For years Dev Patel has been floated as a potential candidate for the next James Bond. With his directorial debut, Monkey Man, the actor has made it clear that he has far more up his sleeve than being a stuffy British spy.
Thanks to a hard-hitting trailer and feverish word of mouth coming out of SXSW, Patel looks to have delivered the next evolution in action cinema. In addition to directing and starring in Monkey Man, Patel also developed the story, making the film something of a passion project for the actor. Based on early reactions, it shows in every frame and brutal punch.
Here’s everything we know about Monkey Man including when you can catch it in theaters and another look at the badass trailer in case you missed it the first time around.
Plot
Described as John Wick in Mumbai, Monkey Man marks Dev Patel’s directorial debut as well as his first turn as an action star in this brutal fighter inspired by the legend of Hanuman.
According to Hindu mythology, Hanuman was a fierce monkey god who commanded his own monkey army that performed heroic feats and battles across India where he’s still worshipped to this day. Hanuman also stars in his own wildly popular series of comic books, but Patel has chosen to take the legend to a much more bloody and gritty place as the actor/director dons a monkey mask to pummel the ever-living crap out of his opponents.
Here’s the official synopsis:
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.
According to early reviews coming out of SXSW, Monkey Man is a brutal experience that’s quickly cementing Patel’s credentials as both an action star and director.
“Dev Patel comes out swinging, stabbing, and pulverizing in his hard-hitting debut,” Matt Donato wrote. “Dev’s adoration of action cinema shines as clear influences meld with his fiery storytelling.”
“MONKEY MAN is brutally violent, against the villains, but also against the hypocrisy of religion, the tyranny of caste, and the oppression of a corrupt government,” writes Josh Hurtado. “Dev Patel nailed it, bloody as hell and intense as f*ck.”
Cast
In addition to Patel, the Monkey Man cast includes Sharlto Copley, Sobhita Dhulipala, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, Sikandar Kher, and Makarand Deshpande.
Release Date
Monkey Man slams into theaters on April 5 thanks to producer Jordan Peele, who was so blown away by Patel’s directorial debut that he swooped in to give it a wide release.
Trailer
You can watch the official trailer for Monkey Man below:
Monkey Man hits theaters on April 5.
