‘Lean, Mean, And Chimpanzee-n.’ Critics Have Seen Primate, And They Can’t Stop Talking About This Killer Ape

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2025 was a fantastic year for horror movies, with films like Sinners and Weapons earning spots on our best-of lists – even those easily frightened found something to enjoy. Now, critics have seen Primate, the first horror film of 2026, and it seems this year will also deliver plenty of scares.

The horror film Primate follows a family whose Hawaiian vacation turns terrifying when their adopted chimpanzee, Ben, is bitten by a rabid animal and becomes dangerously violent. While acknowledging it’s a simple horror movie, critic Clint Worthington of RogerEbert.com praises the film’s realistic chimpanzee effects and practical gore, making it worth watching. He gives the film a rating of 3 out of 4 stars.

There’s a simple, visceral pleasure in January horror movies – the kind that prioritize scares over everything else, often released when things are quiet after the holidays. ‘Primate’ delivers exactly that: it’s a fast-paced, no-nonsense thriller that gets straight to the action. It’s a bit of a silly premise – a remarkably realistic ape tearing the faces off foolish people in gruesome and imaginative ways – but honestly, what else do you need from a horror film?

In a review for Variety, Owen Gleiberman describes the film Primate as a typical “chimp-gone-wild slasher movie.” He notes that while the plot is predictable, it’s also occasionally funny to watch the main character, Ben, unleash his primal side and the resulting chaos. Gleiberman elaborates further:

“Primate” is a well-made, over-the-top horror film. The killer, Ben – a man in an ape suit played by Miguel Torres Umba – is a surprisingly effective monster thanks to impressive practical effects. His unsettling grin and menacing snarl are genuinely frightening, putting him on par with classic masked villains. What’s interesting is that Ben isn’t motivated by malice; he’s more like a force of nature, similar to the shark in “Jaws” or the dog in “Cujo.”

Meagan Navarro from Bloody Disgusting noted some humor in the new horror film, describing it as a truly terrifying and thrilling ride. Writer and director Johannes Roberts used classic filmmaking methods and impressive practical effects to make the movie genuinely frightening. Navarro rated Primate 3.5 out of 5 skulls, and she wrote:

Primate focuses on raw, intense horror with a deliberately simple story. To maximize the terror, the film sacrifices detailed plotlines and character development. The horror truly delivers, largely thanks to Ben, the chimpanzee, who is brought to life with incredible practical effects from Millennium FX and a compelling performance by movement specialist Miguel Torres Umba. Ben’s frightening transformation from beloved pet to terrifying creature is the film’s greatest strength, amplified by unsettling visuals and expertly controlled pacing that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

IGN’s Eric Goldman gave the movie a 7 out of 10, calling it “good” and praising its enjoyable silliness and surprisingly graphic violence. He found it to be a wildly over-the-top experience that he ultimately enjoyed.

This movie doesn’t break any new ground with its story, and it’s pretty predictable. However, if you’re in the mood for a fun, over-the-top chimpanzee horror film, this one delivers! It features exciting action sequences, a convincingly realistic animatronic chimp, and plenty of gruesome effects for horror fans who enjoy a good splatter.

Pete Hammond from Deadline seems somewhat underwhelmed by the horror movies announced for 2026. He notes the film boasts a good-looking cast, with Johnny Sequoyah playing a college student named Lucy. Academy Award winner Troy Kotsur appears as her father, Adam, and Hammond appreciates that Kotsur’s character, like the actor himself, is deaf – a detail that’s thoughtfully integrated into the story. However, beyond that, Hammond doesn’t find much about Primate to be particularly remarkable.

This horror film feels like a low-budget effort that relies too heavily on a simple, overused concept, constantly finding new ways to eliminate teenage characters. While the main villain isn’t a classic horror icon like Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees, the predictable script by Johannes Roberts and Ernest Riera makes it feel like it could have been.

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2026-01-10 03:09