Excellent horror Primate is the perfect movie to remove the January blues

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January isn’t a popular month, especially in the UK. After a short break – a week or two if you’re fortunate – it feels particularly gloomy. You’re heading to work in the dark and returning home in the dark, often with colder weather than December brings. It’s not uncommon to even get snow in January, despite missing it over the Christmas holidays.

Everyone needs a little escape during this time of year, and the movies are a perfect place to find one. It’s awards season, and 2026 is already delivering with films like Hamnet currently playing, and more to come this month including The Voice of Hind Rajab, No Other Choice, and Is This Thing On?

January can be a tough month, but it’s often a great time for fun genre movies – and this month is no exception. While 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is on its way next week, if you’re looking for a really enjoyable scare, Primate is the perfect horror movie to watch this month.

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I just saw Primate, and it’s really good! It’s out now in the US and came to UK cinemas on January 30th. The story is set in Hawaii and follows Lucy, who comes home after being away at college. It’s a tough time for her and her sister Ellie – they’re both still grieving their mom, and Ellie’s pretty upset Lucy wasn’t around. Their dad, Adam, is Deaf and just seems really happy to have Lucy back, which is sweet. It’s a really emotional film!

Ben is the family’s chimpanzee, and he’s special – thanks to his mother’s work, he can understand and talk to people using a special board. Lucy’s friends, who are visiting with her, are a little nervous about staying in a house with him, which is understandable!

When Ben gets bitten by a mongoose with rabies, everyone’s understandably terrified. Just like dealing with frustrating train delays on a miserable winter day, Lucy and her friends are about to realize that being stuck in a house with a dangerous chimpanzee is the absolute last thing they needed.

Let’s address the obvious: Primate is essentially Cujo, but with a chimpanzee. However, what makes the film work is that director Johannes Roberts (who also co-wrote the script with Ernest Riera) understands the kind of movie he’s making. He doesn’t try to turn it into something more sophisticated; Primate is a straightforward slasher film featuring a chimpanzee, and it delivers exactly that – pure, simple thrills.

After a quick setup of characters and problems, the movie Primate delivers non-stop entertainment. It’s easy to figure out who will make it to the end, but that doesn’t make the action sequences any less exciting, creative, and enjoyable. If you’re not a fan of over-the-top violence – like, say, a chimpanzee ripping someone’s jaw off – then Primate probably isn’t for you.

Miguel Torres Umba’s performance and the impressive special effects from Millennium FX truly make Ben a compelling character. Even when the movie gets wild, Ben remains a powerful and frightening figure – like when he taunts Lucy and her friends while they hide in the pool. Whether it’s his fault or not, Ben quickly establishes himself as a memorable horror villain.

Even though the kills get a little repetitive towards the end, Primate features enough truly great, realistically gruesome deaths to keep you entertained. It’s a wildly fun horror movie, clearly made to be enjoyed with a large audience, and any minor flaws are easy to overlook.

Don’t expect Primate to be the most profound film of the year – or even the month. However, if it doesn’t end up being one of the most fun horror movies of 2026, horror fans are in for a treat!

Primate is out now in US cinemas, and is released in UK cinemas on 30 January.

The latest issue of Living Legends is now available, and it’s dedicated to the incredible Dolly Parton! You can find “Dolly at 80” at newsagents and online for only £8.99.

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2026-01-09 15:19