I find it fascinating when an actor makes the jump to directing a film. It’s a bold, self-confident declaration that their ability at one job somehow makes them qualified for an entirely different job. Thus, regardless of the quality, the results are usually noteworthy. The transition is often a failure, with actors in the director’s chair falling victim to over-ambition or banality. However, occasionally, the transition to director is a success; the actor has an impassioned, precise vision that justifies the excursion behind the camera. I am happy to report that actor Dev Patel has undeniably earned himself a spot in the latter camp with his directorial debut, “Monkey Man.”
The story of “Monkey Man” revolves around a protagonist simply named “Kid,” played by Patel himself, who seeks violent revenge against the Indian political elite who murdered his mother and destroyed his village. It’s a familiar revenge story, but Patel makes it feel fresh and distinct. He injects the film with a strong sense of pain and grief that anchors its flashy violence in catharsis. His outstanding physical performance in front of the camera communicates a keen sense of vulnerability that helps differentiate the film from the typical genre fare.
The film features frequent crosscuts to Kid’s childhood, grounding the present action in the context of Kid’s painful past. It serves as a reminder to the audience that the violence being waged is not just superficial but rooted in tragedy. The crosscuts are initially vague and disorienting, making the eventual full reveal of what happened in his past heartbreaking and appalling. The scene of his mother’s death is raw and unflinching without feeling like shock value, as it powerfully transports you into Kid’s memory of having to witness his mother’s brutal death. The film’s emotional core is strong and affecting, helping it reach dramatic heights atypical of the action genre.
The action sequences in the film are visceral and gritty, with Patel opting for shaky cams and closeups to frame the action. This visual style can easily lead to messy, confusing action. However, Patel’s adept direction avoids these pitfalls. The shaky cam makes the action feel exhilaratingly chaotic and tense, which compliments Kid’s inexperience as a fighter. The camera's closeness to the action makes every hit and slash palpable. Keeping track of the fights is never hard, as the editing and camera movements display a strong sense of discipline behind the rough visual language. The fight choreography is also creative and propulsive, taking full advantage of their environmental elements. Patel’s ability to craft such dazzling and exciting action set pieces in his debut is impressive.
Unfortunately, the movie’s themes and political messaging reveal the hallmark flaw of directorial debuts: a lack of focus. The film wants to critique the rise of Hindu nationalism, Hindutva, in India. The main villain is an influential Hindu guru, Baba Shakti, trying to get a nationalist political candidate elected. Baba and the corrupt chief of police were the people responsible for the destruction of Kid’s village. The film has the passion and anger to back up its political grievances. It’s audacious, glorifying Kid’s political violence as noble and justified. Lines of dialogue directly rebuke pacifism and the belief that revenge is futile. However, the film lacks the specificity and realism to make its political messaging fully compelling.
The film is far too vague with its characterization of the villains, only offering tidbits here and there to indicate their ideology and motives. Their relation to Hindutva becomes incidental, thus making them really ineffective stand-ins for the real-life issues the film wants to address. Furthermore, Kid himself is Hindu and frequently weaponizes Hindu deities in his quest for revenge. In a film that wants to criticize the way Hinduism has been used to justify conflict and violence, it’s perplexing to then have the protagonist do the very same thing himself. Kid and his village being Hindu also make his backstory lose its political weight, for it becomes unclear how the village’s destruction was directly due to Hindutva if they’re Hindu too. The movie displays a genuine concern about the state of Indian politics, making its hesitancy about having the story reflect reality disappointing. Yet, I don’t want to be too harsh on the film, for Netflix thought its messaging was incendiary enough to hurt their dealings in India, leading them to quietly bury the film before Universal agreed to distribute it themselves.
“Monkey Man” is an admirable and great directorial debut from Patel. Its action is kinetic and gritty, and the film’s powerful emotional core makes it more than just an exercise in stylized violence. Patel has a clear talent for directing, and I can’t wait to see what he can do with more resources and less hellish production conditions.
