The horror genre finds filmmakers at their most creative, but recently, they’ve felt more like borrowing material than creating something fully unique for the audience. Movies like Shelby Oaks have shown clear admiration for horror classics, but failed to maintain an identity of their own. Primate is one of the rare horror movies that found an original idea, and its January release made it all the more surprising.

The film follows two sisters, played by Johnny Sequoyah and Gia Hunter, who invite their friends over to their lavish Hawaiian home while their father, played by Troy Kotsur, is away for work. After their pet chimpanzee, Ben, contracts rabies after being bitten by a mongoose in its enclosure, the once lovable house pet goes on a violent rampage, eager to murder anyone he comes in contact with.

Films like Cujo have depicted the horrors of pets contracting rabies, but what makes Primate stand out is the chimpanzee’s mobility. Unlike other pets, the chimpanzee’s ability to run, climb, open doors, and hold weapons makes for a far more terrifying experience. As well as his smaller size, this allows every scene to have tension, as Ben can pop out at any minute. Director Johannes Roberts makes use of this aspect of the character, crafting numerous heart-pounding sequences in which it is impossible to predict whether the characters will make it out alive.

Despite mostly taking place in the confines of a family home, the film is visually striking, making the most of its $24 million budget. Each image is in sharp focus, giving the film a modern flair while also using lighting humorously. A sequence in one of the sisters’ bedrooms uses red effectively, conveying the danger the characters are in in a harsh yet hilarious way. While there aren’t a ton of interesting camera compositions, there isn’t a moment when the cinematography looks poor.

Although the tension brings many of the film’s highlights, the kills are the biggest standouts. Not only are they performed mostly with practical effects, but they are much more graphic than one would anticipate in a movie where a house pet turns murderous. From body parts being ripped to boulders smashing people’s heads in, Primate perfectly utilizes its kills to deliver multiple effective horror scenes.

After winning an Oscar for his work in CODA, Troy Kotsur has been largely absent from the film world, making his inclusion in Primate all the more welcome. Much like his Oscar-winning role, Kotsur plays a loving father hoping to do the best he can for his family, and he portrays that wonderfully. His scenes with his daughters are performed so naturally, delivering tidbits of humor that effectively represent the familial bond. The only aspect of Kotsur’s performance that is underwhelming is the lack of screen time. While a major part of his character is how his absence has affected his children, his absence makes for a lack of development in the storytelling. Including more scenes of Kotsur would’ve made for a much stronger narrative, especially regarding his relationship with Ben.

Although there are aspects of the characters that give the film thematic nuance, for the most part, the selection of protagonists are paper thin. Instead of having distinct personalities or developments, they mostly act as pawns for Ben’s chaos. What is especially daunting is the film’s decision to spend so much time on a love triangle in the first act, only to ignore it entirely once the carnage ensues. A film like this is desperately in need of a compelling “final girl,” but the characters Primate focuses on could not be less interesting.

For a film about a chimpanzee attacking its owners in their large house, it would be easy for the characters to simply run out of the house, but the film does a good job of explaining why they are stuck there. That said, there are still plenty of dumb character moments in which irrational decision-making is favored. From slowly walking through the house’s hallways instead of running to find help, to hiding in a closet instead of grabbing the phone in front of them to call for help, there are many occasions when the characters make the worst possible decisions. Although it’s a slasher staple to follow protagonists who make dumb decisions, there are moments where the film strains too far from what an actual person would do in their situation.

It may not be a new classic for the horror genre, but it provides enough thrills and is competently made enough to warrant a theatrical runtime. Filled with satisfying gore, this is a creative concept that hits all the right beats. There’s a reason that chimpanzees aren’t popular house pets, and Primate shows why.

Primate is now playing in theaters nationwide.

Rating: 6/10

Oscar Prospects:

None