Prime Video just added "Monkey Man," and you should definitely be watching it this week.
When I wrote about "Monkey Man" earlier this year, I called it my most anticipated movie of the year. The trailer looked awesome and I was hoping we'd have the next "John Wick" on our hands.
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After seeing the movie in theaters, I can admit we didn't quite get the next "John Wick." For starters, while the trailer shows a movie that feels essentially like "What if John Wick was from Mumbai?" the actual movie is more nuanced. There's a whole level of sociopolitical commentary in the story of this movie that simply doesn't exist in the "John Wick" universe. I wish that the trailer had highlighted some of this nuance, as it gives "Monkey Man" something that separates it from other action movies.
Regardless, I promise you the movie is worth watching for cinephiles and action movie fans alike. Here's what "Monkey Man" is about and why it's a must-watch on Prime Video.
What is 'Monkey Man' about?
"Monkey Man" is the directorial debut of Oscar-nominated actor Dev Patel. But he also wrote and produced the movie, and stars as the movie's protagonist, known only as Kid.
Kid is a young man who survives by fighting in the Tiger's Temple underground fight club as an anonymous fighter wearing a monkey mask. Outcast after corrupt police chief Rana Singh (Sikandar Kher) massacred Kid's entire village — including Kid's mother (Adithi Kalkunte) — he dreams of getting revenge on Rana.
One day, he finally infiltrates the city's sinister elite, getting a job at the luxury brothel Kings, which Rana and other social elites frequent. Once there Kid works his way up the ladder so he can finally enact his plan for revenge.
'Monkey Man' isn't quite 'John Wick' but it's still awesome
Again, the plot synopsis above feels like a standard action movie setup. Villain wrongs protagonist, protagonist trains to fight villain — violence ensues.
But Rana isn't the true villain of the movie. He's merely a pawn for Baba Shakti, a guru and leader of a nationalist party who is secretly pulling the strings behind crackdowns against minority groups like the one that destroyed Kid's village.
This transforms "Monkey Man" into something more. In the second half of the movie, a mere revenge story becomes a hero's journey that examines the struggles of marginalized people in society. It's relatively well executed and I wish the movie had started with this story earlier, as it's the more intriguing storyline.
"Monkey Man" isn't flawless. The transition from revenge story to hero's journey isn't seamless and the movie at times lacks cohesion. I found myself sometimes bumping against Patel's directorial choices and the movie probably could have been a bit shorter.
However, "Monkey Man" is still very good, and the action sequences and choreographed fights are excellent. The second half of the movie in particular has fight sequences that could hold their own with any martial arts movie. So now that its on Prime Video, make sure you watch this action movie that's been one of my favorites this year so far.
Stream "Monkey Man" on Prime Video now
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