We Got a Monkey's Paw

Plot

Zack and Jakki are you typical "odd couple" roommates. Jakki likes staying in, reading a good book now and again; while Zack has other hobbies like waking the dead. Things get hairy when Zack convinces Jakki to spend the day making wishes on a Monkey's Paw. Soon the two find themselves doing backflips trying to undo the cataclysmic series of events they've set off. Ghost brides, demon boxes, dead-y bears, oh my. This paw is definitely in the wrong hands.

Cast

Unfamiliar but everyone nailed it.

Verdict

I said recently that they haven't really made a great monkey's paw movie and I stand by that, if there is one out there I simply haven't seen it. However there is a good short film and here it is.

So we have our young couple and they're trying to decide what to do for the evening, he comes up with all kinds of horror trope suggestions such as a Ouija board and playing with a demon box much to her chagrin. However her mind is changed when he presents a monkey's paw and the two proceed to make their wishes. But you know what happens next, each wish is tainted and things gradually get worse and worse for them.

Don't worry however the intensity is low, this is more comedy than horror. Standing at around 8 minutes it has two very solid leads a great script and surprisingly high production values.

We see time travel, zombies and all manner of hilarity which is remarkable considering how little they had to work with. As far as short films are concerned this is way up there and worth your time.

The Good + Great cast + Looks the part + Genuinely funny

The bad

• Left me wanting more far too much

Rants

It really is such a great concept, I've seen perhaps 3-4 monkey paw movies and they were all terrible (And a few of the same premise but with something in place of the paw). It's the idea of wishes being granted but with a catch, not a fatal catch in the Wishmaster type of vein just a manipulation on the persons wording. My first wish? A fresh monkey paw with 20 fingers that doesn't have any strings attached!

WE GOT A MONKEY'S PAW is a funny, well-written comedy horror film that moves at a breathless, dizzying pace. The acting is wonderful, especially by Zach Ogle, who helps sell the situation and the comedy. Definitely worth checking out!

I saw this as one of nearly 300 submissions to my local horror film festival, and there was never any question in my mind that it needed to make it in. It's been a while since I've seen something that made me laugh that hard. I wish the filmmakers all the luck in the world, but at the same time I can't wait until they finish the festival run. I've got my fingers crossed that they'll put the film up for sale on Vimeo so I can add it to my collection.

Monkey's Paw is a hilarious take on the "cursed object" horror sub-genre. The laughs are non-stop throughout thanks to a sharp script, strong performances and brilliant editing. Don't sleep on it!

Two roomates. The passion for occult of one and the adventures as seeds of chaos. A surprising nice short film , seductive for the smart game with cliches, dark humor and the end. So, just nice.