Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
01-26-24 | 10:25 AM
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Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
Only in Theaters April 5.
Oscar® nominee Dev Patel (Lion, Slumdog Millionaire) achieves an astonishing, tour-de-force feature directing debut with an action thriller about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless.
Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, 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.
Packed with thrilling and spectacular fight and chase scenes, Monkey Man is directed by Dev Patel from his original story and his screenplay with Paul Angunawela and John Collee (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World).
The film’s international cast includes Sharlto Copley (District 9), Sobhita Dhulipala (Made in Heaven), Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm), Vipin Sharma (Hotel Mumbai), Ashwini Kalsekar (Ek Tha Hero), Adithi Kalkunte (Hotel Mumbai), Sikandar Kher (Aarya) and Makarand Deshpande (RRR).
Monkey Man is produced by Dev Patel, Jomon Thomas (Hotel Mumbai, The Man Who Knew Infinity), Oscar® winner Jordan Peele (Nope, Get Out), Win Rosenfeld (Candyman, Hunters series), Ian Cooper (Nope, Us), Basil Iwanyk (John Wick franchise, Sicario films), Erica Lee (John Wick franchise, Silent Night), Christine Haebler (Shut In, Bones of Crows) and Anjay Nagpal (executive producer of Bombshell, Greyhound).
Serving as executive producers are Jonathan Fuhrman, Natalya Pavchinskya, Aaron L. Gilbert, Andria Spring, Alison-Jane Roney and Steven Thibault.
Universal Pictures presents a Bron Studios production, a Thunder Road film, a Monkeypaw production, a Minor Realm/S’Ya Concept production, in association with WME Independent and Creative Wealth Media.
Oscar® nominee Dev Patel (Lion, Slumdog Millionaire) achieves an astonishing, tour-de-force feature directing debut with an action thriller about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless.
Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, 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.
Packed with thrilling and spectacular fight and chase scenes, Monkey Man is directed by Dev Patel from his original story and his screenplay with Paul Angunawela and John Collee (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World).
The film’s international cast includes Sharlto Copley (District 9), Sobhita Dhulipala (Made in Heaven), Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm), Vipin Sharma (Hotel Mumbai), Ashwini Kalsekar (Ek Tha Hero), Adithi Kalkunte (Hotel Mumbai), Sikandar Kher (Aarya) and Makarand Deshpande (RRR).
Monkey Man is produced by Dev Patel, Jomon Thomas (Hotel Mumbai, The Man Who Knew Infinity), Oscar® winner Jordan Peele (Nope, Get Out), Win Rosenfeld (Candyman, Hunters series), Ian Cooper (Nope, Us), Basil Iwanyk (John Wick franchise, Sicario films), Erica Lee (John Wick franchise, Silent Night), Christine Haebler (Shut In, Bones of Crows) and Anjay Nagpal (executive producer of Bombshell, Greyhound).
Serving as executive producers are Jonathan Fuhrman, Natalya Pavchinskya, Aaron L. Gilbert, Andria Spring, Alison-Jane Roney and Steven Thibault.
Universal Pictures presents a Bron Studios production, a Thunder Road film, a Monkeypaw production, a Minor Realm/S’Ya Concept production, in association with WME Independent and Creative Wealth Media.
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IBJoel (01-26-24)
01-26-24 | 12:55 PM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
This looks fucking badass!
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miller_time22 (01-30-24)
01-26-24 | 12:59 PM
#3
Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
I made it about halfway through the trailer.
I don't want to see the whole movie and will check it out wherever it ends up streaming.
I don't want to see the whole movie and will check it out wherever it ends up streaming.
01-30-24 | 05:28 PM
#4
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
Trailer was interesting, but what an awful title. Clearly this movie takes itself seriously, but will audiences with a title like Monkey Man?
02-12-24 | 08:05 AM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
02-12-24 | 08:30 PM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
02-13-24 | 10:27 AM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
this looked really good to me. almost John Wickish.
03-12-24 | 11:37 AM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
Reviews coming in from SXSW: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/monkey_man
03-12-24 | 02:50 PM
#9
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
Tickets are on sale but they're still splitting the premium screens with KongXGodzilla. What is available is inconvenient for me.
03-21-24 | 11:08 AM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
03-26-24 | 08:29 PM
#11
Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
Apparently this movie was finished a couple years ago and whoever owned the film sold it back to the producers or some such story.
Peele is a producer and he has changed some aspects of the movie to not offend a specific country of people?
Peele is a producer and he has changed some aspects of the movie to not offend a specific country of people?
03-26-24 | 09:33 PM
#12
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
Interesting. I noticed in the film’s wiki that filming wrapped in March 2021, so three years ago. It also says Peele bought the film from Netflix and replaced the score. Getting a potentially good movie out of the Netflix swamp isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but yeah, three years would suggest there’s more to the story.
04-02-24 | 10:09 AM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
Reviews coming in from SXSW: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/monkey_man
04-02-24 | 11:56 AM
#14
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
Doesn't look like my cup 'o tea. Mix of Fight Club and Bloodsport.
04-04-24 | 10:44 PM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
I enjoyed it. Pretty impressive directorial debut by Patel. It’s basically the Indian John Wick. Lots and lots of bloody kills. If you weren’t a fan of the John Wick series, then this might not be for you. For the most part, it’s a straight forward revenge plot. But it does try to get into some deep Indian lore.
My only complaints are that it might have been a little bit too long. Also some of the cinematography of the early fight scenes are a little rough to watch and shake a lot and might make those who get motion sickness nauseous.
Not the best action movie I’ve seen, but a solid B from me. The last 40 minutes or so is straight up mayhem.
My only complaints are that it might have been a little bit too long. Also some of the cinematography of the early fight scenes are a little rough to watch and shake a lot and might make those who get motion sickness nauseous.
Not the best action movie I’ve seen, but a solid B from me. The last 40 minutes or so is straight up mayhem.
Last edited by DJariya; 04-04-24 at 10:51 PM.
04-05-24 | 07:32 PM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
It was alright. Too long, IMO. Could've trimmed 15 to 20 minutes of it off... but it still shows promise for Dev as a director.
It seems every action movie that comes out now gets called a John Wick comparison and it feels so reductive. This didn't seem like Wick to me. It's more in line with Korean revenge films... which apparently was an influence for Dev.
It seems every action movie that comes out now gets called a John Wick comparison and it feels so reductive. This didn't seem like Wick to me. It's more in line with Korean revenge films... which apparently was an influence for Dev.
04-07-24 | 01:03 PM
#17
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
Sounds like the pre-COVID production was incredibly troubled:
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/d...as-1235955606/
04-07-24 | 10:28 PM
#18
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
I saw this tonight in Dolby Cinema and it was a lot of fun.
The most unexpected kill was the one with some random bystander walks
My audience literally screamed/gasped at the same time!
The most unexpected kill was the one with some random bystander walks
Spoiler:
My audience literally screamed/gasped at the same time!
04-10-24 | 12:31 AM
#19
Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
Didn't know anything about this (I thought it was going to be a horror film). The first forty minutes had me riveted, but once the ridiculous fighting started my interest waned. If the guy is so invulnerable he can receive multiple life-threatening injuries, only to shake them off in seconds to continue fighting like Superman there isn't much tension or excitement. Maybe if I knew more about the film I would have been more receptive.
Strange thing about my matinee: I thought I was going to be the only one in the audience, then just before it started two other people walked in. But then when it was over and the lights went up, I was the only person in the theatre. Not sure if I somehow missed seeing them walk out or if this is a ghost story.
Strange thing about my matinee: I thought I was going to be the only one in the audience, then just before it started two other people walked in. But then when it was over and the lights went up, I was the only person in the theatre. Not sure if I somehow missed seeing them walk out or if this is a ghost story.
04-10-24 | 08:36 AM
#20
Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
I thought this was a mixed bag. The John Wick comparisons are obvious (the movie even specifically name drops John Wick), but it's a pretty different sort of movie.
Monkey Man is far more ambitious, at least thematically. It's also not wall to wall action as the trailers might have you believe. Dev Patel tried to make a revenge fight movie that also says something about class/culture/politics in India. You can tell that this being his first film, he had a lot of ideas, both in terms of theme and filmmaking, and tried to get them all on screen.
While it's never incoherent, it feels a bit messy at times. This was originally a Netflix movie that they bailed on only for Jordan Peele to come to the rescue and "fix it" for Universal and I think you can see the seams. When it's good, it's pretty good, but there are some dull stretches and I didn't live the hyper kinetic editing of the action scenes. That said, I do look forward to seeing what else Patel might have up his sleeve.
This is almost nothing like Flight Club or Bloodsport. There's an underground fighting ring aspect to the story, but it's a relatively small part. This is a revenge movie with a heavy dose of Indian politics and culture.
Monkey Man is far more ambitious, at least thematically. It's also not wall to wall action as the trailers might have you believe. Dev Patel tried to make a revenge fight movie that also says something about class/culture/politics in India. You can tell that this being his first film, he had a lot of ideas, both in terms of theme and filmmaking, and tried to get them all on screen.
While it's never incoherent, it feels a bit messy at times. This was originally a Netflix movie that they bailed on only for Jordan Peele to come to the rescue and "fix it" for Universal and I think you can see the seams. When it's good, it's pretty good, but there are some dull stretches and I didn't live the hyper kinetic editing of the action scenes. That said, I do look forward to seeing what else Patel might have up his sleeve.
This is almost nothing like Flight Club or Bloodsport. There's an underground fighting ring aspect to the story, but it's a relatively small part. This is a revenge movie with a heavy dose of Indian politics and culture.
04-10-24 | 12:05 PM
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04-23-24 | 02:55 PM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
Already on digital after 3 weeks
04-23-24 | 07:37 PM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
You should see Monkey Man. It’s basically the Indian John Wick and it was awesome.
04-24-24 | 07:18 AM
#24
Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
These John Wick comparisons are going to be the problem I have with these action movies going forward John Wick ended with number four for me. I’m also tired of seeing the same old unstoppable killer action type guy.
I’m ready for something new and fresh.
I’m ready for something new and fresh.
04-24-24 | 07:26 AM
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Re: Monkey Man (2024, D: Dev Patel, P: Peele) S: Patel
This is definitely not just simply an "Indian John Wick".