Before watching this, I had already heard all the interesting tales of how this came to be. As Dev Patel was making his directorial debut, while starring, he managed to injure himself a few times, and still kept filming.It seems like the kind of press you leak to get fans of action films uniquely excited for the experience as the action scenes must be intense for Patel to have sustained multiple injuries. This isn’t just a tragic accident like Dylan O’Brien on the set of the Maze Runner sequel. Patel got knocked down, and chumbawumba’ed himself back up again multiple times. That, and this was originally in development for Netflix, reportedly until Jordan Peele saw the film, and jumped on as a producer, securing this film actual theatrical distribution. Based on all that, I obviously gave this film an A, and we don’t need to discuss it, right?
Well… while Patel might have bled for his craft, this is yet another revenge actioner where some random guy with a particular set of skills has to enact vengeance. Since this type of film has essentially become a sub-genre all its own more recently, Monkey Man gets compared to much bigger, and better films. It doesn’t have the budget to topple something like John Wick Chapter 4, but the comparisons are still drawn. Is this as good, as brutal, and as unique?
Short answer, no. long answer, there are fleeting moments of greatness. I particularly loved this expertly choreographed sequence where damn near everyone in town passes this wallet until it gets to Patel. More than any singular fight, I’ll remember that scene the most. Not only did it feel fresh, but it was so well described. Sadly, I watched this on Peacock, and I never know who the team is doing the description, since Peacock is the fastest service to move me into the next thing. But, much like other like minded brawlers from this year, like Road House and The Beekeeper, it has some really detailed description, and deserves a pat on the back for making a movie accessible that would be unwatchable otherwise.
The problem is, while Patel shows us some potential, something tells me he’s not an action director. I want to see him direct something meaningful, because he’s not known for even starring in action films, let alone having the acumen to direct one. It’s hard to believe he was the best choice for this, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t something there. There are moments, and most of them lie outside the action scenes. Every fight sequence feels like it has been done bigger and better before by someone used ton handling fight choreography without being repeatedly hospitalized.
I think plenty of people like this for what it is, and it satisfies on one viewing. I struggle to see that this would become a franchise, or have any cultural impact that would cause us to remember this in five or ten years. I’m looking forward to Patel’s next film, but this is just a decent time waster.
Final Grade: B-
