Credit: Netflix

Halloween season usually comes with a surge of horror recommendations on Netflix. So, it’s not exactly shocking that Primate is currently having a major moment on the streamer’s top 10 movies chart!

During the week of October 19th to October 25th, the natural horror flick debuted on Netflix’s most popular movies chart with 3million views. While it’s currently ranked seventh globally, the film is also the number-one movie in four countries: the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Peru, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Although one of the primary reasons for the horror movie’s rise is the seasonal timing, Primate’s surge on the Netflix chart is also driven by streaming expansion and viral online word-of-mouth. After its theatrical run and initial Paramount+ launch, the film was added to regional Netflix libraries, and user response is unparalleled.

Written and directed by Johannes Roberts, Primate leans into a straightforward yet terrifying premise where a family’s beloved pet chimpanzee contracts rabies and embarks on a bloody killing spree. It opens with Lucy returning to her family’s cliffside mansion in Hawaii for a tropical vacation with her friends. Upon arrival, she discovers their pet Ben, a sharp, communicative chimpanzee, has been bitten by a rabid mongoose.

After contracting rabies, Ben unprecedentedly transforms into a violent, feral predator. To make things worse, Ben won’t stop at anything before he eliminates Lucy and her friends as they fight for survival on the isolated island.

Unlike standard horror tropes that rely on horrifying invisible forces, monstrous creatures, and unexplainable phenomena, the horror film embraces something real and even scarier. The core hook is simple, instantly compelling, and largely echoes the classic animal-attack genre found in Cujo and Monkey Shines.

Primate showcases physical creature performance under the guidance of movement specialists, which adds an uncanny, grounded presence to the horror premise. Moreover, clocking in at just 89 minutes, the movie features fast-paced, highly suspenseful sequences rather than baseless jump scares.

Clips of Primate’s unique suspense setups and intriguing sequences have also actively gained traction on social media, funnelling curious viewers directly to Netflix. As a result, it turns out to be the high-octane watch fans have been seeking this horror season.

So, if you’re yet to tune into it or are still struggling with second thoughts, think no more! Horror geeks and critics have given Primate a strong Rotten Tomatoes rating that speaks for itself.