Monkey Man (2024)

Monkey Man

• In terms of directorial debuts, this may be one of the best I’ve ever seen. Not only did Dev Patel star and direct, but he also produced and wrote. You can tell he put his heart and soul into it, not only physically, but emotionally and mentally. I’m still in awe with what I just saw. It’s a great story of vengeance that sticks out above the rest. It has such a deep basis in Indian culture, religion, and rituals. It’s not just another action movie. It places itself in a spot you’ve probably never been, and I was seeing a lot of things I’ve never seen in an action movie. What’s also nice is that it has a lot of heart. Not just random action scenes, but a story that connects you to the characters. It’s beautiful. The acting was pretty good, but Dev Patel especially stands out. That should be obvious. The strength he has, physically and mentally, is super cool to watch. He’s like John Wick, though you can see his flaws and how he learns from them. It’s actually a pretty good character study. His action scenes are John Wick worthy. The amount of knives and fists were great, and a minimal amount of guns. It was a nice change from action movies in previous years. The stunts were fantastic, with great choreography. I also loved the lighting and cinematography. It’s dark, but bright at the same time. You can see tons of detail, even in the shadows. Overall, this movie was one of the best action movies in recent years, and one that tells a strong story. My only complaint was that it took me some time to get into, but once you do, it’s amazing. I would definitely recommend it to all action fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go see it now!