REVIEW: MONKEY MAN

4/5

Monkey Business.

121 Mins. Starring: Dev Patel, Sikander Kher, Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Sobhita Dhulipala & Vipin Sharma. Screenplay: Dev Patel, Paul Angunawela & John Collee. Director: Dev Patel. In: Theatres.

King Kong ain't got s### on this training day, even if the Baba Yaga has. This being 'Monkey Man', the directorial debut from 'Slumdog Millionaire', 'Hotel Mumbai' and 'The Green Knight' star Dev Patel. There really is nothing the star of HBO's 'The Newsroom' and the man who gave us 'The Personal History Of David Copperfield' can't do. The 34-year-old, great and BAFTA award-winning actor, who also has a few Academy Award and Golden Globe nom nods to his name, is doing it all here as all action actor and dynamic new director crossing over like Zoë Kravitz in 'Blink Twice', on a screenplay he penned with Paul Angunawela and John Collee (of 'Master and Commander' and 'Happy Feet' fame).

Produced and presented by 'Get Out', 'Us', and 'Nope' director Jordan Peele (who had similar success producing the timeless, throwback horrors of 'Candyman' and 'The Twlight Zone'), 'Monkey Man' goes well and truly apes###. The planet is Dev's world now, as a perfect Patel does damn near everything, blood, sweat and tears of rage. Even though this bloody, brutal,  'Lion' like love letter to motherhood (which is thankfully not also a true story) owes a nod to the hand-to-hand, gun-fu action of Keanu Reeves' 'John Wick' (it knows this, even referencing the man with the pencil) like 'Nobody's' business. All the way down to the all black suit and the cute canine companion, we can only hope doesn't meet a thorny, 'Thrones-y' end (otherwise, I'll be the one chopping off d###s). Even the way he opens up a cabinet, hammers home the 'Wick' burning themes. Have these guys heard about keeping their keys under a rock on the porch?

This 'Monkey Man' wears his own mask, though. And that's what makes this ringside entrance to this fighter that likes to take a hit, with good reason, so cruelly compelling in all this bloodlust and political points with the finger that jabs. This Monkey fist for Monkeypaw Productions also hits at a 'Chappie' reunion with the voice of 'District 9' and 'Elysium', Sharlto Copley himself, playing it up perfectly, like his sleazy and slick suits, as always. Although the most iconic Indian movie since the billionaire making, 'Slumdog' features a whole host of talent from Patel's motherland. His best film since 'The Green Knight' also features Sikander Kher as a brutal b######, Bollywood icon Pitobash ('Million Dollar Arm') as a friendly face, Sobhita Dhulipala as an unspoken love interest trying to escape that life and Vipin Sharma as an amazing Alpha in hallucinogenic scenes of spirit.

Yet it's a devastatingly good Dev Patel, whose performance in this labour of love, passion project, that really affects us the most. How long he trained and honed his already lean and mean machine of a body we don't know. But adding this 'Atomic Blonde' like, no punches pulled fist fight of furious revenge is a real brave one like Jodie Foster, getting vigilante justice for Naveen Andrews, as Terrence Howard looked on trying to put one and two together. Just wait until he throws everything at a kitchen more explicit than 'The Bear' as he roars...and doesn't even need the sink. Not only does 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' owner shows that he's capable of arming up in all sorts of ways, he always brings a darkness and depth to this searing story and brutal back one that even the likes of dear John couldn't write. 

Here in Japan, between the confusing kanji, katakana and hiragana, you would be forgiven for thinking (I admit it), that this movie was a left turn direction for modern horror maestro and 'BlacKkKlansman' producer, Jordan Peele. How pleasantly surprised you will be on learning who the real director is as the Batman blood credits roll like heads here in this tale. Add this Universal, South By Southwest premiered picture, that has made a $35 million dollar return on its 10 mill investment, being a hit that also takes shots at those in power ignoring the problems in India (societal ills, including corruption, discrimination, caste system, poverty and the experiences of the Hijra community are explored), and you really have a mainstream movie that means more. A bruising blockbuster ready to give the summer a black eye, we can't wait to see what Patel makes next now he's entered the director's chair on the back of an auto rickhsaw. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Slumdog Millionaire', 'Lion', 'John Wick'.