The plot centres around a creepy clockwork monkey inherited by twin boys from their father. They soon realise that by winding up the monkey, someone nearby will die in a horrible accident when the monkey beats its drum. Traumatised, the kids decide to throw the monkey down a well. Years later, the monkey returns and the murderous mayhem continues.
The adult twins are both played by Theo “The Gentlemen” James, one seriously and the other comedically, capturing the split nature of the movie. It is a cut above your usual death by numbers fodder, such as the “Final Destination” series (though the very last frame is a huge nod to that series). It is in no way scary, all the accidents are flagged up well in advance so you can enjoy them fully. The camera even shows us the objects that will do the damage - the movie’s opening shot is of a very pointy harpoon, for example. It is smartly paced - just as you are tiring of it, the film ramps up the mayhem dramatically, so much so that you even get an appearance of Death on his white horse in the final reel.
Fundamentally, the film is about the random nature of life and death, clearly a subject close to director Osgood Perkins (son of Anthony “Psycho” Perkins), and the mantra is repeated through the film, just in case we missed it. Far from the most subtle of movies, but it is a good laugh if you like this genre.
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