‘Some stories should never be told’
Monkey Farm is a 2017 American found footage horror film written and directed by Ian Messenger (Friday the 13th: Legacy; Fireside Tales; The Hog). It stars Zach Etter, Justin Celani, and Acacia Makarewicz.
‘An exploration of what happens when human curiosity and animal rage collide. This low-budget, high-concept thriller presents a different kind of antagonist, and the same well-meaning-but-doomed kids you love to cheer for as they meet their grisly ends.’
Reviews:
“Monkey Farm is far from perfect. But it’s got enough going for it on both the philosophical and “psycho chimp in a suit” levels to make it well worth a watch. If you can look past the found footage tropes and the limitations of low budget filmmaking, you’ll find it a tale that maybe should be told after all, despite what the tagline tells you.” Phil Fasso, Death Ensemble
“Sadly, the film isn’t as bloody as I would have liked. The carnage takes place off camera with the viewer just getting a glimpse of the red stuff. The effects are minimal with the exception of the chimp mask which was fantastic. Overall, Monkey Farm has a lot of potential but struggles with the pacing and length.” Blacktooth, Horror Society
“The movie also uses as many as three cameras to keep things interesting. A found footage film is always more watchable when it has more than one point of view. Monkey Farm raises awareness about animal testing and frightens us on a primal level, all at the same time.” John Migliore, Indie Horror Online
“Monkey Farm apes (ho-hum) The Blair Witch Project and Quarantine often and struggles sometimes to stand up for its own identity. The choice of locations are a marvel though, and the overall acting abilities are ranged from mediocre to okay, but never atrocious […] Don’t go in expecting a shining gem because there’s a lot of rough edges which certainly might have been avoided using some more thought.” Jay Creepy, Severed Cinema
Cast and characters:
Don Carlos … Doctor Randall Gomez
Justin Celani … Gunner
Tim Christie … Beckett
Chris Douglas … Tex Smalls
Zach Etter … Ryan
Acacia Makarewicz … Sienna
Austin Messenger … Jimmy
Ian Messenger … Samson
Christina Pflueger … Scarlett
Jake Pigman … Henry Miller
Aaron Ritter … Doctor Robert Reeves
Lawerence Rowe … Max
Heather Schilling …Dr. Jasmine Gertz
Rob Tenny … Roger Miller
Filming locations:
Arizona, USA