Action movies these days are often restrained by the PG-13 rating, in an attempt to cater to a wider audience.
As a result, the violence is greatly toned down: punches don’t seem to land, a kick that should’ve broken bone is met with a shrug or grunt, and characters get thrown around without as much as a speck of blood.
When that shackle is released, however, the results can be brutal, gritty and realistic. Such is the case with British actor-director Dev Patel’s new film, “Monkey Man”.
Patel plays Bobby, who earns a living every night in an illegal fighting ring. As the result of a planned theft, he returns a wallet to Queenie Kapoor (Ashwini Kalsekar), and ends up getting a job at the glamorous nightclub/brothel she runs.
It’s gradually revealed that Bobby has infiltrated the club to get closer to corrupt police chief Rana Singh (Sikander Kher), who frequents the place.
You see, Rana – under the orders of property developer Baba Shakti (Makarand Deshpande) – is responsible for the death of Bobby’s mother and the destruction of the village he’d lived in as a child.
And now, having grown up listening to his mother’s tale of the monkey deity Lord Hanuman, Bobby has vowed to seek brutal vengeance on the men who ruined his life.
In his directorial debut, Patel delivers a movie that exudes “John Wick” vibes. Heck, a character even name-drops the Keanu Reeves film franchise when Bobby goes gun shopping and is offered the same weapon Wick carries (albeit made in China!).
Apart from sitting in the director’s chair, Patel also co-wrote the screenplay and produced the movie alongside one Jordan Peele. This effectively makes “Monkey Man” more or less a one-man show – and happily, the 34-year-old delivers.
Acting wise, he is competent: each glance and word Bobby speaks is conveyed in a way that doesn’t let you question just how he’ll go to achieve his goals.
In vulnerable moments, his eyes reveal pain and sorrow; in intense fight scenes, he moves with the force of a ruthless predator, daring you to mess with him. It’s a good blend of emotion and action.
The film’s “above-18” rating allows it to let loose with the action scenes. Given the transformation Bobby goes through, his fighting style goes from sloppy and unorganised to being swift and deadly by the end.
One particularly memorable scene features him having to ward off multiple henchmen in a kitchen, and he fights with everything he can get his hands on. Think frying pans, cleavers, microwave ovens, and serving trays. Yowza.
As for what doesn’t work, “Monkey Man” tries to cram too many issues in its two-hour runtime. Politics, religion, gender equality and mythology are woven in but it all feels too clunky, making for a weighed-down and muddled script.
Another issue is the weak supporting characters who aren’t given enough time to shine. While some do make an impression, most end up being a plot device that nudges Bobby towards his next checkpoint.
Overall, though, if you’re looking for a brutal revenge action flick that pulls no punches, “Monkey Man” is for you. While it is a mixed bag, Patel ultimately proves himself to be a worthy action hero who’s no mere “Slumdog Millionaire”.
As of press time, ‘Monkey Man’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.