Written by Nynoshka Vazquez Suazo
Dev Patel is a proven, talented spirit especially given his incredible work in films such as Lion, Hotel Mumbai, and Slumdog Millionaire. Monkey Man, his latest film which he also wrote, directed and produced, exceeds all expectations and the multi-talented perform is commanding new attention and respect as a creative force.
Monkey Man follows the story of “Bobby/Kid,” an underground fighter who claims a similar identity to that of Hanuman, a Hindu legend. In his youth, he watched his village burn to the ground and saw his mother killed right under his feet. He spends his adult life planning to take down the people responsible for taking everything from him — the elite. In this action-packed thriller, Patel not only creates an entertaining, suspenseful film, but one also filled with religious and political conversations.
The action is at the forefront of Monkey Man. Each scene is beautifully choreographed and paired with stunning camera work, placing the audience right there with our hero. The film is incredibly gory and realistic with nothing looking fake nor out of place within the story. Punches come with blood and bruises, weapons, too, in realistic settings. It all makes for an authentic mafia/revenge film.
The acting performances are incredible.
Patel’s performance goes to show that he still has so much more to show the world. He approaches this character with such humility and power; you can’t help help but fall in love with him. Kid’s pain is prominent and his desperation to exact revenge is moving. You feel Kid’s rage and emotion throughout the action sequences. With every punch and every grunt, you could see his goal and there was no deterring him from it. It’s an incredibly hard thing to do, to move an audience the way he did, and it should be recognized.
Bobby/Kid’s right hand man, Alphonso (Pitabhash Tripathi), gives the film some much-needed comedic relief in the midst of such serious and gruesome action sequences. The performances of the elite leaders, Rana (Sikandar Kher), Queenie Kapoor (Ashwini Kalsekar), and Shakti (Makarand Deshpande) compliment each other perfectly as they create intimidating and powerful positions, making it extremely effective for them to be feared.
Monkey Man’s connection to religion and politics makes the film so much more impactful. The core of the story is the Hindu legend of Hanuman and it’s told in a way The temple in which Bobby/Kid re-discovers himself and his purpose is deeply rooted in religious conversations. The antagonists, are in the midst of a political campaign, trying to manipulate the population to lean to one political party than the other. It was done in such a way that continues the story but doesn’t overpower it, which is very impressive.
Another factor I must commend is the lack of a love interest. It’s a very common for films, regardless of genre and whether it’s necessary to the storyline, to add love interests to so the film is more “appealing” to audiences. Personally, I could care less if someone does or doesn’t fall in love in the midst of a war. Therefore, it was incredibly refreshing to see that Monkey Man does not have a love story. There is a slight connection between Bobby/Kid and Sita, one of the women who works at the hotel, but it’s more about respect and appreciation than love and lost.
Monkey Man is arguably one of the best films of the year, becoming a top contender on this writer’s favorite movie list. It is a film worthy of the thriller title, and hopefully is not the last of Dev Patel’s directorial nor writing works.
