Monkey Man (2024) User Reviews

Some Great Elements, But Not A Great Movie

[ocnkyle · 6/10 · 7 April 2024]

Huge Dev Patel fan. Monkey Man is the first movie I've gone to see in the theaters in a very long time. I just don't get interested enough to not wait for it to be streaming.

Monkey Man compelled me to go. It's probably the best movie trailer I've ever seen, or at least one of the best.

The problem with the trailer that I foresee is many are going to walk out of the theater feeling misled.

If you're an action movie fan, DO NOT GO SEE THIS IN THEATERS. Wait for streaming. This is a drama with elements of action and crime thriller. Anyone going in who thinks this is like John Wick will be sorely disappointed. The problem is, that's the impression the trailer gives.

I'm actually not even a John Wick fan. I like action movies, but I don't seek them out often. What I thought could make Monkey Man special was the added substance of Indian mythology, culture, and a more fleshed out character drama that was hinted at in the trailer.

Some of that was present, but it didn't come together nearly as well as I had hoped. I don't agree with the severe criticism of the action scenes and how they were filmed. I thought they were good and the shaky cam didn't bother me. Could it have been better? Probably. But I think the criticism there is overblown.

Where the film missed its mark for me was the story itself. The first act was good, but in the second act it ground to a halt for 40 minutes or so of more of what we already learned in act 1, at the expense of pacing. Some parts were fleshed out way too much while other parts weren't fleshed out enough, making it feel off almost the whole movie. The supporting characters didn't get enough of this, which didn't help us care about them and also care about them joining the fight with our protagonist.

I'm genuinely surprised at some of Dev's choices in Act 2. I actually admire him for trying to make a movie with more substance that could be called action to some degree, but I just think he didn't nail the blend of these things with Monkey Man. You could argue that he tried to do too much. There was a significant amount of extended flashback used throughout even up to the very end. This ended up taking us out of the present and hurting the flow of the story.

I think Monkey Man as Dev Patel envisioned it might have been much better as a limited series. So that he could take his time and flesh everything out the way he wanted. Because again, there were some great elements in this movie. Good acting, good cinematography, good music (although it sounds as if it was more stereotypical Indian music and other cultural elements used), some great fight scene moments, and some fun bits. It just doesn't add up to a great movie.

Someone else mentioned they felt detached a bit, and I agree. Despite the protagonist's story having the right emotional elements to draw us in, it didn't do it as much I had hoped for me.

What I envision is a lot of people going into this expecting a pure action thrill ride, and they're going to be bored. Again, this is a drama, and one that I wanted to like more than I did.

This doesn't sour me on Dev at all. He may have just bit off more than he could chew with this one, but he had the balls to go for it, and I respect that.

Great directorial debut

[burntoutboy · 8/10 · 30 March 2024]

Got to see an early screening of Monkey Man. I had good expectations going off the trailer and they were met and beyond.

The film starts off well and builds momentum for a decent revenge arc although it is hard to follow sometimes. The shakey camera work contributes to this as well as the dialogue not being particularly clear.

However what takes this film from good to great is the final third. The music, the action, the violence, it was just so incredibly well done especially for first time director. I couldn't take my eyes off it and didn't know what to expect next.

Thank you Jordan peele for saving this from streaming as this deserves to be seen on the big screen!

A really solid and surprising 7.5

[Orlando_Gardner · 8/10 · 27 March 2024]

A really enjoyable and at times moving actioner, with a good heart and enough social commentary to elevate it above the ordinary.

First time director (and kudos to him, this is a brilliant debut film) and star Dev Patel shows here that he is a director to watch and a bonified movies star. The boy has chops. Here he plays Monkey Man, an underground street fighter just striving to make a living in the slums of India but with a burning desire for vengeance. As the film progresses we are slowly introduced to both the target(s) of his vengeance and the reasons he is crippled by it.

You've seen this all before in a hundred films of its type but this has enough style and substance to it to stand out from the rest. The fights scenes (especially as the film progresses and our protagonist improves) are dynamic and kinetic, the camera never stops moving. But there are enough quiet, still, thoughtful moments here to raise this film above the usual chaff. The flashback scenes are filled with warmth and beauty and show a real eye as a director. The film uses music exceptionally well to add both gravitas and levity to scenes where needed.

With influences from western cinema, Indian cinema and especially 90s East Asian action flicks this film has enough pace and action for the fight movie fans but also enough of a story and heart for the general movie goer. You'll be rooting for our eponymous Monkey Man to get his vengeance. As I said a really excellent directorial debut from an already established young, proper movie star. The future really looks bright for Mr Patel.

You can tell it's a directorial debut

[usierpinska · 6/10 · 20 April 2024]

You can tell this was Dev Patel's first time directing because it feels like he refused to cut any scene from it in the interest of keeping the story engaging. The second hour of the movie could have been 20 minutes. There was no longer any plot, you knew exactly what was going to happen from the midpoint, you just didn't realize it was going to take over an hour of pensive looks and Dev punching 200 people. The best way I can describe it is if that scene from John Wick where he takes forever to get up the stairs and then he's right at the top and tumbles down? Imagine if that was half the movie. It could have been great if only it was properly edited.

Dev Patel, action star.

[BA_Harrison · 7/10 · 31 March 2024]

If you had told me a year ago that Dev Patel would play India's answer to John Wick, I would have thought you were crazy, but here we are with Monkey Man, in which the actor directs himself as a man determined to take revenge on the people who murdered his mother and stole their land.

The film features plenty of brutal fight action - a mix of gun play and hand to hand combat - but Patel succumbs to that irritating trend - shaky cam with rapid editing; I'm sure this technique hides a multitude of sins, but it always feels a bit like a cop out to me and makes it rather difficult to follow the action. Monkey Man also suffers from erratic pacing, with lulls in the action that go on for a tad too long. If Patel had had the confidence to shoot his fight scenes in a less chaotic manner and had kept the pace more consistent, I think the film would have been better for it.

That said, I didn't dislike the movie as a whole - Patel does well in his role as avenging angel and the level of violence is impressive. I definitely had far more fun with Monkey Man than either of the other two big screen releases I have seen recently: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and Godzilla x Kong, both of which were hugely disappointing.

Just Another Vengeance Flick...

[Xstal · 6/10 · 14 April 2024]

You've seen it all before so many times, the disenfranchised as a phoenix from the flames, having witnessed the destruction, some years later there's eruption, spewing anger and revenge, against past crimes. There's all the violence you'd expect from such a flick, although it's child's play compared to Mr. Wick, so I'd suggest you take a look, the trilogy of Park Chan-wook, a set of films that have a far more reaching kick. Although the politics may just catch your attention, quite simple but it gives some comprehension, as it jabs at real world themes, at a nationalist machine, that ignores freedoms and rights, with great dissension.

Revenge Film w/ Substance

[aurumthewise · 9/10 · 5 April 2024]

A good revenge film that takes its time to develop the protagonist. Dev Patel gives a gut-wrenching portrait of man that lost everything. Enhanced by some creative photography, the violence is brutal and visceral. Taking its time, the film asks the audience to be patient for the hero to fully come into his "powers," but the payoff is well worth it. There is some "shaky cam," but not too much to ruin the experience. The spirituality, as well as the legends told in the movie, really add to the overall story, giving the film more substance than a lot of action films. The villains could of been developed a bit more, especially the Lion, but that's nitpicking.

Mediocre Man

[ethanbresnett · 6/10 · 1 April 2024]

Monkey Man promised so much through the electrifying trailer, but unfortunately I was left thoroughly underwhelmed.

For me this is primarily for one reason. The action was so poorly shot which is such an unforgivable sin for me. It was full of jarring cuts, shaky camera work, and disorientating pans and whips. Dev Patel clearly wanted a very kinetic and vibrant approach but it just wasn't executed well for me. This is such a shame as when the camera work did settle down the action was violent and gritty and could have been something really special. The stunt work all looked good, it just wasn't presented well at all.

In terms of the story there isn't much to complain about. I've seen so many films of this ilk and Monkey Man doesn't necessarily stand out too much. Some side plots and characters added a little variety, but ultimately the story was fairly generic. Nothing great but nothing awful.

Then there was the lead performance from Dev Patel which again I was left a tad underwhelmed by. He's a brilliant actor and considering he was directing I thought he'd really shine in this project, but he just failed to really draw me in as something was missing from his performance. None of the other characters were developed enough to particularly comment on their performances.

One of the strengths of the film though is probably the look of the whole thing. There are some good creative choices in the sets, lighting etc, that do create a vibrancy and energy which worked well.

With so many great films in this genre like John Wick, Taken, Nobody etc, there needed to be something in this film to really stand out. Unfortunately nothing did, resulting in a resoundingly mediocre affair.

⚡ Energy Energy Energy ⚡

[DoNotComeToTheCinemaDepressed · 8/10 · 31 March 2024]

Just Got out of an Early Screening of Monkey Man.

It was a High Intensity Watch at Times. It has an Effective Display of Energy up on the Screen. I didn't know Dev Patel Directed this. I must say, it's a Very Good Execution.

A Mix of Indian Mythology, Hand to Hand Combat and Great Sound Design and Score.

Things I Liked -

1a. 💪 Dev Patel is very good in this, he's brutal, both in giving and receiving Pain.

1b. 💪 Staying on the Fighting, Some of the Fight Sequences and Fight Choreography were very Good.

2. 🎵 ⚡ The Thumping Score and Sound Design Vastly Elevates What's Happening on Screen, it sounds very Good on the Ear 👂. It's very Effective Stuff.

3. 📜 The Plotline is Interesting Enough, as I said it's a Mix of Indian Mythology, Some Real World Indian Political History, Brutal Hand to Hand Combat (Some Gun Play too) and a Revenge Story.

4. Loved the Ending.

Overall, a very High Intensity Watch at Times.

John Weak

[infosubro · 6/10 · 6 April 2024]

The movie is a techincal feat, its amazing how they managed to shoot the entire movie on a macro lens and without a gimbal. I know there were shakes but common its a handheld camera.

I am from India and I didn't connect to it at all. It missed the essence! There is very little character development and the main characters are not memorable. We don't know about the people of the village except they loved to tell the same story over and over again and the kids loved it. We don't really know who is Alpha and whats their deal. We don't know the little kid who stole stuffs for the hero and why.

Average at best!

A GREAT MODERN ACTION FILM

[denswan · 10/10 · 22 March 2024]

This movie has a great unique action style. The story is well structured and is now one of my favourite action movies of all time.

This shows a unique Indian culture and Dev Patel is a very talented writer, director and skilled actor with high potential in the film industry.

I hope this movie gets the recognition it deserves after the actor and his skilled team gave their best to entertain everyone around the world with a great movie.

I also hope that they will make more movies like this in the future because we only get them once a decade and as an action fanatic, this is one of the greatest Directorial debut of all time. 10/10.

Watch if you don't have anything new to watch

[iltbn · 6/10 · 23 April 2024]

As usual, I don't know where to start. It's a decent film overall. Seems well made for the most part, good cinematography, and the score was pretty good as well. It's not like it's boring or anything but this is quite a generic revenge corruption plot. Very little backstory; as the film progressed i got new bits and pieces of information as to why the main character did what he did, but at that point in the film, it didn't feel like it mattered much.

Characters other than the one portrayed by Dev Patel, were pretty much non-existent random NPCs used to fill the scenes. I guess he knew how to write his own character but not all the others, which is too bad. Some scenes made absolutely no sense, others were even making me cringe a little, and yet, the overall feeling was "fun entertainment", so I'll let it slide.

Unoriginal and full of reused cliche concepts

[hp-07706 · 2/10 · 20 April 2024]

I think the high scores are from people with a Hindu background. They're totally biased. The entire movie is a cliche Bollywood action movie that everyone has seen a million times already. It's totally unoriginal and has rip-off fight scenes stolen from John Wick.

The first half is cultural propaganda. It's so cringy that I just didn't want to keep watching. No real character development. Just the tough guy protagonist and trying too hard to make the audience like Indian culture. Don't get me wrong, I've seen a lot of Bollywood movies. If you want to see a good Dev Patel Indian movie, go watch Lion (2016) instead.

The story is begging the audience to like the characters. The action is forgettable. I did stick to the end and left the theater feeling like I wasted hours. There are better fight movies and Indian movies out there. Don't let the high review scores fool you unless you want to waste your time and money.

I'll still give it a 2 because it's not the worst movie ever made. This is a typical forgettable Netflix movie that you would stop watching halfway through.

Unwatchable if you suffer with motion sickness

[misskforrest · 5 May 2024]

I haven't given it a rating because I know I belong to a small minority here but I actually had to turn this off 20 mins in.

Apparently due to budget issues, they had to film a lot of it with a phone and it shows. It's incredibly sickness inducing.

If you suffer with motion sickness from phone videos or first person games, you probably won't be able to watch it either.

It's a shame because Dev is fantastic, the fight scenes are cool, the focus on Indian culture and politics make a nice change, and the soundtrack is decent.

I just can't watch it. And I suppose it's kind of a compliment that I tried for longer than I should have, which resulted in feeling ill and an unplanned early night.

Don't do that. If you're like me, give it a miss.

Promised so much but didn't deliver

[soju1664 · 6/10 · 20 April 2024]

Some of my favourite films of recent years are Nobody, Extraction, John Wicks and even Polar, so I was looking forward to watching this.

First the good bits:

-Story was OK, nice to mix it in with excluded and socio-economic divided groups in India. Nothing amazing/original here and it had some holes.

-Acting was perfunctory, nothing stand out great and nothing atrocious.

-Violence, on occasion there was some well shot satisfying violence.

Now the bad bits:

-All of the unrelenting shaky cam, absolutely no need for all of it. I almost walked out in the second act because of it and I've never walked out of a cinema. They tried to do longer type shots for the action especially in the final act with less shaky cam, but still not shot well.

-Really, really too many out of focus shots, either the cameraman was really inexperienced or they had too much really bad stylistic advice. Really distracting and really frustrating (just like my overuse of "really")

-Almost constant poor framing of shots. Nothing was easy to watch and fortunately once shot every few minutes was OK to give my eyes a rest. Not sure if they bothered checking the cinematographer's CV before they hired him. Surely they had one, right?

-The action, I love action films especially gritty, realistic, violent ones where the choreography has to be sharp and flow. This wasn't bad by any means but completely forgettable and shot appallingly compared to any of the films mentioned above. Dev Patel was OK, but a couple of times he was waiting for a punch and just out of the rhythm of it.

All in all a disappointing film and a waste of the price of the cinema.

Promicing trailer underwhelming movie itself

[bapodradhairya · 6/10 · 9 April 2024]

I had extremely high hopes after watching one of the greatest trailers of all time which this film gave. The movie wasnt matching the hopes created by trailer it gave. It has some of the amazing scenes as part of story telling but story telling but at the same time as one piece sometimes it feels bit disconnected in some manner, I was excpecting more action and properly stitched events it has very creative aproach, but that sparks as events than as a movie, overall its nice one time watch but it shattered my plan of putting into my all time movie library of movies which I can watch on any random day.

Okay movie

[raul1794 · 6/10 · 7 April 2024]

Let me start out by saying this is not a bad movie at all but had potential to be a classic. My biggest gripe like many people is the shaky cam during the 2 action sequences in the movie. Yes there really are only 2 action sequences in the whole movie. They are pretty long but there is so much boring filler and flashbacks in between that it drags out the movie to a super long 2 hours. This movie should have been an hour and half tops and would have felt much better. There are some great shots and some great choreography when you can see what's going on. Shaky cam is not even the big issue. It's all the closeups during the action that makes everything feel claustrophobic and out of focus. Dev Patel does a great job both acting and directing. 6/10 for me.

Hold onto your... nose..

[JK-WhatsUpWeirdoPodcast · 10/10 · 4 April 2024]

Buckets of blood, emotion, and vengeance. And it f'n rules. Dev Patel is so handsome it's like upsetting. He's crafted an absolute stunner. The film looks like it cost 100 million to make and it was put together for a fraction of that. It has you by the heartstrings the entire time, while the action and gore gets progressively more bonkers. Aka this movie was made for specifically me. Haha Dev is convincing, commanding, and he already is in our hearts, but I feel like this movie is about to make Dev Patel a big f'n deal. Go see it on a big screen 🔥🐵👊🏼 For fans of: John Wick, Kill Bill, Gladiator, Oldboy, Enter the Dragon.

Why give movie name monkey man when u dont respect Hanuman

[goyalatul-94187 · 6/10 · 22 April 2024]

I just watched this movie after having a high score on reviews but very disappointed.

Even on the story line.. film has so many loopholes .. i just could not figure out if the movie is made out of respect of Hanuman or just to satify western audience.

Dev patel is keep wearing the Monkey man mask as it is shown that he is influcenced by god hanuman since childhood as his mother used to tell stories about him .. and then there is a Scene where he just through the hanuman mask just like that when he is trying to get into the club...This film is not gonna go good with Indian audience for sure... I really dont nnow why they bring religion in this movie .. Dev could simply make a action movie and it could be good.. I am 100% sure that he is gonna got a lot of backlash if this movie hit in Indian theatre....

Dev Patel, the future of action movies?

[kasper_2020 · 10/10 · 2 April 2024]

*This a reaction to an early screener of Monkey Man

Dev Patel's directorial, action debut Monkey Man follows "An anonymous young man who unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless."

From its cinematography to practical effects, Monkey Man strives to be the best of the best in the action genre. Patel plays Kid, a.k.a. Monkey Man as many call him, with absolute persision. He embodies the character with such emotion, not many others could possibly think of playing him. While you won't hear much dialogue from Kid, he really expresses himself in his actions and you learn a lot about him as a person through these. In this situation, his actions speak louder then his words. While he does seem to a very original character, he does feel a bit too much inspired by John Wick which may lower the value of the film for some.

Monkey Man, when it comes to violence and gore, dosen't hold back and goes completely unhinged, using nearly anything it can find as a weapon. While at some points it does feel somewhat excessive and unnecessary, especially in the final act, it is very well performed and cherographed but the visuals may be a bit much, even for the non-squimish. And at points it does feel its overshadowing a great story. Monkey Man could hit a lot more harder if they delved further into the story and lore, as well as the political situation that takes a main part through the story.

Overall, Monkey Man is certainly not for those at all squimish but Patel's very strong performance and direction makes this one I would definitely recommend seeing this in a theatre and you might end up wanting to give it a rewatch.

Monkey Marathon

[LeAvantGuardian · 7/10 · 6 April 2024]

Revenge movies being incredible or forgettable boils down to two factors. The quality of the action choreography and original fight scenes, and the ratio of backstory/reason for revenge to actually getting revenge. What made John Wick the pinnacle of revenge movies is how they masterfully build a world during action sequences, spending only the first 1% of the movie establishing his reason for revenge and then taking you for a thrill ride of artfully choreographed violence. Monkey Man sadly is not the Indian John Wick because where John wick does more with very little, Monkey Man conversely takes the opposite approach essentially dividing the film into two acts. The first half of the movie, roughly accounting for 65% of the duration of the 2 hour film consists of backstory, reason for revenge, and without spoiling anything, setbacks.

A successful revenge movie understands that pacing is the sharpest blade. There may be setbacks. But they don't set back the pace as the movie always inches forward towards revenge.

While it is true that it is possible to enhance the satisfaction of revenge by focusing more on the reason for that revenge, this is extremely difficult to do and in almost all cases ends up causing the movie to drag. This was very much the case with Monkey Man, or as my title refers to it - Monkey Marathon.

Monkey Man has elements of what it needs to be to achieve a John Wick level of action film, but it goes in the completely wrong direction. Long form story telling. Drags. The whole first act drags and doesn't need to.

78%

Very Good Movie

[cinemapersonified · 8/10 · 4 April 2024]

Rating: 8.6 Overall, Dev Patel uses an allegory to Hanuman to create a gritty and raw tour de force that is a political love letter to Indian Cinema and Martial Arts movies.

Good to Very Good Direction (The direction on a macroscale is very raw and gritty to show this underbelly of India, yet the stunt choreography is very sharp and polished as it feels like all the action sequences are part of a well-oiled machine; the direction on a microscale is great as the interpersonal scenes give you a sense of how the conflict affects the protagonist; the direction of actors is very good as all the performances feel elevated and true to Indian culture; the storytelling is very good as it uses Hanuman and Hinduism to serve as an allegory to lay the blueprint on, and the film uses the personal connection the protagonist has to his mother drive this story forward; the tension is built very well as the protagonist's emotional rage helps fuel the intensity of the fight scenes), Good to Very Good Acting (Great from Dev Patel (A true leading man as he displays a wide range of emotions to convey all the feelings he has towards his mother and his past trauma, and he seamlessly transitions between these emotions; his action/stunts are very well executed and show how meticulous and technical he is in his craft), Pretty Good from Sharlto Copley (Helps provide comedic relief and give a 'non-Indian' voice for the film), Pretty Good from Pitobash (Feels like a comedic Bollywood/Tollywood side-kick character and develops good chemistry with Dev Patel), Pretty Good from Sobhita Dhulipala (Develops good chemistry with Dev Patel and plays his character's role well in providing insight in working with the corrupted, elite world), Pretty Good from Sikandar Kher (Plays the stereotypical Indian villain well), Pretty Good to Good from Vipin Sharma (Develops good chemistry with Dev Patel and plays the oracle figure well as he helps show the protagonist his true potential), Pretty Good from Ashwini Kalsekar (Feels like an authentic performance for an Indian of Elite status), Pretty Good from Makarand Deshpande (Plays his role well and does a good job at creating tension when working with the rest of the cast), Pretty Good from the rest of the cast (Everyone plays their role well because the whole cast feels like authentic Indian/Bollywood performances)), Very Good to Great Story (The concept is great as the overarching story is an allegory to Hanuman and Hinduism, but in the end, the story really boils down to Mother-Son relationship; the plot structure is laid out very well as each element felt like the right length and all the scenes built on each other to lead the movie to the climax; the character writing is great as the protagonist is an allegory for Hanuman and he is written holistically to show how his past trauma fuels his revenge, and the character writing for the rest of the cast is good as they fill in roles that are very stereotypical to films in Indian Cinema), Very Good to Great Screenplay (The dialogue is very authentic to Indian Cinema and is very engaging; the symbolism is incredibly profound as the movie on a macro-scale is an allegory for Hanuman, but on a microscale, the movie is really about a Mother-Son relationship and getting through trauma; the movie is surprisingly political as a good amount of the themes they bring up are anti-Indian Nationalist; the foreshadowing is great as it helps provide intrigue into the protagonist's past and his destiny, and these questions are answers very well as the movie transitions to its second act), Decent Score (Uses its themes well to help establish the mood, but was not used uniformly well); Decent Soundtrack(Some of the songs were used very well, but there were some songs that did not feel like they fit the tone), Pretty Bad Cinematography (The cinematography isn't necessarily bad, it is just very raw; there were many shots that I enjoyed and I felt like they used lighting very well to help establish the mood and emotions of the scene (giving a 'Blade Runner' esque feel at points), but it just felt like a lot of the shots felt very raw and took away from what was going on on-screen as it made it feel way more chaotic than intended), Bad Editing (Like the cinematography, the editing was not necessarily bad, it was just very raw, but unlike the cinematography, there are no redeeming factors about the editing because it made the movie way more choppy than it needed to be), Good Sound (Felt somewhat of an homage to both Indian Cinema and Martial Arts movies), Good Visual Effects (Good use of practical effects, helped make the fight scenes feel more detailed and gory), Great Production Design (Really brought to life India as it showed its urban sprawl, its beautiful jungles, and detailed temples), Good Makeup (Helped show the grit and grime of India, and the blood helped make the action sequences feel more realistic), Makeup (Helped show the grit and grime of India, and the blood helped make the action sequences feel more realistic), Good Costumes (Helped make the movie more authentically Indian), Costumes (Helped make the movie more authentically Indian), Pacing is very good as the movie feels like it is the right pace; the runtime is the right length as there was nothing that could have been cut or added, Climax is executed very well as the stunt choreography goes above and beyond and the action sequences feel so grand, yet raw, Tone is a mix of Indian Cinema, Martial Arts films, and high-octane action movies (while still leaving room for its dramatic moments), The stunt choreography for this movie needs to be studied as it feels so raw yet polished at the same time (and it is executed on such a high scale that it truly is a benchmark for action movies); This movie does an amazing job at representing multiple facets of India and bringing Indian representation to Hollywood.

8 if it wasn't for the constant close ups and shaky camera

[alikhalil-26943 · 6/10 · 6 April 2024]

Good revenge action movie.

Good acting, good fight scenes, good cast, good story development, good screenplay, good story... .. but absolutely hideous camera work!

I mean .. shaky camera and close up shots are fine here and there for a few seconds at a time .. especially during a flashback or a climax .. sure .. adds a nice touch.. but it was CONSTANT and pretty much during the majority of the film... awful!

However.. Good acting, good fight scenes, good cast, good story development, good screenplay, good story... .. but absolutely hideous camera work!

I would really love to watch it again with a different director.

Monkey Meh....

[reynahaddad · 3/10 · 22 April 2024]

I love Dev Patel and was so excited to see this movie as were my 18 and 19yo sons. We all LOVED Slumdog Millionaire so we had high hopes going in! We reaaally wanted to love Monkey Man but left the theater disappointed instead. The trailer looked so good but the movie itself was a jumbled mess and was not anywhere near as exciting as the trailer. There was a serious lack of character development for one. That combined with odd,pointless,under developed side plots, cheesy, unbelievable fight scenes and an overly long run time we were left extremely underwhelmed and wishing we had seen another movie instead. I'm confused by the high ratings this movie was NOT good and should have been 30min shorter. 3/10 is my rating and that's being generous.

🔥Indian John Wick🔥

[leestoych · 7/10 · 4 April 2024]

"Only God can forgive you now"

Man. What a wild ride. Violent, fast paced yet beautifully shot. Great effort by Dev Patel on his directorial debut. He has managed to create a worthwhile action film with some great set pieces, neck, breaking stunts and an overall good looking film.

I think what triumphs the most is the fast pace, headache inducing editing (this is a positive) with some great colour schemes and set pieces. It's fast paced editing matched the chaotic streets of India, mixed with its rich culture and history.

The soundtrack was reminiscent of John Wick, with it's party scenes and colour palette. There was some great cinematography, especially through its use of silhouettes towards the final act.

You can see the directors, aim to portray the monkey man, as a legendary figure who supports the powerless, and the impoverished of India's lower class. He makes a stand against those who are in control, which is a great pairing for an action/revenge film.

I will say that the second act does falter a bit in its speed and does drag down in some places however, it quickly picks up pace again in the last act where monkey man turns into a proper beast.

You can see the message the director portrayed as he highlights the inequality surrounding the poor in India and uses this medium to show that there is hope and people willing to make a stand against those who are in control.

All in all a decent action film with great choreography, stunts, soundtrack and editing. This is an enjoyable watch, but doesn't elevate much further than your standard action flick.

All praise for Indian John Wick!