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I love it when a movie totally slips under my radar to the point, I was well unaware of it until I saw the initial first trailer for it. Earlier this year, The Painter with Charlie Weber and Jon Voight was a nice surprise with action sequences that were worth the price of admission. I didn’t know one thing about it until I saw it on VUDU and upon viewing, it’s one of my favorites for the year.
Now as good as I thought that movie was for what it was, Oscar nominated actor and filmmaker Dev Patel’s initiation into action cinema, also known as Monkey Man, puts that movie to shame with an uncompromising, unforgiving and brutal assault for viewers. Monkey Man is like a blunt force blow to the head that never lets up and when the credits roll at the end, you just simply walk out of the theater without saying a word. It’s visceral in every meaning of the word and the action sequences are not for the squeamish with fight choreography from veteran martial arts star, action expert and fight choreographer Brahim Chab executed to blood-soaked perfection. Top it all off, Dev Patel was never even a whisper in action cinema until this movie and now, he’s literally just thrown his hat into the ring, jumped into said ring and has shouted at the top of his lungs that he’s a force to be reckoned with when it comes to adrenaline laced flicks.
It’s hilarious because recently, I’ve been having countless conversations about the next generation of action stars with actors that you wouldn’t and now here’s another name in the mix in the actor best known for Slumdog Millionaire. Imagine that. Patel not only stars in the movie but this is essentially a labor of love for the man as he also helms the project which was meant with numerous production issues to the point where the making of the movie is more interesting than the actual movie itself. Patel had to suffer through the pandemic, losing his original cinematographer and production designer and having to move the location shoot. Patel even had issues finishing the movie and if it weren’t for filmmaker Jordan Peele swooping in at the 11th hour to help out as a producer, Monkey Man would have probably been lost to obscurity.
Enough of that though. Let’s talk about the movie and with that Patel has crafted a bleak, unflinching portrait of a man sworn to vengeance and the lengths he will go to execute it his suicide mission. Patel stars as a character known simply as Kid and we learn through flashbacks that he tragically lost his mother and entire village to ruthless political and government officials who are grabbing land for the same old reasons that bad guys always are. Those involved are your usual two-dimensional scumbag millionaires, crooked politicians and corrupt police that prey on the weak and less fortunate.
The Kid spends his days fighting in an illegal underground fight community run by ruthless fight promoter Tiger (Sharlito Copley) and losing intentionally because you get paid more to bleed and to put on a good show for the circuit’s champions. Nice concept isn’t it? While fighting, Kid wears a monkey mask for a gimmick and it’s effective for dramatic purposes. This is all for show though as his real motive is to terminate everyone responsible for the death of his mother and village. In order to execute his plan, Kid finagles his way into getting a job at an exclusive nightclub that caters to the most powerful that the city has to offer. The ruthless Queenie (Ashwini Kalsekar) runs the club with an iron fist and her even more ruthless head of security, Rana (Sikandar Kher), a crooked cop who is Kid’s main target as he’s the one who killed his mother (Adithi Kalkunte). There’s also Baba Shakti (Makarand Deshpande), a power-hungry spiritual guru that is essentially the main evil behind Kid’s merciless mission of revenge. Shakti is one of the movie’s more interesting characters as most are one note and forgettable.
Kid does have a few allies in Alphonso (Pitobash), a hustler and Sita (Sobhita Dhulipala), an escort who takes a liking to Kid. Unfortunately, both characters are criminally underwritten which is a main drawback to the movie so it’s hard to care about them and along with the movie’s generic revenge plot, and slow pacing in the middle, most movies would be DOA but it’s Patel that elevates everything above the negatives and it’s because of Patel, his direction, his character and the blistering action that I can look past the shortcomings.
Monkey Man is also bathed in the Indian folklore and mysticism that the country is known for, and this aspect does separate the film from others like it. The film is inspired by the relatively unknown lore of the Hanuman, which is also known as a deity in Hinduism. The Hanuman takes the shape of monkeys, and it is the Hanuman that battled against oppression, and it is the underlying symbol of the movie and Patel’s character. The scenes dealing with this might turn off more mainstream audience goers but those looking for more and the action lying in wait will gravitate towards it and Patel’s somber vision.
It’s the action that is the strongest selling point and the reason why we all showed up on opening day. It’s unfortunate that this movie is being described as the Indian John Wick (that film’s title is even mentioned at one point) because there’s much more to it. Yes, it’s true that the set pieces radiate the blistering and breakneck choreography that is synonymous with the blockbuster franchise including knife fights and a few gun fu moments peppered in, but Patel manages to do something different with the adrenaline aspect and Chab delivers in the execution of the brutality that is forged with each and every move. Monkey Man isn’t wall to wall fisticuffs but there is enough of it, especially the rousing finale, and when it hits, it hits with the force of a baseball bat crushing your skull. It’s hyper-violent and hyper-kinetic to the extreme with Patel making sure that viewers hear and feel every hit on screen. It’s not violence for violence sake because all of this means something heavy, and we care about Kid and his mission and that’s where it stands out from regular revenge films. There’s also a riveting elevator dual towards the end that almost rivals the one in Captain America: The Winter Soldier that left me sweating when it ended.
Brahim Chab, who has cut his teeth in the action genre throughout the years, starring in a multitude of films including Boyka: Undisputed 4 has created something special here with the movie’s action choreography and he essentially has created an in-your-face experience bathed in blood and guts where those who have done wrong, are succumbed to some of the most brutal and visceral kills in action cinema history. Viewers will almost feel guilty for enjoying the comeuppance that the villains are subjected too but Chab does his job, and he goes above and beyond while making Patel’s vision a reality with crowd pleasing results.
There won’t be any spoilers here, but the last scene cuts hard and deep and will leave a lasting impression on audiences. There is no happy ending here and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I will say that Kid’s mission is a dark, unnerving event that, when over, will leave you thinking about consequences of actions and those who are left to ponder them when the dust has settled. This is a very uneasy watch for a movie but action fans and movie fans for that matter that take the ride will be rewarded for it.
Overall, Monkey Man is a 2-hour coming out party for Dev Patel as an action star. Patel has had a solid career in dramatic celluloid but now this is uncharted waters for the award-winning actor and filmmaker. This is Patel’s first foray into action so just imagine down the road when he is more seasoned and adapt at creating bone jarring movies on the big screen. Monkey Man does suffer from jet lag in the middle of the movie and underscored characterization but it more than makes up for it with the pulsating and blood drenched action set pieces that will immerse you in the experience.
For his first foray into action cinema, Patel has put everything he has into it, and he showcases his passion and love for the genre and the films that have come before. The action is unforgiving and extreme, and the film is bleak in its execution. It’s a visceral and unnerving watch with set pieces that give The Raid movies a run for their money. Come for the John Wick comparison and stay for all the bloodletting and creativity it musters in its running time. Job well done Mr. Patel. I await your encore…
VERDICT: 4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Dev Patel’s freshman entry in action cinema is a dark and rousing force to be reckoned with loaded with unflinching and expertly crafted set pieces that hits you deep and hard well after it’s over. A carefully created bloody love letter to the genre.
