Monkey Man Review: Our Next Great Action Hero!

Action films hold a valuable place in the hearts of general moviegoers and avid film buffs alike, typically dominating at the box office in the summer months. Although the films themselves attract all audiences, it seems in the years past action heroes have suffered from “main character syndrome,” where just like television shows and books, the main character is usually averagely intriguing with side characters being the favorites who shine through.

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With the exception of John Wick, we haven’t been given an action hero in years who stands on their own, causing audiences to howl in excitement genuinely watching and caring for their every move. Dev Patel has been a loved actor ever since he broke out with Slumdog Millionaire, resulting in fantastic films such as Lion and The Green Knight where his charisma is always undeniable.

Being an action star may have not been on our bingo card but Dev Patel thrives as Kid in his directorial debut with Monkey Man. A film that had previously been in production hell for years, Jordan Peele and Dev Patel knew they had a winner and boy, did they have one.

Kid (Dev Patel) works in an underground fight club wearing a monkey mask that signifies the story of Lord Hanuman, a Hindu God his mother would tell him stories about as a child. He’s playing the constant loser over and over again, being pummeled just to get some extra cash. Putting up with corrupt leaders for too long, including police chief Rana (Sikandar Kher), Kid seeks revenge on these men for their deception and most importantly, for the death of his mother (Adithi Kalkunte) as a child.

Kid, above all, is an admirable action hero that gives the audience everything they want in a protagonist, heart, humility, and humanity with a kick of incredible fighting skills. The difference with Kid as Monkey Man is his skills aren’t immediate, but instead acquired throughout the film as the audience witnesses his own transformation from scene to scene. Observing the emergence of Kid’s abilities strengthening as his determination is heightened is the kind of action hero we rarely get.

As a filmmaker Dev Patel shows just how passionate and talented he is in his directorial debut. Although the action isn’t constant throughout the movie, the choreography in various sequences are some of the most fun scenes in an action movie in recent memory. Patel’s direction and cinematography, beautifully executed by Sharone Meir, is reminiscent of Only God Forgives but with even more flair to mirror the underground grimly club atmosphere. Patel’s inspiration from earlier Bruce Lee films certainly gave him the ability to be innovative and imaginative through his own creation while honoring those who came before him.

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Monkey Man has an action film structure that often works incredibly, the climbing up the ladder storyboard. However, where some action films utilize this structure in a more physical sense, this film does so in a more metaphorical way as well. Slowly, making his way up the line through corrupt leaders while also ascending through obstacles personally, Patel matches up this common film convention to mean an even greater deal.

It is always satisfying to see an action hero defeat his adversaries but Kid is such a likable and badass character that every hit and swing feels that much more rewarding when the audience feels so deeply for their main star. Monkey Man is some of the most fun one will likely have in theaters this year and one to revisit many times to come.

‘Monkey Man’ Rating – 4/5

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