Primate: The Blood-Soaked Chimp Horror That's Sending Audiences Running
The year 2026 has begun with a visceral bang in the world of horror cinema. Following the recent release of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, a new contender has emerged, ready to claim the title of the year's bloodiest cinematic offering. This terrifying new force is named Ben. He is a chimpanzee. And something has gone terribly, violently wrong.
A Peaceful Hawaiian Setting Turns Deadly
Set against the picturesque backdrop of Hawaii, Primate follows college student Lucy, portrayed by Johnny Sequoyah, as she returns home after several years away following her mother's death. Accompanied by her best friend Kate and the less-friendly Hannah, Lucy aims to reconnect with her younger sister Erin, her deaf father—a best-selling author played by Troy Kotsur—and Ben, the chimpanzee raised by her scientist mother.
Ben was taught to communicate using sign language and an iPad, creating an unusual but seemingly harmonious family dynamic. However, when the father must depart on a book tour, the planned family reunion is postponed. The young women decide to host a small gathering, but unsettling signs soon emerge. Ben begins behaving strangely, potentially linked to a mongoose bite he suffered earlier that day. It isn't long before the horrifying truth becomes apparent: Ben has transformed into a creature of pure, bloody malice, intent on violent torment.
Director Johannes Roberts Brings Animal Carnage to New Heights
The film is helmed by director Johannes Roberts, known for the 47 Meters Down shark thriller series, proving his expertise in crafting on-screen animal terror. While those films operated on a grander scale with open water and CGI challenges, Primate adopts a more contained, practical approach that significantly enhances its horror impact.
The tone is set brutally early. Within the first two minutes, a scene of such graphic violence—a face being ripped off—reportedly caused some early viewers to walk out of screenings. This establishes a palpable sense of dread that hangs over the subsequent character introductions, as audiences anxiously await the full eruption of violent simian chaos.
Charming Cast and Isolated Terror
While the characters may initially seem stereotypical, they are brought to life with charm by a talented young cast of rising stars. This character work ensures that when the inevitable carnage begins, viewers feel a genuine investment in their fates, elevating the film above typical B-movie horror fare.
A key strength of Primate is its masterful use of isolation. The action is almost entirely confined to a single, remote cliffside house in Hawaii. Despite its beauty, luxury pool, and modern amenities, the location becomes a gilded cage once Ben's rabies-fuelled primal rage takes over. One particularly chilling sequence traps the characters in the pool while Ben, who cannot swim, menacingly patrols the edge. The simplicity of this setup creates a genuinely terrifying sense of helplessness, amplified by the audience's prior knowledge of Ben's brutal capabilities.
Old-School Practical Effects and a Monster for the Ages
This contained approach demonstrates savvy budget management while effectively heightening the horror, evoking the efficient spirit of classic 1980s John Carpenter films—a feeling reinforced by a synth-driven, Carpenter-esque musical score.
The true star, however, is Ben himself. The film makes a compelling case for Ben becoming a future cult slasher icon. This is achieved through a refreshingly old-school "guy in a suit" approach, with actor Miguel Torres Umba bringing a tangible, tactile physicality to the role that even advanced motion-capture often lacks. The expressive puppetry and impressive suit design are complemented by minimal CGI, primarily reserved for the most dynamic moments, resulting in a lead monster crafted with genuine Hollywood magic.
Gleeful, Gruesome Gore and a Cult Future
The film does not shy away from carnage. The level of bloody, face-ripping violence is both shocking and delivered with a gleeful, almost fun energy that elicits strong reactions from audiences, reinforcing that no character is safe from Ben's rampage. The commitment to practical effects—opting for buckets of gore and prosthetics over easier CGI alternatives—gives the film a distinctly gnarly, visceral edge.
This dedication to old-school thrills and the creation of a genuinely menacing antagonist marks Primate as an essential outing for horror enthusiasts. It is a film that revels in both anticipation and the subsequent splatter, using its self-contained setting to amplify the horror to nail-biting, seat-squirming effect. All these elements combine to forge a movie, and a monster, poised for cult status.
Primate is released in UK cinemas from Friday, January 30, 2026.
