Director Johannes Roberts’s history in the horror genre isn’t exactly stellar, with his 47 Meters Down films generally being seen as cheap and flat-feeling. And, personally, his 2021 adaptation of Resident Evil still stings because, well, it straight-up butchers the beloved characters and lore of a classic video game series. However, his newest film, Primate, kicks 2026 off on a high for horror fans with an immensely fun premise bolstered by some jaw-dropping carnage.
The film takes viewers to a gorgeous, secluded house in Hawaii where an idealistic trip home for Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) turns into life or death survival. Although her family’s adopted chimpanzee Ben (Miguel Torres Umba) is generally sweet and docile, a sudden rabies infection puts him on a bloodthirsty rampage that’s bad for anyone in his path —especially Lucy and her friends. Now, it’s hard for Primate to escape its clear Cujo inspirations because they basically have the same plot concept—right down to the rabies. Yet, Roberts utilizes some key elements to help Primate make its own mark. The tropical abode setting has a distinct sense of isolation and beauty that makes for a fun playground for Ben’s violent turn. And Ben, himself, is a great mix of a snarling bloodthirsty beast and a playful slasher that audiences will definitely love.
Roberts makes the right choices in blending serious survival stakes with some campy execution that mixes laughs and scares fairly well. Although Ben is slowly consumed and blinded by an infectious rage, he still shows a lot of personality that injects some fun beats into scenes. Whether it’s taunting someone with car keys they desperately need or playing with his prey before delivering vicious blows, Ben has all the makings of a crowd-pleasing killer. Plus, Roberts throws in some fun references to classic horror, ranging from The Shining to Scream, for good measure to elevate Ben’s presence as a slasher. Yet there’s still something terrifying about him that evokes this gripping suspense every time he’s on-screen.
The sudden shifts in his aggression create opportunities for good jump scares and make him fairly unpredictable. Roberts builds some tantalizing suspense through through Lucy’s dad Adam (Tony Kurtsur) being deaf. The use of a human performer for Ben actually helps establish a physical presence for him that’s legitimately unsettling. He feels like a larger-than-life beast on-screen. So, when he gets close or has someone in his grasp, it leaves a huge lump in your throat and heightens the anxiety you’re feeling. It all builds towards some eye-widening bloodshed that’s just the cherry on top of Roberts’s horror vision here.
Gosh, it’s always great when a film just goes for it with the gore. Primate could’ve easily been one of those PG-13 horror rides aimed for wider audiences that tones itself down too much. But Roberts goes full R-rated with the kills in a way that gloriously lets the blood flow like water. Right from the first scene of a vet getting more than they bargained for by entering Ben’s enclosure, everything feels on the table. Face ripping, brutal bashings, and cheeky moves that result in gruesome ends are on full display and look gnarly as hell. Even better, the effects are really good—especially for a low-budget affair like this. Horror fans will definitely leave pleased by the gory goods Primate offers. Unfortunately, Primate severely lacks the narrative chops to match.
While Primate is a haven for horror, its characters and story are remarkably thin to the point where you question why the film establishes arcs in the first place. Most of the romantic tension or family-driven plot threads become meaningless once Ben starts killing people off. It’s rare when the set-up leads to any type of satisfying conclusion, and most of the characters barely make a lasting impression. Plus, these people quickly dip into “dumb horror character” territory fast with ideas and lines that force them to make needlessly tragic mistakes. They’re honestly so prone to falling into danger that you wonder how they’re lasting as long as they are. Now, don’t get me wrong, some of this plays into Roberts leaning into some campy beats that can work. Like a death early on that’s wildly funny because of how it’s shot and some line deliveries that easily evoke some charmed laughs. But, the narrative is such a glaring weak spot for Primate that it basically makes the film almost completely held together by bloodshed.
What Primate lacks in story and characters, it makes up for in pure horror fun that audiences and genre fans will surely gush over. It’s definitely one of the strongest showings for Roberts as a filmmaker yet and offers the type of popcorn-chewing, blood-spewing joy that horror fans want when starting a new year of terror.
