Director: Dev Patel
Genre: Comedy/
Romance
Runtime: 121
minutes
Year:
2024
Starring: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copely, Pitobash, Sikandir Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala,
Ashwini Kalsekar
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 41: A FILM THAT’S PART OF A FILM FESTIVAL’S OFFICIAL SELECTION
Description: An anonymous
young man (Dev Patel) unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders
who murdered his mother and continue to systematically victimize the poor and
powerless.
Review: The directorial debut of Dev Patel, who obviously already has a number
of gems to his name as an actor, opts for a surprising genre: the action film.
Patel hasn’t kicked a lot of ass in his films yet, but if anything becomes
clear, it’s that he can do it very well. A film that doesn’t hide its
inspiration without becoming a copycat. Incredibly brutal action mixed with
plenty of personality and sentiment.
“Monkey Man” follows the
story of an anonymous young man sometimes called Kid. In the slums of India, he
makes money with street fights. He gets
a job at a loca restaurant, where shady things happen behind the scenes. He is
out for revenge on various figures in positions of power who have personally
made his life miserable in the past.
The story is simple, yet
effective. Its build-up and sufficient sentiment set it apart from other action
films. The pace and flow of the film are perfectly matched.
The inspirations are obvious
and Patel doesn’t try to hide them either. He is clearly a fan of films like “John
Wick”, “The Raid” and “Oldboy”. “Monkey Man” excels in its action scenes. They are
gruesome, raw and hugely original. The choreography is thoughtful and
fast-paced.
The only downside is the
somewhat messy second half. But as a whole, the film is stylish, exciting and rock
solid. Well done Dev Patel.
Rating: 4/ 5
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