Dev Patel is known for pushing the boundaries with experimental cinema. The actor has always gone out of his comfort zone to portray versatile characters. As he makes his directorial debut with Monkey Man, cinephiles are mesmerised with his artistry. X was full of praise about Dev's acting skills and engaging direction in the action-thriller. Yet, some viewers also gave mixed reactions on the plot and pacing of the film. (Also read: Will there be a sequel to Monkey Man? Here's what Dev Patel has to say)
Dev Patel's Monkey Man praised for great performances
A user lauded Dev for his acting prowess and direction style and tweeted, “#MonkeyMan A high stakes, immersive film that doesn’t hold back. Patel showcases a great performance but also an action packed directorial debut. Definitely worth the watch. #moviereview #harryatthemovies. ” Another netizen wrote, “Fair play, Dev. That was one helluva directorial debut, bit of Ong Bak, bit of @Timobros and a whole lot of great. #MonkeyMan.”
Netizens compare Monkey Man to 80s Bollywood
While some movie buffs were not very pleased with the story, others compared it to 80s Bollywood action films. A fan lauded the action and filmmaking of Monkey Man and opined, “#MonkeyMan is raw & gritty filmmaking in the best way. The story is a little messy, but the high-octane action & cultural immersion work together beautifully to make this film engaging & utterly satisfying. Patel’s passion couldn’t be more evident. A clear favorite of ‘24 so far.”
{{/usCountry}}While some movie buffs were not very pleased with the story, others compared it to 80s Bollywood action films. A fan lauded the action and filmmaking of Monkey Man and opined, “#MonkeyMan is raw & gritty filmmaking in the best way. The story is a little messy, but the high-octane action & cultural immersion work together beautifully to make this film engaging & utterly satisfying. Patel’s passion couldn’t be more evident. A clear favorite of ‘24 so far.”
{{/usCountry}}Another person pointed out that Dev's India shown in the film is ‘unrecognizable’ and tweeted, “#MonkeyMan Review : Dev Patel’s revenge story feels like 1980s Bollywood movies plot with bad cops serving a villainous Godman. His India is unrecognizable. The camerawork is terrible. Dev proved himself as action star but not as a director or a writer.”
Monkey Man also features Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Sikandar Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Ashwini Kalsekar, Aditi Kalkunthe and Makarand Deshpande in crucial roles. The movie hit the screens worldwide on March 11, 2024. However, its India release has been postponed.