#REVIEW: “PRIMATE”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

This is a modern-day Cujo with a whole lot of carnage.

Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) and a couple of her close friends travel back to her tropical home to visit her father, Adam (Troy Kotsur). Her family home has a unique pet, a clever chimpanzee named Ben. To Lucy and Adam, Ben isn’t a pet; he’s family. But when Ben becomes infected with rabies, he begins attacking the group of friends, turning this tropical vacation into a fight for survival.

Primate knows exactly what it is: a chamber feature with a rabid chimp. Audiences will get exactly what they expect: gore, a murderous chimpanzee, and 20-somethings fighting for their lives. Yes, we know that this all seems familiar. This storyline has been done before. Primate stands out and excels because it’s an entertaining horror film that successfully uses practical effects. It also has a strong ensemble of young talent. Sequoyah brings Lucy’s internal conflict to the surface, showing her grappling with the sudden change in her chimp. Out of the supporting cast, Jessica Alexander stands out as the feisty Hannah.

It’s clear that Filmmaker Johannes Roberts loves Cujo. There are many parallels between Primate and the Stephen King classic. We have the cute pet that goes rabid. A family grappling with the sudden change in their beloved pet. And people being brutalized by a cute, beloved pet.

Choosing a chimpanzee is a sly spin on this old tale. Primates are intelligent creatures and are the closest species to humans. Due to this, Lucy and Adam treat Ben as a blood relative. He’s an advanced primate who effortlessly uses technology within the household, such as the tablet that controls the locks, lights, and windows. Therefore, he easily becomes warden to his prey, who are held as prisoners within the home. It’s a fun character trait that keeps Primate feeling like the sleek, modern horror it is.

Audiences coming to Primate for gore will be pleased. There are ample amounts of it. Some vicious ways Ben kills his prey may leave the faint-of-heart watching through fingers, while leaving seasoned horror fans giddy. Most importantly, Roberts makes sure we love Ben from the start. So when he becomes rabid, we feel sympathy for him. This isn’t who he is after all; it’s a virus that’s made him this way. So even when he’s brutally hunting his prey, there’s still the memory of who he was before the infection.

Paramount Pictures Canada release PRIMATE on Friday, January 9, 2026.