Written, directed, produced, and starred by Dev Patel. Monkey Man (2024) has been my favorite film this year so far. I love action movies, and at first, I thought it would be similar to others, such as John Wick, The Equalizer, Taken, etc. because it is almost impossible not to compare action films. Before I watched it, I saw many reviews and remarks about it. However, you cannot give a man a gun, have great fight scenes and call it John Wick’s copy, it just discredits the hard work of Dev Patel and everything he did to get the film to premiere in theaters. Jordan Peele, who was one of the producers as well, saw its potential. He jumped on board and made it happen. He thought it deserved to be seen in the cinema, and he was right.
Despite the comparisons with John Wick, mostly because the actual movie was mentioned in this one, I think it is so much more. Numerous critics loved it and gave wonderful reviews. For me, more than the need for revenge that will lead to astonishing fighting sequences, this film has a magnificent trans representation, and cultural background. Along with a killer soundtrack. Moreover, I learned so much about India, and ancient Hindu myths and beliefs. That is what made it feel so special. The storytelling was remarkable, with commentary on social-political dynamics. I even forgot that I was watching an action film. If I had to compare it to another movie, it would actually be Black Panther, for all the traditions portrayed, and the search for power and revenge.
The kid’s trauma (monkey man) is what motivates him to grow stronger and fight against anyone who was involved in the death of his mother. He needs to kill the city’s elite who took everything away from him. To accomplish that, he finds a way to infiltrate himself into an important club. After his first attempt to kill one of them, he gets injured badly. However, a group finds him and heals him. Once he felt better, he began his training. People in that community were really supportive, and somehow they knew he would put an end to the horrible dictator who killed without mercy. Monkey Man was the chosen one. The underdog will become legendary.
If you feel like watching some action, you should definitely check this film out. Dev Patel has been known for his wonderful roles in Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, Hotel Mumbai, and The Green Knight. But now that he worked hard to direct his film, it deserves way more attention than it got these past months. You may find it on Prime Video. I’m sure you will not regret giving it a chance.
