After spending nearly two months cramming everything from big studio prestige films to small moody indies for award season consideration, it’s nice to recline back and take in an unashamed genre blast like “Primate”. Make no mistake, this bonkers horror confection knows exactly what it is and it doesn’t pretend to be anything else. The best part – director Johannes Roberts mostly hits his mark, delivering exactly what fright fans will be expecting.

“Primate” is a bit like blending “Cujo” with a 1980s slasher flick. Its main antagonist may be a chimpanzee named Ben, but he might as well be Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees once the grisly monkey mayhem begins. But here’s the trick, Roberts and his co-writer Ernest Riera completely sell Ben a terrifying threat. But they manage to make him a sympathetic figure as well, which gives the film an added punch, especially in its final act.

After finishing her freshman year at college, Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) invites her best friend Kate (Victoria Wyant) and Kate’s brother Nick (Benjamin Chang) to join her at the swanky cliffside Hawaiian home belonging to her father, a workaholic author named Adam (Oscar-winner Troy Kotsur). Kate throws a curveball when she invites the assertive Hannah (Jessica Alexander) to come along, causing an immediate friction, especially when Hannah starts flirting with Nick who Lucy has been crushing on for years.

Once home, Lucy faces the ire of her little sister Erin (Gia Hunter). We learn Lucy hasn’t been home in a long time, leaving Erin and their father to navigate the tragic passing of their mother by themselves. We’re also introduced to the other family member, Ben (convincingly played by Miguel Torres Umba in a chimp suit). Years earlier, Ben was brought home by their mother who was a linguistics professor. So in many ways he represents a connection to her which adds an extra layer to drama.

But sweet Ben’s demeanor changes after he’s bitten by a mongoose that creeps into his cage. Before leaving for a book signing, Adam calls a veterinarian and instructs the girl’s to leave Ben locked up until the doctor can check him out. But when the now feral Ben manages to escape, Lucy, Erin, and their friends become his prey. Utilizing Ben’s fear of water, the group seeks refuge in an enclosed pool, but not before Erin is bit. They’re left stranded in the water with no way to call for help, while the viciously aggressive Ben waits to tear them to shreds.

Amusingly, all of the budding rivalries and interpersonal tensions that are established in the opening fifteen minutes are instantly tossed aside and never revisited. Instead “Primate” turns into an unabashed horror romp that wastes no time going for the jugular. The mostly single location setting is both fitting and effective. And the characters manage to be more than disposable fodder. We actually want to see everyone survive, minus the two obnoxious frat guys (Charlie Mann and Tienne Simon) who show up at the worst time (we immediately root for their deaths).

Perhaps most impressive is the film’s reliance on practical effects, from Umba’s astonishing work as Ben to the film’s savage go-for-broke gore. As silly as the story may be, the practical effects turn Ben into a true terror. There’s no glaring digital gloss over him or the kills. As for those kills, they are as creative as they are brutal, with Roberts serving up the kind of carnage that should satisfy the appetites of horror fans looking to start their year with a blood-soaked bang.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS