Monkey Man
Spiritualism, mythology, horror, vengeance, corruption, rivalry, and carnage are among the many themes explored in this high-stakes action thriller, with a story by Dev Patel with Paul Angunawela and John Collee as co-screenwriters.
In addition to writing, co-producing, and acting in the lead role, this marks Patel’s directorial debut feature film. Sobhita Dhulipala, Sikandar Kher, Vipin Sharma, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, and Makarand Deshpande are among the actors featured in the film alongside Sharlto Copley and Pitobash.
The plot, which is reminiscent of a John Wick-In-India, follows a young man named Kid, who goes on a mission to uncover the corrupt officials accountable for the murder of his mother, Neela. For the downtrodden and impoverished who have fallen prey to corrupt politicians, Kid’s quest for revenge quickly elevates him to the status of a hero.
The entire two hours of Monkey Man are violent, grim, and gritty, even during his episodic vanquishes, so I wouldn’t exactly call it an exhilarating experience. The film depicts a dark and brutal vengeance, and its plot revolves around the main character’s abilities rather than atonement of his transgressors.
As the film opens, Kid is on the outside looking in as he sees the state’s corruption and the underground ring, led by the mysterious, dodgy white guy, Tiger (Sharlto Copley) out to destroy him. Kid, disguised as a gorilla, is brutally beaten in an underground ring in the fictional Indian metropolis of Yatana for the purpose of making money. Patel, a visual artist, may be a called very realistic filmmaker; for instance, he could build a fighting arena that is dark and filled with Earthly elements, giving the impression that it is genuinely situated beneath the city.
Whether it’s due to heavy fortification from a gang of individuals who are prepared to mercilessly kill him or a fear of recreating the terrible memories of his mother’s (Adithi Kalkunte) murder during a rural raid, Patel’s Kid rarely talks, which leaves the acting talent of the actor to deliver emotion through action and facial expressions, which he deftly does, for most of the film.
In the rather muddled second act, Kid finds solace among the Hijra, a collective of marginalised “third-gender”- who include intersex, trans women, and gender nonconforming – individuals, who nurture and educate him hyper-competence and consciousness. Unfortunately, Hollywood action films have historically avoided discussing Hinduism, Indian subcultures, and state politics, so I was a little bewildered by the film’s many references to these topics in this similar genre film. It appears at one point to jump between action sequences and real news footage of sectarian violence in India, thus it’s safe to presume that the film is thematically criticising this kind of violence via the prism of Hindu nationalism.
A bold attempt, Monkey Man offers both cutting-edge kinetic action and social and political commentary. So, if you’re looking for a story with a singular focus on revenge and bloody, vicious hand-to-hand combat, accompanied by controlled chronic, chaotic cinematography and film editing, you’re in for a treat.
Monkey Man releases in cinemas on Friday, 5 April 2024.
-Dirk Lombard Fourie