Action movie review Monkey Man, the first film that Dev Patel has directed in addition to starring in, writing the story and producing the project alongside Jordan Peele. Released in theaters on April 12, 2024.
I wish there were more debuts in the action genre like that of Dev Patel. The actor who has been dazzling us in front of the camera since he debuted in Skins and in the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire and thanks to movies like The man who knew infinity, Lion o The green knight, He becomes a four-armed Vishnu to achieve everything: he writes a story that he directs, stars in and produces.
And there is nothing that it does wrong, although it has room for improvement in the future. Monkey Man works as what it is: a revenge film in which our main character grows to become a lethal warrior. He therefore has to follow an initiatory path that leads him to transform himself to overcome the pain and achieve his goal.
It can be criticized for a significant drop in pace towards the middle of the film and for over-explaining the past with flashbacks that become quite repetitive.. By adjusting the times and cutting out redundant information, we would be looking at a much rounder production, but the fact is that it is satisfactory and offers a remarkable experience.
What is indisputable is that it has its own personality and that knows how to combine social denunciation, folklore, extreme violence and a slight touch of humor that it doesn’t feel bad at all, even if it doesn’t reach the level of the saga John Wick when creating your own universe.
One of the most important aspects is differentiation. The aesthetic is radically different with a lot of camera movement, texture in the image, a realistic background that emphasizes the class struggle, an eclectic soundtrack and yes, obvious calls such as certain sets of lights and even an explicit mention that they are almost a symbol of respect and an aspirational reference.
After all, like Keanu Reeves, Patel himself has literally taken the beating of filming his action scenes, having to play with the point of view even as a result of an injury on set that prevented him from appearing in shot. This is resolved in a rather original way, by the way, like many other sequences that have interesting cinematographic ideas.
Blood, sweat and tears
Kid is a man who lives gripped by the pain of having lost his mother as a child. His intention is, in any case, to find revenge by killing those who plundered his town and killed him.
He competes every night in a dirty fighting venue under a monkey mask to earn a few rupees and survive until the moment he devises a plan to infiltrate a venue where the city’s elite stop by… and, between They, the assailants who ruined his life without scruples.
For the powerful, the rest are nothing more than scum or an infinite source to abuse for their own benefit, but Kid is going to stop them by beating them by defending the disadvantaged classes and breaking the balance of power.
Diamond Films
It can be said that, broadly speaking, Monkey Man It is a film with its touch of elegance, although it does not give up being bloody even if it cannot and recreates itself in the most extreme brutality. It is not the most recommended for those who have a delicate stomach because it also seeks to be quite realistic (although it has its touch of “flipada” on specific occasions).
Regarding the cast, Patel carries the film on his shoulders with ease, but he also knows how to surround himself with practically unknown faces in these parts such as Sobhita Dhulipala, Vipin Sharma, Pitobash and Sikander Kher. Yes in Mad Max: Fury on the road we had the passionate guitarist The Doof Warrior, here the cake goes to the percussionist played by Zakir Hussain.
The only one recognizable at first glance is the South African Sharlto Copley in the memorable role of commentator Tiger with whom he already met in District 9.
In sum, Monkey Man It will satisfy action lovers who are not afraid of finding a simple story, marked by the clichés of the genre. Let’s hope that Patel’s efforts are rewarded by a good box office that allows us to continue enjoying the talent that he has demonstrated here filming and giving his all.
VALUATION:
Dev Patel begins directing with a well-planned and packaged film that could have come out of the editing room much more rounded, avoiding redundancies. All in all, it is a remarkable exercise in style that delivers what it promised.
THE BEST:
That Patel opts for a somewhat dirty visual style, with a lot of texture, which adds its own personality to the story.
WORST:
The flashbacks are quite repetitive and take away from the pace of the final montage. The climax falls short.