The Kid (Dev Patel), an anonymous young man, sets on a journey to hunt down a group of corrupt leaders who are responsible for his mother Neela’s death. However, Kid’s journey of exacting revenge soon makes him become the savior of the poor and powerless people, who are tormented by the corrupt leaders.

Dev Patel is a performer who has long enchanted audiences with a myriad of performances like Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, and, more recently, The Green Knight. A lifelong cinema fan, he now brings to life a long-held vision for the action genre in Monkey Man, his debut directorial feature, which he describes as ‘a revenge film about faith’, and the resulting picture will shake cinemas to its core. Monkey Man offers a totally unique perspective on the action genre, and it’s driven by Patel’s desire to take this genre and have it serve narrative and culture. Taking inspiration from the Hindu deity of Hanuman and his greater Indian heritage, Patel produces a film that speaks to all of his interests and passions, and we see a film that is truly representative of its director.

In creating Monkey Man, Patel was very vocal that he wished to put his own stamp on the action genre, and that’s exactly what he does. But this doesn’t just relate to the physical stunt performances, and while he in no way skimps on the bone-breaking and blood spatter, he also sees the action genre as a way to communicate greater ideas of the human experience through the piece. This film explores ideas of pain, loss, grief, honour and faith, and where the action sequences work to serve the narrative. The story and the culture come first for Patel, and his work on Monkey Man is designed to be his statement on his culture delivered through the medium of the action genre. This attention to detail informs a film that is original and organic in its construction, and it’s an utterly refreshing watch. It’s definitely not what I was expecting going into the film.

Along with writing and directing this film, Dev Patel also takes centre screen as The Kid, a nameless and angry young man who is disgusted at the suffering and plight around him and who has a closely held score to settle with the corrupt villains at the film’s heart. As The Kid, Patel’s performance is delivered through pure rage, and he takes an interesting approach to re-assessing the classic arc of the ‘Heroes Journey’ in his conception of the character. Beginning as a brute who is happy to have pain inflicted on him as a rag-tag cage fighter, he soon lets the beast out of the cage and, through a state of divine integration, is able to fuse beast and man as one, and the result has devastating consequences for those who would face him.

While Dev Patel might be the driving force behind Monkey Man, he also gains a tremendous level of support from a terrific supporting cast. Pitobash brings the good times and hilarity as Alphonso, The Kid’s hook-up in the underworld of Mumbai, and who gets drawn into his vigilante activities. Bringing a foreboding force to the film is Sikandar Kher as Rana Khan, a brutal and corrupt police chief and the focus of the Kid’s rage, along with his employer, the sanctimonious yet sociopathic Baba Shakti (Makarand Deshpande), and when Kher and Patel go at it, it turns bloody quickly. Finally bringing Monkey Man together in an absolute scene-stealing turn, which he is known to do, is Sharlto Copley as Tiger, the proprietor of an underground fight club where The Kid plys his craft, and he gives a sly, loud and rowdy performance that adds a good dose of levity into the picture.

Monkey Man delivers a cinematic experience that is dynamic, atmospheric and intense. Shot with a kinetic, hand-held, fast-moving pace from cinematographer Sharone Meir, the impressive and lively production shines on screen. Patel’s Indian heritage and culture are on full display within this production, and Patel and Meir bring a noir-focused direction to the camera work and lighting, which is infused with a lush palette of bright reds, oranges and yellows. With its pivotal moments set during the festival of Diwali, the setting further helps to explore this central theme of ‘light battling the darkness’, and it all washes over you in a visceral, in-your-face experience.

But if there’s one word fitting to Monkey Man, it’s ACTION. And it’s on show in full force, with The Kid leaving a bloody, bruised and broken pile of bad guys in his path. The fight scenes of Monkey Man are a carnage-inducing experience, and Patel lets his fists of fury fly as he commits to going full beast mode, which results in an untamed level of destruction, whether with his fists, a blade or a gun, Patel goes to town as The Kid, and he puts his audience right into the heart of the action. Bones are broken, blood is spilt, and a wake of destruction is left in his path as the Monkey goes Ape! Stand-out moments for me were definitely the ‘Pimp Fight’, and the film’s ‘Elevator Knife’ fight, and the whole experience will leave you flush with sweat after your adrenal gland has kicked in.

Monkey Man is a career-best moment from Dev Patel and a cinematic experience that grabs its audience and won’t let up for a second. It’s feral and ferocious in equal measure, but there’s also a real humanity to its narrative, and it is an example of a Hero’s Journey made complete. Viewing it on the big screen is utterly essential, and you’ll have the time of your life with this nonstop action rush.

Image: Universal Pictures

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Brace yourself for the next stage in the evolution of action cinema as Oscar-nominated actor Dev Patel steps things up in his unfiltered passion project, Monkey Man. Stepping into the directing chair, Patel goes for it with a full-on, all-out action watch, and audiences will feel their adrenal glands kick in with this one.

Check out the full trailer below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

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.

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.

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).

 

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Monkey Man is a project of burning passion for Patel, who is known for a love of martial arts, which includes holding a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and he throws himself into the chaotic set pieces of this picture. Monkey Man also clearly has a vibe that will take audiences by surprise, and in between the carnage, there’s a good dose of dark comedy that is sure to make you laugh in the most unexpected of moments.

Prepare for one hell of a rush when Monkey Man arrives in cinemas on April 4.

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King Arthur’s headstrong nephew embarks on a daring quest to confront the Green Knight, a mysterious giant who appears at Camelot. Risking his head, he sets off on an epic adventure to prove himself before his family and court.

Adapting the 14th-century medieval chivalric romance of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to the big screen in The Green Knight, director David Lowery finds new ground to explore with this ancient text. His adaptation here is both a literal adaptation of the work, while also taking it to a place that audiences may not expect. Lowery strays little from the original text of the story but also re-interprets it in such a way that audiences who may be familiar with this story don’t know what comes next. As a director, he is clearly focused on the moral and internal journey that the main character of Dev Patel’s Gawain must take and this film is very much a character piece in construction.

The Green Knight also bears the style of a singular vision in its construction. And Lowery’s hand is present throughout all of it. From its sparse narrative to its dynamic and gothic visuals to its haunting music, all parts of The Green Knight serve in working to bring Lowery’s vision to life. And what a vision this is. Being very much reflective of the fantasy films of the late 1980s and early 1990s, The Green Knight is a very organic piece of work that focuses on character, rather than sheer swashbuckling theatrics. Lowery focuses on the tasks that form up Gawain’s quest to seek out the Green Knight and how they test the character of this would-be knight.

As the film’s leading man Dev Patel makes his mark as the would-be knight Gawain, and it’s a role that gives the young actor a strong test to take. Patel portrays Gawain as a rather headstrong and ego-bound young man who is eager to prove himself and become a true knight of the Round Table. But after accepting the challenge of the Green Knight he sets out on his quest in pursuit of honour and finds that the reality of his task is far harder than he could have ever foreseen. It’s shocking to see Gawain’s transformation from loutish lad to the would-be knight, honour-bound and facing death, and there’s a great honest quality, that borders on the spiritual, with Patel’s performance in the role.

Joining Patel in the duel role of his common lover Essel and the dignified Lady is Alicia Vikander and she is a terrific addition to the film. As the baseborn, brothel dwelling Essel, she is enamoured with the would-be knight, who is also a nephew to King Arthur, and her scenes here are sweet and genuine. But it’s in the role of The Lady where we see a far different performance. Cloaked in suspicion, temptation and sorcery, there is something edgy and off-putting about her performance as The Lady and she keeps this young knight on his toes. My favourite part of the film was a terrific mythological monologue that Vikander delivers with absolute conviction as The Lady and it certainly ensnares the attention of the audience.

To look upon The Green Knight is to witness a film that is a lavish and beautiful piece of creative expression. It is literally a work of art come to life. The cinematography of Andrew Droz Palermo, the costuming of Malgosia Turzanska, the production design of Jade Healy, the art direction of Louise Mathews and Christine McDonagh and the music of Daniel Hart produce a richly textured piece of cinema that will make your eyes marvel. Colour and light dance about the screen and audiences are pulled into a landscape that is both enchanting and dangerous and holding the touch of the mystic and bizarre. It’s a lavish fantasy landscape to look upon and you won’t be able to look away from the images that Lowery and his team bring to the screen.

Thematically there is also a lot going on within The Green Knight and it requires multiple viewing to seek out the themes that Lowery is playing with here. Not only does he keep to traditional elements of the original medieval text such as ‘the beheading game’ and ‘the exchange of winnings’, but he also dives deep into issues of morality, environmentalism and the heroes journey itself. Lowery uses The Green Knight to reconstruct the very nature of the heroes journey and the actions that it includes, but he also delves into the complex psychology that lies at the heart of all heroes. This exploration of themes by Lowery makes The Green Knight that much more complex of a picture and provides plenty of intellectual stimulation for audiences.

The Green Knight is a rich and textured exploration of chivalry, honour and the heroes journey and those seeking mysticism, magic and adventure will be well entertained. It is a beautiful picture to look upon and film aficionados who are up for something different will be well-rewarded with a very unique viewing experience.

Image: Amazon Prime

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Watch the brand new trailer for The Green Knight below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

A fantasy adventure based on the Arthurian legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur’s headstrong nephew, who embarks on a quest to confront the eponymous Knight, a gigantic green-skinned stranger.

Taking the Arthurian myth of Gawain and The Green Knight and completely flipping it on its head in The Green Knight, Lowery has crafted an amazingly powerful and intense story of knightly honour and fears of death and chaos, and with its lavish visuals and moody score, the ambience of this picture is something that truly grabs you as an audience member and offers up a totally different and unique movie-going experience.

Lead actor Dev Patel, who is rapidly climbing the A-list, shines out in the central role of Sir Gawain, a young and brash knight who accepts the challenge of the monstrous Green Knight, and who is then forced with confronting a mortal destiny. Patel is given some incredibly intense material to work with here, and his performance in The Green Knight is something that audiences should definitely be ready to seek out.

In terms of the viewing experience, The Green Knight looks like nothing we’ve ever seen before, and Lowery’s unique style of film lyricism mixes well here and the dreamlike imagery that he brings to the screen will truly transport audiences into another world of mythic fantasy and dark adventure.

Brace yourself for an incredibly exciting experience when The Green Knight arrives in cinemas on July 30.

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Lion chronicles the true story of Saroo Brierley (Dev Patel), a young boy who one day found himself stranded hundreds of miles from his home in the city of Calcutta. After surviving the hardships of the streets he is eventually placed in an orphanage, and adopted by an Australian couple. While he ultimately adapts to his new homeland successfully, it isn’t until years later that he finds himself drawn back to the memories of his former life in India, and begins an extraordinary journey to find his home and the life he left behind.

Watching Lion, you find yourself totally drawn into this phenomenal true story that is beyond anything that fiction could ever conjure up. Saroo’s tale is like a modern tale of Oliver Twist, and director Garth Davis doesn’t shy away from the hardships that this young orphan suffered on the streets of Calcutta. The level of poverty and injustice is particularly heartbreaking, but no matter how dark Lion gets, Davis is always able to bring out the eternal light of hope that seems to guide Saroo in his quest.

Star Dev Patel is a complete revelation in the leading role. The young actor completely disappears into the character, pulling off one of the most believable performances I’ve seen for a long while. His Australian accent and mannerisms are absolutely spot on, and while he may be a very proper British lad in real life, Patel sure makes one hell of a convincing Aussie. There are both highs and lows to Saroo’s journey, and throughout the film Patel’s performance never waivers.

While Patel might be the star, it’s newcomer Sunny Pawar who completely steals the film, as well as your heart, as the younger Saroo. His authenticity and ease in the part really draw you in during the film’s first act, and I’m sure he has a long career ahead of him. Also providing terrific support are Nicole Kidman and David Wenham, as Saroo’s adoptive parents Sue and John Brierley. Kidman in particular is breathtaking, and the penultimate scene where she discusses the events surrounding Saroo’s adoption is an especially emotional scene. Rooney Mara also makes an appearance as Saroo’s on again/off again girlfriend Lucy, who provides vital support and belief in this young man’s life when the world seems to be completely falling down around him.

Lion is an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end, but one that heavily weighs in on the importance of family and the power of hope.

Image: EOne Films

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