New Creature Feature Primate (FANTASTIC) is B-A-N-A-N-A-S
Title: Primate
First Non-Festival Release: January 9, 2026 (Theatrical Release)
Director: Johannes Roberts
Writer: Ernest Riera, Johannes Roberts
Runtime: 89 Minutes
Starring: Johnny Sequoyah, Troy Kotsur, Jessica Alexander
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
This film’s review was written after its screening at the Fantastic Film Festival in 2025.
Lucy’s (Johnny Sequoyah) homecoming is a long time coming. After losing her linguist mother to cancer, she makes the journey home to a warm welcome from her father (Troy Kotsur), a prolific author, and an icy reception from her sister (Gia Hunter), who is still hurt by Lucy’s lack of communication while in college. Joining her is her best friend (Victoria Wyant) and her friend (Jessica Alexander) who is tagging along for a free Hawaiian vacation. The joys of Lucy’s return are met with terror when the family’s beloved pet chimpanzee, Ben (Miguel Torres Umba), is infected with rabies from a mongoose bite.
A squirm-in-your-seat creature feature with a gnarly bite, Primate proves that a stripped-down story and unparalleled commitment to tension can pay off beautifully.
Light on story, Primate follows typical conventions in setting up its chaos. Without relying on big reveals or twisty storytelling, Primate approaches its horror like a typical slasher or creature feature would. The danger this time, however, shows itself rather quickly forcing the family to spend more time against its mammalian baddie. The firm push into survival horror territory may oversimplify the story, but it never gets boring. Each set piece is given sufficient time for tension to brew as the family finds new ways to get help or escape their nightmare. The film may spend a bit too much time in the pool, but it’s forgivable enough with all of the tense moments it gives.
With the violence erupting quickly, Writer/Director Johannes Roberts fully utilizes the set to maximize the tension. Isolating the characters in an equally frustrating and terrifying situation, Primate keeps audiences on their feet by employing a variety of effective and crowd-pleasing scare tactics. Ben is vicious but retains enough intelligence to be precise with his newfound fury. His anthropomorphic qualities are what make him scarier than his more traditional beastly traits. Sure, his brute strength is well detailed throughout Primate but it’s his ability to counter any plans the desperate young adults try that makes him something to fear. Without this important distinction, Primate wouldn’t be nearly as clever or effective.
The true star of the show is the practical effects work that goes into making Ben the killing machine he becomes. Realistic without being off-putting, Ben’s design bleeds personality as much as his victims bleeds in general. Unafraid to get primal, Ben’s journey with rabies is both terrifying and tragic. With just enough emotion beaming from his cute, blood-soaked face, Ben’s erratic temperament comes to life authentically thanks to the special effects team, visual effects team, and Miguel Torres Umba, the movement specialist tasked with portraying Ben’s body. All cylinders are firing because Ben radiates danger while still betraying glimpses of the sweet pet he once was.
Awash in lush photography of the remote, tropical home, the camerawork cleverly leaves clues on how the crew can escape and how Ben can wreak more havoc. With an expansive Hawaiian mansion to work with alongside the beautiful local flora, Primate uses its remote setting to its fullest potential. The horrors seem almost alien when juxtaposed against the beautiful natural features of the island and the sleek interior of the mansion. As Primate claws its way to the bloody finish line, it gets more creative with its blocking allowing Ben to creep around in the dark evading detection. Tight editing and a resourceful use of light and shadows aid in this effort too.
Fans of classic creature features will revel in the glory that is Primate. Brutal and tense, Primate has a strong understanding of timing and escalation, making Ben’s rapid mental decline all the more terrifying. Excellent effects work, solid performances, and old-school approach to creature feature conventions make Primate an easy sell to audiences seeking well-made popcorn horror. One might even say that they’ll go bananas for it.
Overall Score? 8/10
