“Primate” is directed by Johannes Roberts (The Strangers: Prey at Night, 47 Meters Down) and stars Johnny Sequoyah (Dexter: New Blood, Believe), Jessica Alexander (Get Even, Penny on M.A.R.S.), and Troy Kotsur (CODA, In Cold Light). This film follows a group of friends who must survive against a rabid pet monkey while on a tropical vacation.

January is genuinely where movies go to die. I did not make a most anticipated movies list for this year. However, if I were sick enough to make a least anticipated movies list, I would probably have “Primate” on there somewhere. I saw the trailer one time in the theater, and it looked like a movie that a character within a movie or TV show would make as part of a joke. Think “Serial Ape-ist” from “The Big Bang Theory” if it had a bigger budget and happened to be way less pornographic.

However, the reviews for this film have been surprisingly good, with the project averaging itself out to a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score as of this publication. Therefore, my expectations went up a little bit by the time I got to my screening. As soon as said screening finished, I thought the movie could have been better.

Is “Primate” the worst movie ever made? Not really. While I do not think it is good, there are things I like about it. First off, much of the film is set in Hawaii, allowing for some occasionally beautiful shots and scenery. There is a driving scene that sort of reminded me of the beginning of the “The Shining” if it were set in a hotter climate. The film also features Troy Kotsur, who also had a prominent role in “CODA,” one of my favorite projects of 2021. It is nice to see him get more work and he does a decent job here.

The monkey in this film, known as Ben, is presented fantastically. The film often utilizes practical effects rather than CGI. The overall look of this film is not much to sneeze at. I was impressed by how much I bought into the monkey’s mannerisms and movements. Ben ends up showing a lot of character in certain scenes. His backstory is simple, as is the movie itself.

Speaking of simplicity, the movie is simply forgettable.

Am I going to remember “Primate” in five years? That is tough to say. Honestly, if it were not for the fact that this film occasionally looked picturesque, part of me thinks this could have gone straight to streaming. There is not a single moment that I will remember fondly in this film for years to come. There are some creative scare attempts, like one involving “Dora the Explorer,” though if I had one problem with that scene, as someone who grew up watching the series, the film does take liberties with the source material and does a major timejump from one point in an episode to another so the monkey’s reaction to the show is in line with one of the series’ most popular gags. Does this really matter in the grand scheme of things? Perhaps not. But this nevertheless stood out to me.

The overall vibe of “Primate” feels inconsistent. Sure, the whole movie feels campy. Although that degree of campiness varies. The three main girls in the film are sometimes loud and energetic. I would not call them party animals, but they do like to have fun. That said, the movie also occasionally features a couple of horny young men named Drew and Brad. Those two on the other hand are practically party animals. My problem is not that the boys themselves are party animals, but part of me does not buy the boys as characters.

The trailer for this film unveils that these boys cross paths with Ben the monkey. The moments leading up to that point, and even as soon as we get to that point, had me bewildered. No disrespect to Charlie Mann and Benjamin Cheng as actors, but their performances feel way too cartoony for a film like this. Sure, this is a film featuring a killer chimp, but I bought into why the chimp went off the rails. When Drew and Nick enter the frame, “Primate” goes from being a straight up horror flick and perhaps transforms into an unintentional comedy for several minutes. The dialogue uttered between these two as they talk to each other, those around them, and even in private had me perplexed. I had trouble buying that this is actually how these people communicate.

Speaking of characters, it is really hard to appreciate a movie like this when even the main characters do not come with a ton of substance. Sure, in a sense, Ben the monkey is kind of the star of the show. He is not the protagonist, but he is perhaps the most marketable character of the bunch. That said, the movie does not give me a ton of reasons to root for the main cast. Sure, at the end of the day, the characters are all aspiring to survive, but I am not so sure what exactly is so interesting about the main characters themselves. Honestly, of all the people in the movie, the most interesting of the bunch may be the father. He is a famous novelist and happens to be deaf. The rest of the people that make up the film feel like stereotypical, everyday college students. I do not hate any of these characters. Granted, Drew and Nick did annoy me a little bit and threw a curveball at the movie’s tone, but it is hard to say that I outright wanted to see anyone brutally murdered. I just think a little more depth could have helped this movie a little bit. The runtime is just under an hour and a half. The movie may be tight, but one could argue maybe it is too tight.

Perhaps it is interesting that the monkey is not just a strange creature from the wild, and instead someone this film’s characters consider a pet. It is not like “Jaws” where the characters are fighting the creature in its natural habitat. The people in this film are being tormented by the monkey directly from their home.

Does “Primate” have a future in popular culture? Despite my lack of urgency to recommend this film, I will admit that part of me sees “Primate” becoming a popular film to watch amongst young friends or even at sleepovers. “Primate” is rated R, so it is probably not going to be every teen’s movie of choice, but I can see a bunch of teens watching this film with all the lights out if they have cool parents or if their parents straight up do not care about what their children watch. For all I know, this could even be a goto choice amongst adult friends with some alcohol. Again, I am in the minority when it comes to this film. Most people who watched this film seem to like it, even critics. I wish I were amongst the many who admired what this film had to offer. Although if you have seen my review for “Bugonia” recently, you would know that I am not afraid to speak my mind.

In the end, “Primate” is much better than I expected it to be after seeing the trailer, but I still do not think it is a thumbs up. The movie does a have an okay scare or two up its sleeve, but not much else to write home about. The film has a number of intriguing concepts and scenes, but I thought the execution of everything could have been better. I would be curious to know how this film is going to be received with time, because at the moment it feels rather disposable, but for all I know it could stay relevant with the right audience. The film is not broken or anything. In fact, when it comes to the story, the film does a decent job at getting things from point A to point B and tying different threads together. It is just that this movie does not have a ton of personality and feels too surface level at times. I do not see myself watching “Primate” again, but I cannot say I want to cast it into the fire either. I am going to give “Primate” a 5/10.

“Primate” is now playing in theaters everywhere. Tickets are available now.

Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for “All You Need Is Kill,” based on the Japanese light novel of the same name that later inspired Doug Liman’s 2014 film “Edge of Tomorrow.”

Also, stay tuned for Sunday, January 25th as I will unveil this year’s nominations for the Jack Awards! The show will celebrate the very best of 2025 in film, so look forward to seeing some peak cinematic experiences get some extra moments in the spotlight! If you want to see this and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Primate?” What did you think about it? Or, do you have any unpopular opinions regarding a recent film? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!