If you like well-filmed, brutal fights, you’ll love the John Wick series. But it has some serious competition this year.
“It’s like John Wick with/in/plus…”: How often have sentences like this been used in the 10 years since Keanu Reeves’ triumphal march through the revenge fantasies of the entire film world? Too often. Every well-staged action flick that takes on the theme of revenge has to put up with the comparison. But this movie puts an end to it.
Although he had to endure broken bones and numerous injuries during the shoot, Dev Patel fulfilled a dream with Monkey Man: the martial arts manifesto is his directorial debut, while also playing the lead role and writing the script. And what a debut Patel has created here! You can now see his qualities for yourself for the first time in a streaming subscription from Sky.
New on Stream: In Monkey Man, a street fighter seeks revenge on one of the city’s most powerful men
Kid (Patel) is a child of the streets. He has found his home among the countless homeless in Yatanas. But it wasn’t always like that. He once had a real home, a family, security – he was happy. All the more hatred he harbors for the man and the system that took all that away from him.
To survive, he enters illegal underground fights against the most bloodthirsty opponents. He takes a beating, accepts serious injuries, to train his own abilities and strengths and to grow with his challenges. Finally, he begins to seriously plan his revenge campaign.
Monkey You don’t have to put up with comparisons to John Wick – he’s more than that
Monkey Man is not just “John Wick in India”. Yes, there are chic neon visuals. Yes, the protagonist seeks revenge. But from here on, he does his own thing and creates a fantastic and authentic original. Through the influences of Indian cinema culture and mythology alone, Monkey Man mutates into an impressively unconventional beast.
The action thriller takes the liberty of keeping its pacing completely free and taking its time. He forcibly pulls us into the underworld through the incredibly dirty, hard action, far from tailored suits and glossy assassins. He gives his avenging angel special cultural roots, an ideology and a deeper meaning that Wick first had to fight for over four films. The Monkey Man feels more, wants more.
This is not only evident in the way his fate is embedded in an overall context that is incredibly important, especially today. The action also breaks new ground with creative ideas. Despite the homages at the end, Patel’s aesthetic remains unique. And pages of praise could be written about the music alone.
