Entertainment Blog #382 | Primate [2025] : A New Fear Unlocked...

When it comes to animal-attack horror movies, there’s always that weird mix of primal fear and old-school slasher thrills. Primate tries to tap into both by taking something familiar — a family pet — and turning it into a relentless, violent force of nature. It feels like a creature feature from the era before CGI took over, where practical effects and raw tension are meant to keep you on edge rather than relying on jump scares alone.

“Primate” is a #horror #thriller #movie directed by Johannes Roberts and co-written with Ernest Riera. It was released widely in theaters on January 9, 2026, after premiering at Fantastic Fest in September 2025. The cast features Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander, Victoria Wyant, Gia Hunter, Benjamin Cheng, and Troy Kotsur in a story that turns a tropical vacation into a terrifying fight for survival against an unlikely enemy.

The movie begins with Lucy Pinborough (Johnny Sequoyah) returning home to Hawaii for a break with her family and friends. Her father Adam (Troy Kotsur), a deaf author, and her younger sister Erin have a pet chimpanzee named Ben who has lived with them like part of the family. On the surface, it feels like a fun, carefree gathering by the pool and around the house, setting up that classic beach-holiday energy most horror movies love to disrupt.

Everything changes when Ben is bitten by a rabid animal during the trip and suddenly starts showing signs of violent, unpredictable behavior. At first, it’s small things — odd aggression, strange movements — but soon his transformation accelerates into something dangerous and terrifying. The group finds themselves trapped with a once-friendly animal that now views them as prey, forcing them to barricade themselves, strategize, and fight for survival as chaos unfolds around them.

There’s also an interesting bit of social context in how the film plays with the idea of humans trying to domesticate and “civilize” wild animals. Horror has long used animal antagonists as a metaphor for nature’s unpredictability and the limits of human control, and Primate taps into that fear by showing just how quickly something perceived as cute or loyal can turn into a threat when the natural order is disrupted. This echoes real-world cases where primates raised by humans have shown unforeseen aggression, reminding audiences that some boundaries should not be crossed.

On the industry side, the movie was made on a budget reported between $21 million and $24 million and has grossed around $39.6 million worldwide, making it a modest box office success for a horror film released in early January. In its opening weekend alone it earned over $11 million domestically and placed second at the box office.

Critically, Primate has received generally positive reviews with about a 79 % critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes and more mixed but still engaged audience scores. Reviewers often highlight its lean, effective horror pacing, practical effects, and visceral energy, even if some note that the setup and characterization are straightforward rather than deeply innovative. Audience polling like CinemaScore gave it a B−, suggesting horror fans will enjoy the thrill, even if it isn’t for everyone.

So will Lucy and her friends manage to outsmart a once-trusted family companion turned violent threat? Can a horror movie about a rabid chimp tap into something deeper about human attempts to control nature? And how far would you go to survive against something you once called a pet? It’s up to you to find out.