In a surprising reveal, Dev Patel has come out with a hot new trailer. The Oscar nominee steps behind the camera for the first time in his career, while also starring as the title character for his new action film, Monkey Man. Below is the official synopsis:
Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.
The upcoming action film also stars Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, and Sobhita Dhulipala. Monkey Man is set to be released in theaters on April 5, 2024. Here are the five best moments of the trailer:
White Monkey
First, the cinematography of this film is gorgeous. The FX also looks top-notch. What’s also great is the different culture that Monkey Man is exploring. I have no idea what the legend of Hanuman is, but that’s the fun of this premise. Getting to dive into a new world opens the avenue for some fresh storytelling and a new style of filmmaking that we’ve never seen before.
The opening does an excellent job of giving you context on Dev’s tragic backstory and the emotional scars he bears following the death of his mother. Dev Patel is a fantastic actor and though much of the opening is narrative, his facial expressions greatly paint the tone and nature of Monkey Man. The name itself sounds silly, but the rich origin of the character’s story leaves you intrigued to find out more about the legend of Monkey Man.
The Rich Don’t See Us As People
The story overall is the classic, “man is the protector of the poor”, but it helps that the cultural standings of the film is placed in Mumbai. As previously mentioned, we don’t get many mainstream films that explore places outside of the country, so Monkey Man has the advantage of being a fresh spin on a classic trope. The story itself is rather simple, but that’s a necessary tool for an action vehicle of this caliber. Plus, it allows audiences to take in the rules of this world without much confusion. Again, watching how the politics in a different country can be compelling, with the world of this story being an important character other than the main protagonist.
Bathroom Fight
The most crucial aspect is that Monkey Man makes Dev Patel’s character look human. Though the fight scenes show that he has a high level of fighting skills, moments like him quivering while holding a gun make his character more relatable. Murder is no easy thing and when characters of this nature have this complexity, it makes the fights more thrilling because of their vulnerability. The first fight is a small sample of the type of action we’ll get in Monkey Man, which is that John Wick level of choreography that should result in some incredible fight scenes.
The Political Rally
It’s also important to develop the villain as much as the hero. This is an action film, so there’s some leeway in giving characters great depth because the focus is mainly on the action. However, it does seem that Monkey Man has a nice balance as the trailer nicely showcases the antagonist as some scenes highlight the injustices he commits within this world. We don’t hear much from the main villain, but the visuals provide plenty of context on the monster that’s terrorizing the city.
Don’t Call Me Son
Of course, we can’t talk about an action film without going into depth about the incredible action. As I mentioned before, there’s a John Wick level of action sequences on board here, but the lavish settings and new customs make the fights shown in the trailers more exciting. Dev Patel isn’t particularly doing anything over-the-top or new, but that helps keep the character grounded and makes the scenes more exciting. Monkey Man has all the tools to be a big sleeper hit in 2024 if the film is as good as the trailer.
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