Movie Review: ‘Monkey Man’

Review by James Lindorf

Seventeen years ago, a teenage Dev Patel caught the eye of director Danny Boyle while working on the British teen dramedy series “Skins.” Since bursting onto the international stage with their collaboration “Slumdog Millionaire,” Patel has spent half of his life in front of the camera, allowing us to see him grow as a person and performer. Now we get to watch as he makes his feature-length writing and directorial debut with Universal Picture’s “Monkey Man.” The action-packed political thriller opens in theaters everywhere on April 5th.

“Monkey Man” is based on Patel’s Hindu God Hanuman inspired story. Hanuman is an icon of strength and courage who had it all, lost it, and still managed to fight on. Patel’s story was adapted for the screen by sketch show veteran Paul Angunawela (Keith Lemon: The Film) and John Collee, who collaborated with Patel on “Hotel Mumbai” and “Roborovski.” “Monkey Man” stars Dev Patel as the anonymous “Kid,” a young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club. Night after night, Kid is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash while wearing a gorilla mask in honor of Hanuman. The beatings served as a means to an end and as an outlet for years of suppressed rage. The money allowed him to discover a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. There, he can learn the truth about what happened to him all those years ago and allow him the access needed to settle the score with the men who took everything from him. The film was produced by Oscar® winner Jordan Peele and features a supporting cast of Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Ashwini Kalsekar, and Sikandar Kher.

You can feel the inspiration of previous action movies running throughout Patel’s film. You get knowledge of the building central to the Kid’s mission, the heart of the danger, and the source of most of the action, much like in “Die Hard.” The pacing of “Monkey Man” feels like so many martial arts movies in the ’80s, where a talented but undisciplined student needs the help of an old master to realize their potential. The most prominent inspiration is the “John Wick” series, which has dominated the action genre for a decade. Patel wasn’t afraid to lean into it with the film being mentioned by name, him sporting the same outfit as Keanu Reeves and offering up brutality with guns, knives, and plenty of fists. Thankfully, the film’s story and emotional core have much more in common with Wick and McClane’s best movies and not the over-the-top silliness that ran rampant in the ’80s.

“Monkey Man” opens with a mother telling her young son the Hindu poem “Ramayana,” in which the deity Hanuman mistakes the sun for a mango and has his powers stripped by the other gods. The story ends before she shares the whole of Hanuman’s story. Still, we are offered glimpses through conversations, tapestries, and Kid’s story. Unlike many previously mentioned action movies, “Monkey Man” is secretive about the motive that drives its main character. We begin by watching him engineer a job opportunity at the King’s Club and work his way up from dishwasher to working the elite VIP floor. Once the backstory unfolds through copious flashbacks and exposition, it becomes a weight on the film, dragging out a large portion of the second act. Thankfully, it is quickly forgotten as the film enters its extended climax, which features some great staging and choreography to add interest as Kid climbs the building like the revenge-fuelled “Donkey Kong.”

To create the world of “Monkey Man,” Patel brought in acclaimed cinematographer Sharone Meir (Whiplash). Together, they created a bleak world with pockets of beauty and hope where nightclubs, fight clubs, and religious refugees all feel at home. Unfortunately, it is often hard to appreciate that world due to the dark lighting and camera work a Bourne movie would tell to calm down. It could be a style they were going for, or it could be that Patel isn’t as capable as some of the other action stars, and they needed a few dozen edits in every fight scene to try and force some energy into those moments. It could also be caused by Patel pulling triple duty and not having the time to run through the required prep work for all of the action. Thankfully, there are some scenes where things slow down just a bit, allowing us to admire the effort the actors and stunt crew put in. It is a prevalent style even if it may or may not be popular, but when compared to what Keanu has been doing for four films, it comes off as “John Weak.”

Patel blended action and political intrigue into a kinetic swirl of blood, anger, and fascism. The presentation of the action may not be top-tier, but the lore of Hanuman, Patel’s stellar performance, and the sociopolitical commentary elevate the film into one of the best action films of the last ten years. It should only grow in esteem with repeated viewings, and that earns “Monkey Man” a score of 4.25 out of five.

Rating: R for Violence, Language, and some adult situations
Genre: Action, Mystery & thriller
Original Language: English
Director: Dev Patel
Producer: Dev Patel, Jomon Thomas, Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Ian Cooper, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Christine Haebler, Anjay Nagpal
Writer: Dev Patel, Paul Angunawela, John Collee
Release Date: April 5th, 2024
Runtime: 1h 53m
Distributor: Universal Pictures