In 2018, Oscar-nominated actor Dev Patel announced he’d be making his directorial debut as suggested by previous collaborator Neill Blomkamp. In addition to directing, Patel would be starring and sharing writing credits with Paul Angunawela and John Collee. Patel originally wanted to film in India in 2020 but had to postpone due to COVID-19, ultimately settling for Indonesia. Filming wrapped in 2021, and Netflix later acquired the distribution rights but considered canceling the release due to political concerns. At some point, Jordan Peele watched the film and loved it so much that he came on as a producer. Through his company, Monkeypaw Productions, Peele convinced Universal to buy the movie from Netflix for under $10 million. The film premiered at South by Southwest in March 2024 and received critical praise, generating an early buzz. Less than a month later, Dev Patel’s Monkey Man opened worldwide in April 2024.
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Synopsis
The film follows a young man (Dev Patel) who witnessed his village burned and his mother killed as a child. Years later, he’s trying to make ends meet in an underground fighting ring as “The Monkey Man.” Along the way, he plots revenge on religious leader Baba Shakti (Makarand Deshpande) and police chief Rana Singh (Sikandar Kher). Shakti orchestrated the village’s destruction to acquire the land, and he hired Singh to lead the massacre. Through his underground connections, our hero gets a job from Singh’s cohort, Queenie Kapoor (Ashwini Kalsekar), naming himself “Bobby.” Unfortunately, Bobby flies too close to the sun and nearly dies, though to be saved by spiritualist Alpha (Vipin Sharma). With help from Alpha and his transgender commune, Bobby trains with a newfound sense of purpose and makes his return. Now more driven and determined than ever, Bobby seeks vengeance and justice for those wronged.
Review
For his directorial debut, Dev Patel excelled and then some with Monkey Man, and I anticipate his next outing. Unlike many contemporary action movies, Patel isn’t afraid to go for the jugular and presents brutal, unflinching violence. You feel all the hits that are dealt, and the violence gets progressively bloodier and bloodier as it goes on. Admittedly, the editing can get choppy during the action sequences due to tight zooms, quick cuts, and shaky camerawork. While the editing does get better later on, parts of the first act are nearly incomprehensible because of the editing. Also, after a frantic first act, the film grinds to a near halt in the second act. The second act has plenty of story and character development, but it feels like tonal whiplash. Don’t get me wrong, Patel did an excellent job on his first outing, but there’s room for improvement.
In addition to doing a solid job directing, Patel delivers one of his best performances since The Green Knight. He does a great job playing the strong, silent type with a look of determination and focus on his face. Seeing how his revenge plan plays out is fascinating, and you feel for him when things start to go south for him. Though his screen time is limited, Sharlto Copley chews up all the scenery around him when he’s on screen. He steals every scene he’s in, and I wish Copley had been in the movie more. Another highlight is Sobhita Dhulipala as Sita, a sex worker whom Patel’s character forms a bond with. You feel the hurt and struggle she’s going through, and you get the sense that she’s lost faith in humanity. Sikandar Kher plays a great villain and even outshines Makarand Deshpande, who’s technically the real villain.
The fight choreography is excellent, and every hit feels visceral and natural, probably because a lot of it was. Amongst all the violence and fight scenes, there’s also plenty of political and social commentary that isn’t particularly subtle. From the look of Mumbai poverty to the subjugation of trans people, it makes sense why Netflix might’ve had reservations. The fact that a major studio like Universal was willing to take on a project like this says a lot. What’s also refreshing is the film’s short runtime of under two hours, a rarity in Hollywood today. Even if the second act somewhat drags, it’s not enough to make the experience feel longer than it is. Despite its flaws, this is an incredible action thriller worth your time, and I’m excited to see Patel’s next outing. Overall, Monkey Man is rough around the edges but has something special going for it.
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