The Wasteland Reviewer

Primate (2026) Written Review

What could possibly go wrong with having a chimpanzee as a member of your family? Chimps are quite intelligent and this might trick you into thinking that they would be perfectly fine as a pet or a close family connection. Chimps are also impressively powerful and could be dangerous if pushed towards violence. There are so many horrible possibilities in such a situation. That is what makes such a situation ripe of horror movie potential. Give a chimpanzee rabies and you have plenty of body horror and thriller potential. That is what Johannes Roberts must have thought about with his new film Primate. 

What does Roberts bring to the table from behind that camera? Roberts track record is not the strongest but leans heavily into creature features and other zombie scenarios like zombies. Here, Roberts trades in sharks for a killer chimp but finds some of his best directorial work so far in his career. Primate feels like a step up from his previous films with some dynamic filmmaking on display. Cinematographer Stephen Murphy works well with Roberts to deliver some impactful visuals. There are plenty of great shots leveraging shadows, water, and depth of shots to deliver some powerful imagery. There are plenty of poignant moments of dread as Roberts perfectly captures the terrifying tension of a rabid chimpanzee intensely stalking a group of young people just trying to have fun in paradise. The pacing is great as this lean film (just around 85 minutes without credits) moves a long and always keeps the tension up. One of the most inspiring parts of the film is the score. Composer Adrian Johnston goes HARD. You can feel the John Carpenter influences throughout with the tones and vibes enveloping you. The intensity of the score works perfectly in tandem with the suspense and tension that Roberts crafts. The practical costume for Ben (the chimpanzee) is also very believable, which helps bring an authenticity to the experience as well. 

Does the story around this bloody, gruesome horror experience deliver? This is certainly not why the audience is here but there are some solid elements here. The film does a great job of setting the tone with the opening scene as it introduces our killer ape and the scenario that sets up the film. Roberts throws in some grief and loss to add some drama for the central family. You have a daughter coming home from college with her friend who has distanced themselves from her deaf, author father and her younger sister. There are some solid relationships and romantic threads to get you to care about these characters. Once the rabies kicks in and the mayhem ensues, there are plenty of more elements to ratchet up the violence and horror. There are plenty of tropes being played around with and the one-by-one story structure which makes the film feel tired. There are a few set-ups that are quite impactful and inspiring (especially one that leverages that one deaf character). There is not the most dynamic of dialogue either but at least these all sound like young adults.

Where does the cast fit into the enjoyment of the film? This is not really the film that you are expecting to see an acting clinic from (and you don’t) but there are some real standouts. First off, Miguel Torres Umba does an amazing job bringing Ben to life as this terrifying chimpanzee with rabies. The physicality is so believable and what he accomplishes through staring is quite impressive. Oscar winner Troy Kotsur is not in the film much, but he does bring charm, physicality, and intensity. The young members of this cast are not the most memorable performers, but they bring enough emotion and chemistry as a cast to deliver what they need to (and certainly attractive enough to grab enough attention). One special shout out to Rob Delaney…he makes most of his limited screentime for sure.

Is Primate a killer flick for that January horror movie season? If you are looking for unadulterated rabid chimpanzee mayhem, Primate has it all. The mutilation is wild (if at times a little mean-spirited) and the filmmaking delivers plenty of thrills. The score goes hard in setting the mood as well. There is enough there to give the characters some depth to make us care when this killer chimp is coming for them. We love to see a wonderful surprise like this to start the cinematic year.