres Umba in a monkey costume, and complemented by some truly magical creature effects.
Umba’s performance, combined with Ben’s expressive face, beautifully bring the character to life, the chimp seeming sweet in the film’s early scenes, then struggling with his impulses as the rabies takes hold, before leaning into that rage, and bringing chaos and death.
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But Ben has brains, outsmarting his frequently dumb prey in increasingly ingenious ways. While he also has a dark sense of humor, resulting in big laughs during some of the more outlandish kills.
Is Primate good?
Like the chimp at the center of the story, Primate is a lean, mean, killing machine, clocking in at a very reasonable 89 minutes, which ensures the movie doesn’t outstay its welcome.
Lucy is a likeable lead, while scenes with her father – played by the wonderful Troy Kotsur – give the movie emotional weight, so you actually feel something when the animal attacks.
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And while it doesn’t bring much new to the sub-genre, Primate is a monster movie with big laughs and great kills, making it a genuine crowd-pleaser.
Primate score: 4/5
Primate is a monster movie that works because the monster in question is likeable, memorable, and truly diabolical.
Primate was reviewed at Fantastic Fest and will hit screens on January 9, 2026. For more scary stuff, check out our list of the best horror movies ever.
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