The Monkey is a new horror movie which is based on a 1980 short story by Stephen King. Since the famed creative is such an iconic writer, this is not even close to the first time his stories have been brought to the big screen. Film adaptations of King’s work like Carrie (1976), The Shining (1980) and Children of the Corn (1984-2023) have become classics. The movies and shows based off his work just keep coming, with the latest being The Monkey.
This new adaptation directed by Osgood Perkins has leading actors like Theo James, Adam Scott and Elijah Wood. While the impressive cast may be part of the reason viewers go to watch the film, the mysterious and spinechilling story is another. If you have not had the chance to watch it yet (or rewatch it to grasp the ending), be sure to check it out. The Monkey is available for viewing in the theater and will likely be available for streaming on Hulu and Apple TV+. Not every movie is easy to understand, especially one that explores a complex and chilling story from Stephen King. So, we have assembled a The Monkey ending explained.
What Is the Page-To-Screen Adaptation About?
The plotline of The Monkey is one that horror fans know well. But, the ending is something that may need to be explained for some. It follows the violent killings caused by a cursed cymbal-banging monkey toy. This premise may make some people laugh, but the movie is no joke. The novelty toy reeks havoc on the lives of two little boys in a gorey killing spree.
The two unluckily inherited the toy from their father who makes a swift exit from their lives. After the brothers witness countless deaths, Hal and Bill realize its power. As it is uncovered later, in a malicious attempt on Bill’s life, Hal turns the toy’s key hoping for it to target his identical twin. But that backfires and leads to their mother being chosen by the toy for an unexpected death. The brothers then threw the toy in a well in hopes that the countless deaths in their town would stop. The toy is a bringer of death but as the boys learn quite quickly, it has a mind of its own.
Years later, after becoming estranged from each other, the twin brothers reunite. But this reconnection happens due to the return of tragic death. Their aunt Ida passes and the family death forces them to meet again as adults. Bill asks Hal to come to his home and go through their aunt’s things which reveals their load of family issues. These unpacked issues lead to, yes, you guessed it – more death.
The Plot Twist Viewers Don’t See Coming
In a secret attempt on his brother’s life, Bill crosses paths with the toy monkey again after hiring someone to find it for him. As it turns out, the death of their mother turns Bill into a person with an insatiable appetite for revenge. So, he plans to use the monkey again despite the chaos that unfolded when they were children. A local man named Ricky finally finds it and sells it to him, which gives Bill the perfect way to get revenge. Since Hal is in town, Bill begins turning the toy’s key and hoping for it to target his brother. But the toy monkey does not take requests and freakish unexplained deaths happen all around him.
What Happens at the End of ‘The Monkey’?
By the time Bill has his brother well within his grasp, the monkey is unwilling to do his bidding. In one instance, he starts to get frustrated that the monkey has yet to kill his target shaking it violently. But the monkey does not like that, so it causes multiple random deaths throughout the town in retaliation. Hal and his son, Petey, at first are unsuspecting but eventually catch on to the foul play at hand. In a tense standoff with his brother, Hal discovers that Bill knows that he made an attempt on his life when he turned the toy’s key years ago. In a somewhat strange turn of events, the brothers share a touching moment and reconcile. This happens after Hal apologizes for his actions and their mother’s accidental death.
Even though everything seems to be getting better between them, the toy still has surprises in store. Within seconds of them finally mending their relationship, the monkey has its revenge. One of Bill’s boobytraps for his brother suddenly backfires. In an ironic conclusion, their mother’s engraved bowling ball shoots out and goes straight through Bill’s head. After his brother’s sudden death, Hal decides to take his son and the toy far away from the town, which by that point was in shambles. They drive through the area and witness fires, a plane crash and random Final Destination-esque deaths. Then a pale horse rider who spots them locks eyes then gallops away. Soon after that, they vow to never let the monkey’s key be turned again. The last thing viewers see is a busload of cheerleaders being decapitated by a passing truck.
Explaining the Horror Film’s Bizarre Conclusion
Now, the survival of some of the main characters may come as a surprise to some viewers but it seems to be strategic. There is so much senseless killing in the movie that it’s a miracle anybody got out alive. But despite its comedic horror scenes, there are some pretty heavy themes in The Monkey. First, Bill’s obsession with revenge on his brother and avenging his mother’s death ultimately leads to his own death. The movie makes that connection clear by having their mother’s personal bowling bowl be the way he violently died. After all the years of obsessing and planning for his brother’s demise, Bill ends up with nothing but death.
Also, as viewers can clearly observe, death is at every turn in this movie. Bill’s ironic death and the end scene with the pale rider both are nods towards the unpredictability of death. If this mysterious character is interpreted to be one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, an even greater message can be found. The personification of Death teases viewers with the possibility that the monkey is not confined by its toy form. It may be free and uncontrollable, just like the horseman. This says a lot about the film’s overall message: death is not something to be played with.
