Monkey Man: Movie Review

Cast: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Sikandar Kher, Ashwini Kalsekar
Director: Dev Patel

Dev Patel's directorial debut takes us through the slum worlds once again en route to a revenge film via a prism of cultural sensitivity and spiritualism.

The end result is a film the essence we've seen many times before but an aesthetic that feels as fresh as it is frenetic.

Through flashbacks and glimpses Patel fleshes out his character Bobby's back story, weaving hints of Hinduism and mythology as he goes. His Bobby may have sprung to life out of tragedy and trauma but Patel keeps a strong grip on what makes his journey so compelling and humane.

Whether it's the weaving through the slums, the hints of Bollywood or humanizing the transgender /queer community, Patel's eye for clarity signals Monkey Man's difference throughout.

While there are plenty of frenetic edits, rendering neon soaked vistas or high class VIP clubs places of vibrancy and danger, Monkey Man isn't afraid to slow it down and give some of the story a chance to breathe.

But that's also to Monkey Man's detriment as the script becomes over reliant on exposition and clearly explaining the parallels between the quoted Hanuman myth and Bobby's situation.

And while it doesn't rob the film of its edge, it does serve to show how occasionally surface level and shallow it can be. That's not to say the flashbacks don't deliver the emotional payoff and explain Bobby's quest for payoff, but by their very nature they're not quite long enough to cover the occasional slow moments.

Yet, when it thrills, it does so magnificently and malevolently. Ultraviolent in parts, and pre-empting the John Wick comparisons by a throwaway reference, Patel's movie offers a glimpse of how tired tropes and genre exhaustion can be shaken up. 

It's a classy debut that offers up much in terms of vicarious over-the-top thrills, will please many audiences and shows that Patel has an eye for the fresh that will serve him well in future.