Monkey Man

There's a lot of intrigue packed into Monkey Man. For starters, it's a signal towards producer Jordan Peele expanding his production company into more than just horror. In its energetic (and pretty damn good) trailers, it comes across as the Indian John Wick - which it has no problem self-referencing. 

But more than anything, it's intriguing because of Dev Patel's turn in the directors chair. The child who was introduced to most of us via Slumdog Millionaire (I need to Retro Review this amazing film), has been taking on more mature, unique roles and now is directing himself in a violent, brutal action film. So how does it all turn out?

My expectations were high, a tad unreasonable, so it didn't meet my expectations, but it's still an actioner worth its weight plus it points toward Patel being a talented director in this space. 

Right from the gate Monkey Man's setting and tone help it feel unique. We're introduced to the poor and wealthy sides of India, a key component of the plot. It feels gritty and tough, but not afraid to have some wink-wink fun every once in a while (see the aforementioned John Wick name drop). The setting gives it a lot of kinetic energy, while some quick-beat, bass-filled music choices play a key role. Kudos to the soundtrack manager on this one, it makes certain scenes sing.

Our plot is a traditional hero's journey, and while it's simplistic in nature, I couldn't help but feel there were some pacing issues. It's a film that feels like 2.5 hours instead of 2, thanks in large part to a story that backtracks on itself (only phrasing I can think of). There's a lot of time spent building up before a partial/false climax, and then your traditional "get ready for the final fight" preparation for the...ahem...final fight. But it feels slower than it should, though it's worth mentioning the training "montage" here is culturally pitch perfect and a lot of fun. 

In the action department, Monkey Man ranges from generic to fantastic, and it's a pretty obvious split where each of those occur. Much of the action before the final fight - save for a few moments - is something you could find anywhere. Yes it's violent and brutal, but it's no different than most other action films. The camera work is overly edited and frantic and a little too chaotic for my liking. But then we get to the final sequence of fights, and its where Patel's talents (both as director and action star) really shine. The camera settles down for more extended takes, the choreography is more intricate, and the battles more brutal. Things like lighting, cinematography, and colors are elevated. It's not quite a tale of two movies, but there's enough distinction to know which part of the film I loved and which part was merely okay/good. 

Monkey Man - particularly its final 20 minutes - shows a lot of promise with both action star Dev Patel and director Dev Patel. Storyteller Dev Patel still has the jury out as the plot is nothing to write home about. And while I may be "disappointed", I can also appreciate that there are some really fun things throughout this energetic film. 

Rapid Rath's Review Score | 7.5/10