Monkeys should be in more mainstream films
They make much better sidekicks, for better or worse
Art by Kristen Frier
We need monkey’s in movies again and here’s why.
Movies without monkeys leave an unsatisfied feeling. Just when you think a monkey will pop on screen, you’re disappointed when the animal is just a dog.
Don’t worry, you are not crazy or alone when it comes to wanting to see monkeys in mainstream films. And I don’t mean a CGI monkey, I mean an actual actor monkey who is a core cast member. Can’t think of any monkey or movie, right?
It’s true that movies nowadays are not as good as the late 1990s and early 2000s films we grew up with, and the reason for this is because monkeys starred in them.
What, you thought you liked the movies you grew up with because of nostalgia? Ha, wrong!
Movies downright suck today because there are no monkeys in them and many of the films that starred monkeys are over 15 years old, so let’s bring back monkey sidekicks.
When I’m watching a new movie with friends and no monkey appears on screen, we run out of the theatre extremely offended, imitating the walk of a monkey. In the three hours of Elvis, you’d think a monkey would appear once, right? Or Where the Crawdads Sing. Big deal, birds can sing. What about being more inclusive and title it Where the Monkeys Sing?
Monkeys aren’t even mentioned in famous lines referencing animals either. The Notebook would have been way more memorable if Ryan Gosling had said, “If you’re a monkey, I’m a monkey,” rather than a bird.
Unlike other animals, monkeys can always bring a uniqueness to a film because they make you laugh and are actually helpful sidekicks.
Yes, dogs are considered man’s best friend, but we descended from monkeys which means we are more compatible. So, swipe left on the other animals, and right on monkeys!
Watching humans interact with monkeys is also way more entertaining on screen. They are extremely intelligent and stubborn with getting what they want — just like us.
Plus, they are downright cool.
Monkeys also have hands, which makes them a great partner in crime, and can climb and fend for themselves, unlike most pets.
A monkey sidekick would be great in a heist movie, since they can hold guns and help fight the bad guys by climbing on their back or wrapping their tail around them.
They can be evil sidekicks too. Hector Barbossa’s undead pet monkey in the Pirates of the Caribbean films is a great evil sidekick.
Nobody would even notice if a monkey robbed a bank because it could sneak into small corners and easily grab the keys to the safe. Bonnie and Clyde would have been much more entertaining if Clyde was a monkey.
Monkeys are sick of being typecast as the goofy foil or the substitute for a cat. Spread the word and inform Hollywood studios to bring monkeys back into films.
They don’t even have a place in the Marvel Universe, which is just outrageous. It’s time that Disney created a superhero film series starring monkey actors. Instead of spider webs coming out of their body, banana peels would slide out of their arms and the villain would automatically slip on the peel around them.
Start a petition or use the hashtag #bringbackmonkeysonscreen on social media to inform the people. In 2022, it’s time to bring monkey-related content back into the world of movies.
