Last appearing on the big screen in 2021’s critically acclaimed The Green Knight, Dev Patel has had his hands full for the past couple of years. During his on-screen absence, he's been working hard to get his latest project — the action-thriller Monkey Man — off the ground. Having co-written the script with John Collee (known for co-writing Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World) and Paul Angunawela, Patel also served as one of the movie’s producers, as well as being its director and star.
Following his breakout role in 2008’s Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, Dev Patel has consistently attached himself to interesting projects. It’s great to see him take a step behind the camera while still remaining in front of it. Judging by Monkey Man’s intense trailer, Patel’s efforts have been more than worth it, and the movie is shaping up to be one of the year’s best action flicks.
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What is Monkey Man About?
Slumdog Millionaire received acclaim for its gritty yet ultimately uplifting rags-to-riches story. On the other hand, Monkey Man instead offers a tale that is perhaps best described as rags-to-revenge. The movie centers on an anonymous character known only as Kid, who attempts to work his way into the proximity of the corrupt officials responsible for his mother’s tragic death. His ultimate goal is to exact bloody vengeance.
The film has been drawing favorable comparison to the John Wick franchise, but Monkey Man sets its sights higher than most of its contemporaries. Patel's movie puts heavy emphasis on the political state of its brutally authoritarian setting. This makes Kid’s motivations as much about justice and resistance as they are about revenge. In a recent featurette for the movie, Get Out and Nope director Jordan Peele praised this aspect of the film:
What I'm really drawn to in this film is the theme of revenger becoming an avenger. The character realizes that revenge may not be enough; that he has to fight for everyone.
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Peele, alongside his company Monkeypaw Productions, felt compelled to bring Monkey Man to theaters, buying the distribution rights from Netflix to give the action-thriller time to shine on the big screen. During the movie’s screening at South by Southwest, Patel spoke at length about why he made Monkey Man, and what he hoped the movie would accomplish:
I wanted to give it real soul, real trauma, real pain and you guys deserve that. And I wanted to infuse it with a little bit of culture.
Patel also found it important that Kid remain vulnerable throughout the movie, feeling that his protagonist needed to feel like a true underdog:
What you’re going to see is a guy who doesn’t have a quip for every scenario, isn’t the heftiest dude in the room, and doesn’t look like he’s going to win. Because he’s an underdog.
Citing everything from Enter the Dragon to Bollywood movies to The Raid as major influences, Patel appears to have the makings of a modern classic on his hands here. The movie’s influences are apparent in its trailer, which showcases its frenetic action, distinctive visual flair, and gruesome violence.
Who is Starring in Monkey Man?
Alongside Patel himself, who plays the movie’s hero, Monkey Man features an impressive cast of supporting characters. Successful Bollywood actor Pitobash (I Am Kalam, Million Dollar Arm) is set to appear as Alphonso, an ally of Kid. District 9’s Sharlto Copley also features as the announcer of an underground fighting ring with possible ties to the corrupt officials in Kid’s crosshairs.
Sobhita Dhulipala (Made in Heaven, Raman Raghav 2.0) features as Sita, a sex worker who helps guide Kid along his path of vengeance. Vipin Sharma (Taare Zameen Par), Sikandar Kher (Woodstock Villa), Makarand Deshpande (Dandupalya), and Ashwini Kalsekar (CID) also play prominent roles in the film.
What Critics Have Said about Monkey Man
While Monkey Man hasn’t yet been released to the public, the movie is currently sitting at an extremely high 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. It also has 8.0 on IMDb, based on 274 reviews. Needless to say, there is a lot of buzz surrounding Patel’s latest passion project. In addition to being championed by Jordan Peele, the movie has received a groundswell of support from fans and critics following its release at South by Southwest.
Critics have taken particular note of the movie’s ability to balance its stylish, blood-soaked action with its sociopolitical themes, which allow Monkey Man to stand out among a sea of revenge movies. Megan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting echoed these sentiments, and also praised Patel for getting the film made despite the multiple on-set injuries he sustained:
Monkey Man is epic in scale. Patel packs the two-hour runtime with an endless barrage of set pieces and kinetic action sequences, all while employing a variety of techniques that maintain a propulsive, intense pace.
When is Monkey Man coming out?
Although Monkey Man already premiered at South by Southwest on March 11, 2024, general audiences don’t have much longer to wait until the movie makes its way to theaters. Slated for release on April 5, 2024 in the United States and United Kingdom, it currently remains unclear what plans are in place for the movie’s streaming release following its exclusive theatrical run. This is due to the movie’s distribution rights changing hands from Netflix to Monkeypaw Productions – and, by extension, Universal Pictures.
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