At the Canadian premiere of Primate at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, director Johannes Roberts stepped onto the stage before the screening, expressed his gratitude, and said, “I can’t believe a big studio let me make this movie.” After watching ninety minutes of chaos, blood, intense death scenes, and terror, I tend to agree. Primate is a straightforward film that plays on the audience’s nerves and ability to watch graphic death scenes caused by a once lovable pet. It’s not for everyone, and there are some head-scratching moments, but it was a terror-inducing ride that kept me tense until the very end.
The movie wastes no time diving into the carnage as we watch a doctor visit a chimp in an outdoor enclosure. Before you can even say “bad idea,” death arrives in a brutal and graphic display, setting the tone for the film. Flash back a day and a half, and we see a daughter returning home to visit family, where the chimpanzee lives, and the family reunion and kids drinking and having fun soon end, replaced by the terror of being stalked by a chimpanzee. Once a loved part of the family, it has now become a rabies-fueled killing machine.
Director Roberts made some interesting decisions for this film, some of which work perfectly. Actor Troy Kotsur is excellent as the deaf father Adam, and his relationship with his daughters feels authentic and relatable. The same goes for the chimpanzee Ben, who has free run of the house during the day and can communicate here and there through an electronic pad. You can feel the family dynamic, and it works, making the chaos that follows seem more real. This is especially true during the silent moments when we see the world through Adam’s eyes, which in certain scenes can be pretty terrifying.
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The setup is simple: a beloved pet gets rabies and hunts down characters one by one (Cujo, anyone?). However, there is more to this. The practical effects are very well done, which is a credit to Millennium FX. Actor and movement specialist Miguel Torres Umba plays the chimpanzee Ben. The combination of these two creates a terrifying look and feel, even in close-ups, and there are many. By trapping the family and guests inside a house, they are forced to search for a phone, car, or other escape route, leaving them uncertain about Ben’s whereabouts and when he will strike next. It makes every corner and room feel like a potential death trap.
There is a full hour of pure chaos, but it unfolds within a controlled, dread-filled atmosphere. The way Ben hunts humans is intense in itself, but the graphic manner in which he dispatches many of the characters is something to see. You can feel the uncontrolled rage in Ben, while the hint of what he once was still lingers. Although the movie features some family drama and good setups between certain characters, its primary focus is on the practical effects and how effectively they’re used to scare and shock the audience. In that respect, the film is an absolute success.
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It’s best not to overthink some decisions characters make, as certain choices will leave you puzzled. Also, one character is injured by Ben, and how they didn’t bleed out and die remains a mystery to me. To be fair, there are some quite brave decisions here, including the time spent in the pool, which was the only safe space from Ben (well, not completely, but the best shelter they had).
There is one reason to see Primate: to be horrified by what a chimpanzee can do to humans (while full of rabies, of course). Put aside the flaws, sit back, and enjoy this practical effects-driven, terror-fueled fun piece of cinema—you won’t be disappointed.
Primate releases only in theatres on January 9, 2026.