Supposedly, rabies has never reached the Hawaiian Islands, thanks to their strict animal quarantines. Unfortunately, the party is over. Who knows what other infected animals might be lurking in the rainforests, waiting to pounce in a sequel? Ben the chimp has an advantage when it comes to luring in prey, because Lucy\u2019s family trusts him. He was raised by her late mother, a linguist, who taught Ben an extensive human vocabulary (much like the chimp documented in James Marsh\u2019s Project Nim<\/strong><\/a>). He can still communicate, but the lyssavirus rotted away his mind and soul.
<\/ins>
Inconveniently, Ben\u2019s infection metastasized just in time for Lucy\u2019s homecoming from college. Since her family lives in an ultramodern cliffside smart-home worthy of a tech mogul, Lucy\u2019s bestie Kate eagerly accepted the invitation to join her for a Hawaiian vacation. Awkwardly, she further extended the offer to the annoying Hannah (much to Lucy\u2019s chagrin). True to form, Hannah immediately starts putting the moves on Nick, the childhood friend for whom Lucy has long carried a torch. Regardless, Lucy\u2019s top priority will be protecting her angsty little sister Erin, who still harbors feelings of abandonment.<\/p>\r\n
![\"Primate\"](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Primate1.png\")
<\/p>\r\n
Of course, Lucy\u2019s best-selling novelist father Adam must travel to a book-signing, so there will be no adult supervision when Ben attacks. To further complicate matters, Adam also happens to be deaf, so he would not hear the terrified teens\u2019 screams or the rabid chimp\u2019s blood-curdling screeches. To the credit of Roberts and co-screenwriter Ernst Riera, this character trait is thoughtfully integrated into the narrative, so it never feels exploitative or merely tacked on. It also eventually adds real tension, when Roberts turns off the film\u2019s sound, to show Adam\u2019s inevitable return from his silent perspective.<\/p>\r\n
Most likely, Primate<\/strong> will not garner many endorsements from zoologists. For instance, the notion chimpanzees have a severe aversion to water is not necessarily true. However, their heavy, muscular bodies make swimming nearly impossible, so taking refuge in the family pool somewhat holds up to logical scrutiny. Regardless, Roberts and Riera are probably accurate enough for government work and less pedantic horror consumers. Truly, the youthful cast has only one function\u2014to serve as meat for Ben\u2019s grinder. Still, Johnny Sequoyah and Victoria Wyant approach the film with a level of professionalism (as Lucy and Kate) that is appreciated. Nevertheless, most of the interesting human moments come from Troy Kotsur as Adam (a deaf actor duly cast as a deaf character). Admit it, it is always fun to see an Oscar-winner (CODA<\/strong><\/a> in Kotsur\u2019s case) pop up in an unapologetically gory horror movie. <\/ins>\u00a0 If you liked the review, share your thoughts below!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n
Indeed, Primate<\/strong> is fun, in an admittedly trashy kind of way. Ben\u2019s best kills should delight fans with their spectacular gruesomeness. Frankly, it is easy to enjoy the spectacle, because Lucy and her friends are so stupid and shallow (especially the hard-partying meatheads who find their way to the beach house). Consequently, few viewers will emotionally invest in their fates.<\/p>\r\n![\"Primate\"](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Primate2.png\")
\u00a9<\/b>Courtesy of Paramount Pictures\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
Nevertheless, the honors for the film\u2019s best performance easily go to Miguel Torres Umba for the sheer physicality of his work as Ben. Rather than rely on lifeless AI, Roberts fitted him up with a literal monkey suit and practical prosthetics. As a result, Ben\u2019s scenes have a weirdly deranged vibe that truly distinguishes the film from garden variety animal-attack exploitation.<\/p>\r\n
Capturing nature at its nastiest happens to be Roberts\u2019 forte, having directed the 47 Meters Down<\/strong><\/a> sharksploitation movies. However, the execution is tighter and tenser throughout Primate<\/strong>. Even by the standards of the animal-attack horror subgenre, Ben\u2019s misadventures are wildly over-the-top, but the film works on its gleefully nutty level. Recommended for fans of campy natural beastie horror, Primate<\/strong> opens in theaters this Friday (1\/9).
Grade: B-<\/p>\r\n