What’s up, everyone! Welcome back to Nobodyz Opinion. We’re kicking off the 2026 horror season with something that sounds like a joke but plays out like a nightmare: Primate.

I’ve been tracking director Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down) for a while, and he usually knows how to make animals terrifying. But a pet chimp with rabies? I had to see it to believe it. Is this a “Certified Fresh” creature feature or just a bunch of monkey business? Let’s get into it. (If you’re new here, hit that follow button—I’m reviewing every major horror drop this year!)

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The Hook: Meet Ben, Your New Worst Nightmare

The setup is simple: Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) returns home to Hawaii after college to visit her father (Academy Award winner Troy Kotsur) and her little sister. The “other” family member? Ben, a highly intelligent chimpanzee who was part of her late mother’s linguistics research.

But things go south fast. After being bitten by a stray mongoose, Ben doesn’t just get sick—he becomes a calculating, 150-pound murder machine. This isn’t just an animal attack movie; once the rabies kicks in, Ben basically turns into the “Michael Myers” of primates.

The Good: Practical Effects and Real Tension

• No CGI Junk: The best part about Primate is the practical effects. Ben is played by a movement specialist in a suit (Miguel Torres Umba), and it makes all the difference. When he’s foaming at the mouth and stalking the family around their cliffside pool, he feels real. There’s a weight and a presence there that CGI just can’t touch.
• The “Pool” Sequence: Most of the movie takes place with the characters trapped in their infinity pool because Ben is hydrophobic. It’s a genius way to limit the location and crank up the tension.
• The Gore: This is a hard “R” for a reason. Roberts doesn’t hold back on the brutality. The opening scene alone—where Ben takes out a handler—had people in my theater gasping.

The “Nobodyz Opinion” Critique

• The Pacing: It’s a lean 89 minutes, which I usually love, but it takes about 40 minutes to really get to the fireworks. We get a lot of “family drama” early on that feels a little thin.
• The Logic: At times, Ben becomes too smart. There’s a scene where he locks a car door and stares at the characters like he’s a professional hitman. It’s a bit over-the-top, but if you’re willing to suspend your disbelief, it’s actually pretty funny in a dark way.

Final Verdict: A Blood-Soaked Bang to Start the Year

Primate is basically Cujo with a chimp and a much higher body count. It doesn’t try to be “elevated horror”; it just wants to show you how terrifying a chimpanzee can be when it stops being a pet. It’s mean, it’s fast, and it’s one of the most fun theater experiences I’ve had in a while.

Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars