Monkey Man Review: Dev Patel pulls no punches in directorial debut

Dev Patel’s Monkey Man is a wild, grungy, violent directorial debut with a side of political and social commentary.

Patel plays Kid, a lowly fighter trying to make ends meet while plotting revenge. He usually takes whatever scraps Tiger (Sharlto Copley), the fight club promoter, throws his way. His goal is to get closer to the police captain and religious leader who killed his mother. To gain access, he accepts a lowly dishwasher job at a club that is a front to a prostitution ring, which caters to the elite. His initial attempt fails. However, he finds a new purpose after a transgender community saves him from a certain death.

Whenever a new action film comes out, there’s always a tendency to compare it to the John Wick films. The brutal physicality of Patel’s action sequences certainly is John Wick-esque. However, Patel’s use of shaky cam is more reminiscent of Paul Greengrass in the Bourne films.

Monkey Man doesn’t flesh out the world as much as the John Wick franchise. However, Monkey Man does flesh out the world in small doses. For instance, a sequence shows Kid acquiring a gun that evokes John Wick. While Monkey Man is mostly, a mean vengeance mission, Patel does a great job slowing down. Whether it’s showing class differences or connecting with Kid’s new surroundings in the transgender community, there’s a reason for all the mayhem. I also enjoy how Kid starts as a man who can brawl but loses every fight.

Patel’s Monkey Man isn’t perfect. Copley vastly overcooks the performance as the carny promoter. I also think the trio of villains in Baba Shakti (religious figure), Rana (corrupt police captain) and Queenie (owner of the club/prostitution ring) are shallow.

For a directorial debut, you won’t see many more ambitious films than Monkey Man. If this is Patel’s first film, Patel’s directing ability may be on par with his considerable acting chops.

Monkey Man Review Score:
8.0 our of 10
Great

With the overview out of the way, here’s a closer look at Patel’s directorial debut.

Origin of Monkey Man

The screenplay by Patel, Paul Angunawela and John Collee weaves in a couple of origin stories for Kid.

Flashbacks show the relationship Kid has with his mother and the razing that destroyed his home and led to his mother’s death. Kid’s charred hands from the fire serve as a constant reminder of what Kid is fighting internally and externally.

Kid begins as a man with a quest for vengeance but lacks purpose. After his first attempt to kill Rana fails, he winds up with the transgender community. Alpha (Vipin Sharma, excellent) helps Kid make peace with his past, which allows Kid to craft a new origin for the Monkey Man. Once Kid heals from his numerous injuries, he tunes up his fight skills to match his renewed commitment.

Patel does a great job of showing Kid’s growth throughout the film. Before his initial failure, Kid’s anxiety and PTSD overwhelm him. After his reawakening, he oozes a cool, confidence that gives way to a ruthless, unflinching nature.

The Streets of Yatana

Early on, Patel does a great job of showing how sophisticated the streets are in Yatana.

During a frenetically shot sequence, a man in a wheelchair steels Queenie’s wallet. Then, the wallet is passed person-by-person across several blocks until it reaches Kid. He returns the Wallet to Queenie for a job at her restaurant, club and prostitution rink.

In another scene, Kid needs a gun to fulfill his quest for vengeance. He shows up at a normal-looking food stand. Kid places an off-menu order and is taken into a back room by a small child, where he meets an arms dealer.

These are just a couple of sequences that provide the film with a haves vs have-nots spirit that makes Monkey Man feel like a larger film than just a one-man quest for justice.

Contrasting communities

There are two main settings in which Kid operates, with Tiger’s underground fighting ring serving as an offshoot of sorts.

The club is an example of wealth and corruption left unchecked. Where everything is about distancing yourself from who you are. It’s truly shocking to see how open the prostitution is in the club. Even menus with women’s attributes are featured and priced according to market value. It’s truly awful.

The transgender community is the opposite. This community is where you become more in tune with who you are. For Kid to find his center, he confronts his reality instead of avoiding it, which allows him to move forward.

Monkey Man final thoughts

Overall, Monkey Man is a remarkable debut. The violence is hard-hitting. Thankfully, Patel also knows how to flesh out the world, differentiating it from a mindless, action romp. However, outside of Sharma, none of the supporting performances stand out. The villains are especially one-note., but Patel’s committed performance is impossible to resist.

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