Its almost unfathomable to thinkthe new film Monkey Manis Dev Patels directorial debut.
Sure, we know Patel as atalented, versatile actor.
Someone who had plenty of chances to build a reputation and style after decades of trial and error.
Dev Patel in Monkey Man.Image: Universal
And yet, its not.
With Monkey Man, Patel does quadruple duty as co-writer, producer, director, and star.
Bobby has been formulating a plan for yearsand now, its time has come.
First-time director.Image: Universal
Patels direction throughout Monkey Man is that of a man possessed.
Most importantly though, all that energy isnt just there to be cool.
It is cool, 100%, but even more so its there to visually convey Bobbys feelings.
First-time director.Image: Universal
If so, Patel portrays that both through performance as well as shot composition and editing.
Another key to the films success is that while Bobby is a very capable fighter, hes not invincible.
Throughout the film, he gets beat up, stabbed, and shot.
He loses fights and, more than a few times, almost his life.
Patels brand of action is from the Die Hard school of thought as opposed to Fast and Furious.
And grow Monkey Man does.
Hes part man, part myth.
Thats where the films title comes in.
Bobbys alter ego when hes fighting for money is Hanuman, a Hindu god who is half-human and half-monkey.
As the film progresses, Bobbys story rises above revenge.
His purpose intersects with and impacts many different types of people and cultures.
But also: Monkey Man is just a flat-out blast.
Theyve crafted epic sequences with all manner of martial arts, weapons play, and even some car chases.
Truly, there isnt much Monkey Man does wrong.
It tells a relatively simple story of revenge and bolsters it with character-building and cultural significance.
The film looks and sounds exciting, all of which serve that story and characters.
And its action propels everything along too, punctuating a script that has a beautiful, satisfying structure.
Monkey Man cements Dev Patel as not just an incredible action star, but a standout director.
Monkey Man hits theaters April 5.
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