Movie Review: Monkey Man

History may not look more favorably upon many directorial debuts than Dev Patel’s inaugural feature Monkey Man. The film is both a wholly entertaining action film and an emotional, rewarding tale of revenge and dramatic character growth and development.

The story of Monkey Man concerns itself with the legend of something called Hanuman – which is the embodiment of strength and courage – that is supposed to serve as a vessel of retribution for those unable to achieve so themselves. At this point, the character of Kid (Patel) is introduced as a young man trying to earn a living participating in an illegal fight club wearing a gorilla mask. Through a series of flashbacks, it is revealed that Kid has been scarred by some rather brutal childhood traumas. The result of these incidents initiates and fuels his methodical quest for revenge against the men who destroyed the idyllic life he once enjoyed.

After making a name for himself as a distinguished actor in film such as Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Lion (2016), and The Green Knight (2021), Dev Patel enjoys a remarkable directorial debut with Monkey Man. Working from a script by Paul Angunawela and John Collee – which was based on his idea for the film – Patel crafts a film that utilizes flashbacks and virtuoso editing courtesy of Joe Galdo, Dávid Jancsó, and Tim Murrell to showcase the superlative work of cinematographer Sharone Meir. Patel’s team ensures there is something visually interesting in every sequence of the film and that, combined with the arresting screenplay and overall narrative arc, translates into one of the greatest directorial debuts in recent memory.

With echoes of both the Samurai films of Akira Kurosawa and, more recently, Quentin Taratino’s Kill Bill films (2003-2004), Monkey Man seems steeped in film lore and that influence is utilized to weave such a beautiful tapestry of a story that it is easy to forget that this is the work of a first-time director and not a seasoned artist.

As the film’s lead, Patel is just as remarkable as his overall film. He undergoes both a mental and physical transformation throughout the film that harkens to the method acting of Robert DeNiro in Raging Bull (1980). It is impossible not to be impressed by the work he has done here and to not get caught up in the cathartic tale of revenge his screenwriters have woven for him. Sharlto Copley and Pitobash both shine as Tiger (the ruthless promoter of the fight club Kid appears as the Monkey Man in) and Alphonso (a gangster connected to the crime family responsible for the death of Kid’s mother) respectively.

Dev Patel in “Monkey Man.” Photo by Universal Pictures – © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Apart from the strong performances throughout and Patel’s impressive direction, the production design provided by Pawas Sawatchaiyamet gives the film a simultaneous beauty as well as a more sinister side that perfectly showcases the tightrope Kid walks as he continues his path of revenge. The skillful way in which the film is constructed allows the story to unfold both organically and logically, much to the benefit of the overall product.

As far as directorial debuts go, there are only a handful of films that may be as well respected by history as Dev Patel’s work with Monkey Man. Whether this is a sign of even greater things to come from this filmmaker will remain to be seen.

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Mike Tyrkus

Editor in Chief at CinemaNerdz.com

An independent filmmaker, co-writer and director of over a dozen short films, the Editor in Chief of CinemaNerdz.com has spent much of the last three decades as a writer and editor specializing in biographical and critical reference sources in literature and the cinema, beginning in February 1991 reviewing films for his college newspaper. He was a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, as well as the group's webmaster and one-time President for over a decade until the group ceased to exist. His contributions to film criticism can be found in Magill's Cinema Annual, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever (of which he was the editor for nearly a decade until it too ceased to exist), the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, and the St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia (on which he collaborated with editor Andrew Sarris). He has also appeared on the television program Critic LEE Speaking alongside Lee Thomas of FOX2 and Adam Graham, of The Detroit News. He currently lives in the Detroit area with his wife and their dogs.

@miketyrkus

Mike Tyrkus

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