It's clear that Dev Patel expected to be compared to 'John Wick'.
Thus, They named the movie 'Monkey Man'. In 'Monkey Man,' a young man seeks revenge, and Patel says it was influenced by Korean action movies. They also mention the successful 'John Wick' movie and its sequels.
There's even a cute dog in the movie, and it doesn't die.
Patel makes an impressive directorial debut with 'Monkey Man,' a film where he also acts, produces, and co-writes the story.
'Monkey Man' is somewhat similar to 'Wick' until the violent final part. This film is more connected to reality than the 'Wick' series.
The movie is set in modern India, and it incorporates the Hindu deity Hanuman, making it culturally interesting.
The main character, Kid, is introduced as a boy learning about Hanuman and later competes in an underground fight club to earn money. He wears a monkey mask to honor Hanuman.
Kid wants to work at a high-end brothel, and he befriends Alphonso to accomplish his plan.
Kid becomes friends with Alphonso and works at the brothel. He doesn't like how the men mistreat the women, especially Sita.
Kid seeks revenge on a corrupt police officer named Rana. The reason for Kid's revenge will be revealed, as well as the origin of the scars on his hands.
Kid faces unexpected difficulties when he confronts Rana and has to run for his life.
So far, Patel has done a confident and skilled job directing 'Monkey Man,' using unique camera angles and quick cuts.
Overall, the first part of the movie is impressive.
The second part shows Patel over-correcting, giving the audience a much-needed break from the action as Kid heals among a group of people led by the wise Alpha (Vipin Sharma). It's a bit boring, though, until the recovered Kid starts training for the upcoming fight with the support of an enthusiastic percussionist.
The final part of “Monkey Man” brings the high body count we were expecting. Although many of the mini sequences are impressive (and disturbing), “Monkey Man” becomes somewhat numbing, similar to other action movies.
On screen, Patel is a captivating lead, as expected from his past films like “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (2011) or “Lion” (2016). However, Kid is very different from the gentle characters he played in those films. He seeks to inflict pain and suffering on those he believes deserve it, and Patel portrays this convincingly, even showing the added muscle he gained at some point.
Initially, “Monkey Man” was meant for a streaming platform, before catching the attention of Monkeypaw Productions and transitioning to a theatrical release. This film deserves to be seen on the big screen.And considering its strengths, it deserves a sequel. At the same time, there's something a little special about this one, and it wouldn't be a problem if it doesn't lead to, for example, three more movies and a TV series.
‘Monkey Man’
Rated R for intense bloody violence, frequent strong language, sexual content/nudity and drug use.
Where: Theaters.
When: April 5.
Rated: 2 hours, 2 minutes.
Runtime: Stars (of four):
Patel makes an incredibly impressive debut as a director with “Monkey Man,” a film in which he also stars, serves as a producer and co-wrote. 3.
