Dev Patel has managed to capture the magic of John Wick with an intense take on the typical action film for his directorial debut.
If you enjoyed the John Wick saga, most notably the first flick, then you’ll likely enjoy Monkey Man.
While there is clear inspiration, the film is its own beast and starring in the lead role, Dev Patel brings the character and his gun-fu antics to life.
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But first, let's talk about the plot.
A nameless protagonist (played by Patel) takes viewers on a journey of revenge and discovery as he attempts to take down the corrupt and ultra-elite following the murder of his mother.
Just like any good action thriller, the plot is kept simple and easy to follow so the viewer can enjoy the true spectacle: the fight scenes.
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It looks like Patel took inspiration rom Christian Bale’s Batman, Keanu Reaves’ Wick and a touch of Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne to help choreograph fight scenes that are as ruthless as they are enjoyable.
The Monkey Man's fighting style harkens to his nickname in that he scratches, claws and bites his way through fights while hurling any and all items close enough to give him a slight advantage.
He might even give classic Jackie Chan a run for his money.
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Living a double life as a fighter, who dons a monkey mask during his bouts, the protagonist's fighter persona and his normal life identity take great inspiration from the Hindu deity Hanuman, and his story.
Ultimately the idea of Hanuman helps channel the character's ideas of defiance against oppression.
The anguish, the pain and desperate need for revenge are also seen in Patel's performance throughout the film - making for one hell of a memorable action hero.
The pacing of the film is a breath of fresh air as you are regularly hit with high octane action - only for the flick to slow down so you get a look into the protagonist's mindset, his difficulties dealing with his troubled past and his quest for revenge.
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Now you might be wondering, if this film is so good why didn’t you hear about in the lead up to its 5 April release?
Well, interestingly the film was meant to go straight to streaming to Netflix, but thankfully it was destined for a loftier debut.
That's when Jordan Peele stepped in.
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Yep, that Jordan Peele.
The one who was known to comedy fans the world over for his skit work on Key and Peele, and who was introduced to the rest of the world with his brilliant horrifying director debut Get Out and his other horror masterpieces, US and Nope.
The film finished wrapping in early 2021, and sometime after Peele saw the film and was so impressed with it that he felt it deserved a cinematic release.
So that does have to count for something.
After seemingly having his mind blown as much as mine, he got behind the film and acquired it from Netflix.
He took it under his Monkeypaw Productions banner, and due to his ongoing deal with Universal Pictures, the film has been pushed out in cinemas around the world.
So if you're a bit tired of the dry and boring films, and would like a return to simply entertaining and intense gun fights and martial arts, then Monkey Man is the man you need to see in cinemas this April.
Monkey Man is out for release in US cinemas from April 5.
Topics: Film and TV
Gerrard Kaonga