Dev Patel has definitely come a long way since his acting in Slumdog Millionaire in 2008. The Lion actor has written, acted and directed Monkey Man, which is inspired by the story of Lord Hanuman. Set in a fictional world of Yatana (supposedly Mumbai), the story is an all-out raw action entertainer that is a revenge drama. The stark difference between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, is made evident through the stunning visuals Patel uses to showcase his vision.
Kid (Dev Patel) who lives in the slums takes part in underground boxing matches wearing a monkey mask and gets beaten to a pulp, to eke out a meagre living. But he has other plans while he does this every night – to get revenge. Kid patiently plots his way into the world of the rich to seek out the police chief (Sikander Kher) and the god man (Baba Shakti) who is advocating the masses to vote for the Sovereign Party, a Hindu political outfit. Kid gets himself employed by Queenie Kapoor (Ashwini Kalsekar) and finds a foothold in the world of the rich and powerful. Why and how does he extract his revenge on these men?
Dev Patel has made a sensational debut as a director choosing one of the most common themes in cinema – the underdog who gets his revenge. But what Patel has ingeniously done is to pay homage to a lot of action thrillers that have out over the years by blending various aspects. There are elements of Bollywood as well as Hollywood films in this film and that makes it quite unique and entertaining. For instance, you see Hinduism, the mother sentiment, the music and the politics of India on one hand, and on the other, you see Indonesian film type quick action sequences and the John Wick influence. But the movie is not without its flaws. It focuses on so much action that at one point one thinks the movie is just blood and gore. And this gets a little jarring. But perhaps Patel intended the movie to be an all-out action flick where he showcases his kicks and moves despite his thin, sinewy torso, and gives acting a backseat.