Film Review – Monkey Man

Dev Patel was once a cheery young actor who made his mark in pictures such as “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.” Patel has worked to change his cinematic presence as he matures, aiming for harder hits and challenging parts, including his participation in 2021’s “The Green Knight.” Making his feature-length directorial debut, Patel aims to shake up the senses with “Monkey Man,” which presents a gut-rot tale of revenge in India, with the helmer endeavoring to use as much local culture and troubles to infuse the movie with a distinct personality. It’s an actioner, but Patel and co-writers Paul Angunawela and John Collee aren’t making a wall-to-wall bruiser. They take their time with the work, giving viewers a clear path to vengeance and a feel for Hell as the lead character experiences a transformation of his own while seeking to destroy those who’ve ruined his life. “Monkey Man” is made of chaos, and that fury tends to be exhausting as the effort enters its second hour, but Patel definitely has a vision for the film, with this concentration on darkness sporadically thrilling to watch. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com