Horror fans seeking an immediate jolt of terror need look no further than the new film 'Primate,' which director Johannes Roberts designed to shock audiences within its first five minutes. The filmmaker deliberately front-loaded one of the movie's most gruesome scenes to instantly grab viewers.
A Gruesome Opening Sets the Tone
"I wanted people to be just sucked back in their seats right away going, 'F—! I didn't realize we were going to go there,'" Roberts explained during a video call from Los Angeles. The film, which earned a 93% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes after its initial festival screenings, opens with a graphic face-mauling sequence. This brutal introduction paves the way for a 90-minute frightfest centered on a group of friends whose Hawaiian holiday turns into a nightmare.
The story follows Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah), her sister Erin (Gia Hunter), and their friends as they seek relaxation at Lucy's remote family home. Their plans are violently disrupted by Ben, the family's pet chimpanzee, who turns rabid and murderous after being bitten by a mongoose. With the girls' father (played by Oscar winner Troy Kotsur) away on business, the teenagers must fight for survival in a single, claustrophobic setting as the chimp stalks them.
A Modern Homage to a Classic Terror
Roberts, who also directed the '47 Meters Down' films, reveals that 'Primate' is a direct homage to Stephen King's 'Cujo.' Both narratives explore the horror of a beloved family pet transformed into a lethal threat by rabies. Roberts cited the 1983 film adaptation as a foundational childhood horror experience that inspired his career path.
"The horror in that movie doesn't come from outside, it comes from inside. It comes from something you love and within the family," Roberts said. "Those things really made a big impact on me."
Cast Immerses Themselves in Primate Fear
For star Johnny Sequoyah, the script was uniquely gripping. "I could not believe how much I was on the edge of my seat just reading the script," she shared in a separate interview. To prepare, she immersed herself in primate horror movies and literature by famed ethologist Jane Goodall.
Troy Kotsur, eager to add a horror film to his repertoire after playing a villain in Netflix's 'Black Rabbit,' was drawn to the confined, tense setting. He compared the film's simple, location-based terror to classics like John Carpenter's 'The Thing.' The entire cast was required to watch the HBO docuseries 'Chimp Crazy' to understand chimpanzee behavior.
To achieve maximum realism and audience sympathy for Ben the chimp, Roberts made a crucial creative decision. He eschewed CGI in favor of motion capture technology, casting performer Miguel Torres Umba to bring the primate to life. "Miguel just brought a real personality to it, and he changed the movie," Roberts stated. "You really have a sympathy for (Ben) as you watch him go down this road to madness."
'Primate' is now playing in theatres, offering a brutal, confined, and emotionally charged addition to the animal horror genre.
