SXSW EXCLUSIVE: 'Monkey Man' Review: A Brutal and Bloody Directorial Debut [SXSW 2024]
A Film Built on broken bones, torn muscles, and miles of heart is a triumph for the first time director
There is a term a movie that is written, directed and stars the same person. That term is a “Black Tank-Top” movie. It is meant to mock the ego that is so heavily stroked by the production of the film and the fact that they so often wear a black tank-top. Monkey Man is devoid of any such ego. Dev Patel has poured his soul into this film whose production was a struggle at every level. Plagued by broken bones, infections, torn muscles, closed borders, lost financing, and not to mention a global shut down the film had every right to shut down. But by sheer force of will, and a little help from Jordan Peele, the film was completed and is nothing short of a triumph.
As far as the plot goes, the film is a classic revenge story built on a superhero movie frame. It’s about a young man who goes on a journey of vengeance against the people who are responsible for his mother’s murder. It’s nothing that hollywood hasn’t seen before. What really rallies you to the character’s side are the trials and failures he endures along the way. His journey of revenge is long and he fails a lot. He isn’t dumb, he just isn’t as prepared for what he asks of himself as he thinks. His redemption from the failure is an equal balance of mental, physical, and spiritual. His recovery feels just a hair long in the tooth but everything that follows is pure action gold. The final act of the film is a bone crunching, blood-letting, climb to the top of a heavenly tower of vengeance.
Dev Patel is an incredible actor. His body of work over the years is proof of that. What people may not know is that he is an incredible martial artist as well. The character is tormented by his past and driven by revenge, just like most action heroes. What separates him from others is the fact that he is learning as he goes and isn’t quite aware of how inept he is in the beginning. It is spirituality and determination to improve that saves him. Sharlto Copley has a small roll even though he is billed quite high. Bollywood actor and comedian Pitobash steals quite a bit of scenes as the comedic foil to Patel’s brooding torment. Sikandar Kher plays the heavy in the movie. It is very easy to hate this man and wish all the ill will upon him which means he does his job very very well. The entire cast plays their parts well, playing off Patel beautifully.
The production value is what elevates the movie to something spectacular. The locatations are beautiful and become a character in themselves. Each one felt real and lived in which unfortunately is rare when everything is filmed in front of greenscreen. One quality that added to the tone of the film was that everything looked gritty and grimy. In combination with the lighting and set dressing, everything looked like you would need a tetanus shot after touching it. That is, until the main character rose from poverty to privileged to heavenly. The sets and locations highlight the social economic divide in India which only adds to the theme. As lovely and dirty as the setting is, audiences will leave the theater thinking about the fights. The fight scenes are brutal with a capital B. Faces bleed, bones break, throats are slashed… Fun for the whole Family! But seriously do not bring your kids. The violence of this film goes above and beyond what is necessary to get the point across and it is great. The entire movie is geared around highlighting Patel’s martial arts prowess which is absolutely on par with his acting ability. It is very likely that the action sequences in Monkey Man will be mention alongside John Wick, and The Raid: Redemption.
Is Monkey Man like any other martial arts film? Yes and no. The story is very classic revenge and there are more than a few familiar elements from classic action and superhero films. However, the strong Bollywood influence and focus on character work and emotion add a dynamic that isn’t seen in many similar films. Some films take the emphasis off of the acting as a lot of those stars lack range as actors. This film aims to strike a balance without devolving the main character into the stoic silent type. Dev Patel has created an action classic and has earned the respect he deserves as an actor, director, martial artist and absolute star.