Horror · Thriller · English
Primate (2025) Full Movie Review: Watch & Download Online
★ 7.0 / 10
| Director | Johannes Roberts |
|---|---|
| Cast | Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander, Troy Kotsur, Victoria Wyant, Gia Hunter, Benjamin Cheng |
| Runtime | 1h 29m |
| Released | 9 January 2026 (US theatrical); premiered 18 September 2025 (Fantastic Fest) |
| Music | Adrian Johnston |
| Box office | $41.2 million |
Watch the official trailer
Synopsis (spoiler-free)
A group of friends' tropical vacation in Hawaii turns into a fight for survival when the family's adopted pet chimpanzee, Ben, contracts rabies after being bitten by a rabid mongoose and turns violently feral.
Our detailed review
Story — 6.5/10
The premise is beautifully simple — what if the family pet chimp got rabies? — and Johannes Roberts, who co-wrote with Ernest Riera, wastes no time getting to it. The film sets up its characters fast, brushes aside the contrivances needed to make the plot possible, and then lets Ben loose in a luxury cliffside house. There is not much substance beyond the siege, and a second draft might have deepened the family dynamics, but the film's single-mindedness is part of its charm: it is a slasher where the killer is an intelligent animal who can understand language and communicate back.
Acting — 7.0/10
Johnny Sequoyah anchors the film as Lucy, returning home to her deaf father Adam (Troy Kotsur, excellent and grounding) and younger sister Erin, while Jessica Alexander, Victoria Wyant, Gia Hunter and Benjamin Cheng make a likeable, doomed ensemble. The real star, though, is Ben himself — played by Miguel Torres Umba with superb practical creature effects from Kate Walshe and Neill Gorton — whose shift from family pet to feral killer is genuinely unsettling.
Direction — 7.5/10
Roberts directs with the clean, legible style he brought to The Strangers: Prey at Night: long glass walls, tight stairwells, an infinity pool hanging over nothing, and violence you actually see rather than shaky-cam suggestion. The film leans hard into its 1980s shock-flick influences — part Halloween, part Cujo — and the claustrophobia of the single location works in its favour. At 89 minutes it never overstays its welcome.
Music — 7.5/10
Adrian Johnston's score is the film's secret weapon: a synth-heavy, Carpenter-esque pulse that buzzes and screeches like a demon got loose on a cheap keyboard. Reviewers singled it out across the board — 'ten out of ten for the evil jams' — and the retro synthwave sound gives the film's nastiness a playful, propulsive edge. A Charli XCX needle drop is the cherry on top.
What works
- A brilliantly simple premise executed with total commitment.
- Superb practical creature effects for Ben the chimp.
- Adrian Johnston's synth score — one of the year's best horror scores.
- Lean 89-minute runtime with clean, legible, brutal direction.
What doesn't work
- Thin characters and a script that could have used another draft.
- Theatrically it flopped, earning back less than half its break-even target.
- Critics were split (77% on Rotten Tomatoes but only 58 on Metacritic).
- Mean-spirited by design — not for the squeamish or the sentimental.
Final verdict — 7.0/10
A lean, mean, nasty little horror movie that delivers exactly what it promises. One bad ape, zero mercy.
Rating breakdown
Where to Watch
Streams on Paramount+ (since 25 March 2026). Also available to rent or buy on digital stores since 10 February 2026, and it has appeared on Netflix's global Top 10 in some regions — availability varies by country, so check your local service.
You can also download it in the official Paramount+ app on your phone or tablet to watch offline legally — see our guide on how to download movies legally.
Box Office
| Budget | $21 million |
|---|---|
| Opening day | Not reported separately (Thursday previews $1.4 million) |
| Opening weekend | $11.3 million (domestic); $13.4 million worldwide |
| Worldwide total | $41.2 million |
| Verdict | Flop |
A theatrical flop despite a decent opening: $41.2 million worldwide (Wikipedia, citing Box Office Mojo/The Numbers) fell short of the roughly $52.5 million break-even target on a $21 million budget (Koimoi). It found its audience later on streaming, spending around 60 days in Paramount+'s US Top 10 and reaching Netflix's global Top 10 in October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is Primate worth watching?
If you like lean creature horror, yes — it is nasty, funny and superbly scored, with great practical effects. Our rating is 7.0/10.
Is Primate based on a true story?
No — Primate is a fictional horror film, though rabies in animals is a real and terrifying disease. The chimp Ben and his family are invented.
Is Primate scary?
Yes — it is a brutal, gory siege horror with a rabid chimp as the killer. It is rated R and definitely not for children or animal lovers of a nervous disposition.
How much did Primate earn at the box office?
About $41.2 million worldwide against a $21 million budget — a theatrical flop that needed roughly $52.5 million to break even (Box Office Mojo, Koimoi).
Where can I watch Primate (2025) online?
Primate streams on Paramount+ (since 25 March 2026) and is available to rent or buy on digital stores. It has also appeared on Netflix's global Top 10 in some regions — availability varies by country.
Can I download Primate (2025) legally?
Yes — you can download it inside the official Paramount+ app on your phone or tablet to watch offline legally with a subscription.
Hindi FAQs
Primate movie kaisi hai?
Primate aik lean aur darawni creature horror hai — rabid chimp, zabardast practical effects aur synth music. Hamari rating 7.0/10 hai.
Primate kahan dekh sakte hain?
Primate Paramount+ par stream ho rahi hai (25 March 2026 se), aur digital rent/buy bhi available hai. Kuch regions mein Netflix par bhi aayi hai.
Primate ne kitna kamaya?
Primate ne duniya bhar mein $41.2 million kamaye, jabke iska budget $21 million tha — theatrically ye flop rahi.
Primate download karke dekh sakte hain?
Ji haan — Paramount+ ki official app mein download karke offline dekh sakte hain, legally.