Primate Unleashed: Early Reviews Hail Chimp Horror as a Standout

January’s shaping up to be a rather lively month for those partial to a fright at the cinema. While anticipation builds for The Bone Temple, the next chapter in the 28 Years Later saga, another contender is quietly making waves. Primate, a blood-soaked thriller with a distinctly simian twist, is already causing a stir among early audiences, and not without reason. The film currently boasts an 84% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes—a figure that’s not to be sniffed at, especially for a fresh entry in the genre.

Initial screenings have prompted a flurry of enthusiastic responses, with many viewers left genuinely unnerved by the film’s relentless pace and, in particular, its central menace: Ben the Chimp.

“Primate is a lean, mean, rabid-chimp chiller that delivers nonstop tension and gloriously gruesome kills!!”

is how Andre Saint-Albin summed it up. Jordan Bolding, writing for That Hashtag Show, didn’t hold back either:

“If you imagined how an animal attack movie could go, it goes there and then some. Plenty of violence, and Ben is one mean sonofabitch.”

Ben the Chimp: A New Horror Icon?

Comparisons have inevitably been drawn between Ben and other infamous animal antagonists. Some have gone so far as to suggest that Ben gives Cujo—a name familiar to any Stephen King aficionado—a run for his money. Junior Felix, also of That Hashtag Show, declared,

“Cujo has nothing on Ben the Chimp!”

Meanwhile, Courtney Howard of Variety observed,

“Johannes Roberts’ Primate is CUJO with a chimp - even lifts from its inspiration, copying the pan (but from in a pool).”

There’s even been the odd nod to the unnerving primate from Jordan Peele’s Nope, for those keeping score.

At the helm is Johannes Roberts, best known for The Strangers: Prey at Night. This time, he’s swapped masked intruders for a far more unpredictable threat. The plot follows a university student who returns to her family’s island retreat, friends in tow, only to find that her pet chimpanzee, Ben, has developed a rather unfortunate taste for mayhem. What begins as a sun-soaked getaway quickly descends into a desperate struggle, as the group faces off against a creature whose intelligence is matched only by its ferocity.

Director’s Track Record and Audience Response

Roberts is no stranger to animal-based horror, though his previous efforts—namely 47 Metres Down and its sequel—received a more lukewarm reception, with Rotten Tomatoes scores of 53% and 44% respectively. Primate, however, appears to have struck a chord with horror enthusiasts, who seem to prefer their predators on land and with opposable thumbs.

The film’s blend of claustrophobic tension and unflinching violence has been singled out as a particular strength. Critics have praised the way it ratchets up the suspense, never quite allowing the audience to settle. The character of Ben, meanwhile, is already being touted as a potential new icon in the animal horror subgenre—a creature as cunning as he is terrifying.

Release Dates and What’s Next

Primate is set to open in US cinemas on 9 January, with a UK release following on 30 January. For those keen to keep their finger on the pulse of the genre, it’s one to watch. There’s already talk of it joining the ranks of the year’s most memorable horror offerings, and with such strong early buzz, it’s likely to find a sizeable audience among fans of the macabre.

If you’re compiling a list of must-see horror films for the coming months, this one might just deserve a spot near the top.