«Monkey Man» - Movie Review by Kinoafisha

The main character is a guy with no name who earns his living by underground fighting. Entering the ring in a gorilla mask, he loses one fight after another, getting mere pennies for it. But the would-be fighter is not as simple as it might seem. Since childhood, he has been obsessed with revenge against corrupt officials responsible for his mother's death. And one day the guy gets a chance to get even with them. For this, the hero gets a job as a waiter in a nightclub where the most influential people of India relax. Step by step, the avenger gets closer to his cherished goal, eliminating everyone who dares to stand in his way.

Critics immediately dubbed "Monkey Man" the "Mumbai John Wick" and called it one of the best action games of recent years. But more recently, the film could have been shelved: in 2021, Netflix bosses refused to release "Monkey Man", since it is based on criticism of the Indian authorities — this would have significantly complicated the conquest of the Indian market by streaming. As a result, the finished action movie was outbid by the horror maker Jordan Peele ("Away", "We"), thanks to whom the film belatedly reached cinemas.

But is "Monkey Man" really as good as they say it is? Not at all. There are really good action scenes in the film, but there are no choreographic delights in the spirit of Chad Stahelski. Unlike the same John Wick, where shootouts resemble ballet numbers, and hand-to-hand fights are often filmed in one take, in "Monkey Man" all this is shredded into small pieces. Probably, the abundance of mounting glues is designed to hide the lack of proper combat experience among the performers. For the same reason, apparently, in fight scenes, close-ups of faces totally dominate over the general ones, which is why it is sometimes difficult to understand what is happening. Meanwhile, the lack of dynamics, as usual, is compensated by an epileptically shaking camera. Needless to say, there is no question of any visual style in this crazy kaleidoscope?

However, there is an obvious explanation for all the shortcomings: Dev Patel, who had never been responsible for directing, was involved in the production of the action movie. The inexperience of the star of "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Legend of the Green Knight" is felt literally in every frame, while the plot, which was also co-authored by Patel, seems secondary even by the standards of the genre. In general, "Monkey Man" is far from "John Wick", but, fortunately, it is not another "Beekeeper" either. Unlike the conventional Jason Statham, Patel is a wonderful dramatic actor. And even in such an uncomplicated movie like this, he gives his best. Another detail that distinguishes "Monkey Man" from similar bi-movies is the non — standard setting. In Patel's directorial debut, India is shown as a country of blatant contrasts, where slums stretch next to skyscrapers, and a couple of meters from luxury restaurants where the elite rest, impoverished children sleep on cardboard boxes. The minute-by-minute change of dissimilar locations allows Patel to hold the viewer's attention for the entire two hours.

By the middle of the event, they leave the urban jungle altogether and move into the real jungle. There, according to the precepts of the genre, the hero acquires inner strength through training installation, which allows him to finish what he started. Patel's revenge of the hero is also tied to the social context. In overpopulated India, they speak two dozen languages and profess several religions, which is why xenophobic conflicts regularly occur there. The situation is aggravated by high levels of corruption, police brutality and widespread poverty. The village where the hero was born was destroyed by order of a religious leader who wanted to appropriate the land for himself. He himself, in turn, acts in the interests of the mayoral candidate, calling him the chosen one of God. And if there are dissatisfied people, then corrupt police officers are happy to use physical force. The story is mounted with a chronicle confirming that everything shown in the film is not fiction at all, but a harsh reality. Finally, the very image of the avenger, who stood up for the tormented people, unequivocally refers to the monkey god Hanuman, the national hero from Hindu myths.

Contrary to the raptures of Western film journalists, "Monkey Man" has not become a new word in the genre. Meanwhile, Patel, despite his impeccable physical form, is not even close to Keanu Reeves: fights with his participation are unlikely to impress the viewer. However, the actor's first directorial work cannot be called a failure either. Thanks to the high tempo and Indian flavor, Patel's action movie looks cheerful. The exorbitant pathos is reduced in time by witty gags, and the culminating carnage to the track of the local nu metal band Bloodywood is a miracle how good it is. So "Mankiman" should still be given a chance, the main thing is not to overestimate expectations.