Monkey Man Movie Review

“Monkey Man” is the brutal tale of a young man in India out to avenge the murder of his mother and the destruction of his small village. He also sometimes wears an ape mask and gets beaten to a bloody pulp. But he learns there is a larger reason for which to fight. That gives him a greater purpose – to beat the bad guys into a bloody pulp…

In a fictional urban Indian city named Yatana, the young man is called Kid (played by Dev Patel). He was orphaned after his village was raided and destroyed by the big city’s Police Chief Rana (played by Sikandar Kher). Kid was there to see Rana attack his mother Neela (played by Adithi Kalkunte). Rana murdered the defenseless mother. Kid is now out for revenge.

Kid is impoverished in the big city and has no real skills. So he makes money by putting on a gorilla mask and getting into the ring of an underground ‘Fight Club’. This sleazy place is run by Tiger (played by Sharlto Copley). He tells Kid that the only way to earn more cash is to bleed more blood. Kid becomes ‘Monkey Man’ in the ring, and his specialty is getting the snot kicked out of him.

Kid knows that Chief Rana goes to an exclusive club. Kid gets a job in the club kitchen. He plans an elaborate heist from the top manager named Queenie (played by Ashwini Kalsekar). He returns her ‘lost’ purse and is able to land a job. He works with a fellow peon named Alphonso (played by Pitobash). Alphonso has more authority, and he can get into the top level of the club. That is where Chief Rana likes to hang out.

Soon Alphonso has Kid join him at the most exclusive club areas. There are some other dignitaries who attend the club run by Queenie. One high-level person is Baba Shakti (played by Makarand Deshpande). He is a religious leader turned ruthless power-hungry political player. The club also ‘offers’ lots of woman. One woman that Kid befriends is Sita (played by Sobhita Dhulipala). Kid thinks that she could be free from all this one day.

Kid makes very precise plans to ambush Chief Rana in the club. This all goes to plan, until the plans go down the toilet. A major fight goes on in the exclusive men’s room, and soon Kid is on the run. Kid borrows Alphonso’s sweet ride to take him far away. Kid is caught, but then escapes, and he is hurting. He is used to getting the snot kicked out of him. But he is not used to the bullet and knife wounds…

The police search ends and Kid is given up for dead. Kid finds that he was rescued by a clan of outcasts. These are ‘hijra’, a traditional group that do not conform to either male or female. The Hindu belief system means that this group is left alone. The leader, named Alpha (played by Vipin Sharma) lets Kid know that he is welcome. Kid can stay and recover until he finds his purpose in life. Kid knows that his purpose was to kill Rana – but he has failed in doing that.

Kid finds out that Rana was only taking orders from Baba Shakti. Shakti wants to get rid of all the poor outcasts in the city and the surrounding areas. That included the Kid’s village, and his mother. It will soon also include the hijra temple where he has taken refuge. Kid is even more determined to have a super-buff training montage. That way he can show off his muscles and beat up on a bag of hanging rice. All that while grooving out to rhythmic beats.

Kid is up for another round against Chief Rana and against Baba Shakti. He is not only going to avenge the murder of his mother, Neela. He is now ready to fight for all the people impoverished and forgotten. The super-rich upper-class snobs will learn a thing or two. First, Kid must go back to visit Tiger, and fight once more in the ‘Fight Club’. Only this time, the ‘Monkey Man’ will be passing out the pain, and not getting the clobber knocked out of him.

Queenie is still in charge of the exclusive club, and Alphonso is still on the run (from the Kid’s first failed attempt). It is an election night, so Chief Rana is there — along with Baba Shakti. Kid will find all of the people that he needs to deal with all in one place. There are also multiple henchmen and goons and thugs that might come after Kid. No problem. Kid is not just going to open up a can of whoop-ass. No, this time he is ready to open up an entire 55-gallon drum…

“Monkey Man” is a fabulous first time effort as Director for Dev Patel. This is a very personal passion project for him, seeing that he is also the main actor, he co-wrote the screenplay, and came up with the story idea. Most everything depends on Patel doing a good job, and that is proven in the results of this movie.

Patel is setting himself up as a true action star, much different than most other roles he has taken in the past. The story is interesting, but takes a long pause in the middle section. The action sequences rank up there with the best. Shades of many Hollywood action thrillers hang overhead, along with more than a few Honk Kong kung-fu fighting movies.

This is a very hands-on project for Dev Patel. Or should that be ‘fists on’? His character is a broken man, but he finds himself along the way. All the other actors are just as good, but mostly are there to set up and support the ‘Kid’ – as either a friend or a foe.

“Monkey Man” is an action-packed brutal beat-down of a movie. The fighting is tough and gritty. The action sequences will make you go bananas!