Everything feels like a carbon copy, a watered-down facsimile of something better and more original that came well before. It’s all sequels, and threequels and prequels, oh my.
Maybe that’s why I am still gob smacked days later after experiencing “Monkey Man,” the directing debut of Oscar-nominated actor Dev Patel (“Slumdog Millionaire,” “The Green Knight”).
And I do mean experience.
“Monkey Man” is visceral and unrelenting. It demands that you buckle up and hold on, but it also consistently rewards with highly-stylized bursts of adrenaline and deeply-personal moments of catharsis.What should be exhausting is actually exhilarating. Patel’s fight, chase, fight, chase, flashback format keeps you alert and locked in. Your mind doesn’t wander because you can’t look away.
“Monkey Man” is a blitzkrieg of carnage. A history lesson steeped in Indian culture and folklore. And a searing indictment of caste politics. Every scene crackles with urgency. Every punch lands with authenticity.
Prior to the lights dimming and the screen coming to life, I heard several film critics talking about what to expect, and warning of the depth and degree of violence about to be displayed.
And probably 20 minutes in, I thought to myself, this isn’t that bad. I’d seen far worse, including 2022’s graphic Ozploitation misfire “Beaten to Death.”
Boy howdy, was I wrong.
“Monkey Man” joins an impressive list of 21st-century action movies that are redefining what audiences can and should expect. Films like “The Raid: Redemption,” “Dredd,” and the entire “John Wick” franchise.
But it also transcends those benchmarks of brawl and bullet-ballet fantasies by actually being about something more than the brutality that humans can inflict.
Patel never loses sight of what truly matters—family, a sense of self, an unyielding faith in right over wrong and good over evil.
“Monkey Man” is a revenge flick through-and-through, not unlike so many that have come before, from 1973’s “Thriller: A Cruel Picture” to “Death Wish” to “Oldboy” to 2023’s “Silent Night.”
It’s also a testament to the power of belief, in ancient stories like that of Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god, and faith, that sometimes our bodies can rise to a challenge and absorb unparalleled abuse, because of we’re meant to fulfill a higher calling.
I haven’t walked out of a theater feeling so energized and inspired in I don’t know how long.
Of all the movies currently playing, “Monkey Man” is the one you should go see in your favorite theater with the biggest audience possible.
If I could have spent another two hours watching it again, I would have gladly stayed in my seat. And that’s a high compliment. There are very few movies I have watched back-to-back viewings in my 53 years of life. Trust me when I say, “Monkey Man” is that good.
Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
This article appears in Apr 4-10, 2024.