--- title: "Monkey Man: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/monkey-man/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/monkey-man" critics_score: 75 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Monkey Man (2024): what the critics said Critics' score 75 from 13 reviews: 12 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics agree that Dev Patel’s directorial debut is scrappy, loud and worth the bruises. The praise clusters around two things: Patel himself, widely credited with becoming a credible action lead with a fighting style several reviews call graceful, and the hand-to-hand combat, described as grimy, inventive and staged so that the audience feels each blow. The mixing of Indian folklore and local politics into the revenge template is generally welcomed as giving the film something the John Wick comparisons do not cover. The reservations are consistent too: the script is called muddled, the flashbacks excessive, the second act slow and the political points vaguer than the film seems to think. The spread is narrow, running from enthusiastic to respectfully qualified. The one real dissenter is Variety, which finds the storytelling glum and pretentious and wants more fighting and less brooding; The i Paper also calls it sloppy and overlong. ## Little White Lies — Kambole Campbell Rating 3/4/3. 3 April 2024. A ferocious and ambitious directorial debut that is fun if messy, with Patel emerging as a compelling action star in a scrappy revenge tale. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/monkey-man) ## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 4 April 2024. Dev Patel’s directorial debut is a wild revenge movie that asserts him as both an action star and a promising new genre voice. The critic singles out the evolving action sequences that grow slicker with the hero's confidence, along with the integration of Indian folklore and music. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-04-04/monkey-man-review-dev-patel-action) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 March 2024. Festival review. Ferocious directorial debut; Patel as star and director grants an intoxicatingly gruesome vision, a high-octane crowd pleaser. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/monkey-man-sxsw-review/5191486.article) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 4/5. 28 March 2024. Delivers the most ferocious action movie since The Raid; brash and frequently brilliant with political edge and heart, though some sequences tip into overkill. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/monkey-man-2024) ## Sight and Sound — Guy Lodge Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 4 April 2024. The critic finds it a muddled but enthralling revenge drama with much to admire in its frenzied genre spectacle, praising the bruising fight scenes but noting awkward story threads. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/monkey-man-dev-patel-wreaks-brutal-havoc-muddled-enthralling-revenge-drama) ## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 April 2024. The critic finds it a solid action thriller with impressive editing and visceral fight scenes but notes it wants to be more than a genre potboiler, with mixed success on political and spiritual elements. The lead actor's presence is somewhat missed amid the stylization. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-monkey-man-has-dev-patel-fighting-for-his-life.html) ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 12 March 2024. Festival review. Owen Gleiberman calls “Monkey Man” an audacious but awkward mashup of action film and slumdog fable, with blistering fights but a slow-burn tale that feels glum and pretentious. He singles out Patel’s downbeat star performance as superlative while wishing for more action sequences over the somber storytelling. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/monkey-man-review-dev-patel-1235939457/) ## Empire — Nick de Semlyen 26 March 2024. The critic praises Dev Patel's directorial debut as a fresh, high-energy revenge thriller that blends action influences with Indian mythology and politics. They single out the creative, gleeful fight sequences and Patel's transformation into an action star for particular praise, while noting some flaws like excessive flashbacks. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/monkey-man/) ## Financial Times — Danny Leigh Rating ★★★★☆. 4 April 2024. The critic portrays the film as gonzo high-style violent revenge with pauses for thought amid tuk-tuks and fist fights. They single out Patel’s assured handling of organised chaos and the way it makes viewers duck while incorporating Indian social divisions. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/01db130f-a432-411d-99db-45a9259db6fc) ## IndieWire — Katie Rife 12 March 2024. Festival review. The review highlights the film's grimy, ultraviolent mix of action influences with chaotic energy. It singles out the stylized bone-crunching fight scenes for praise in this festival take. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/monkey-man-review-dev-patel-1234963829/) ## Slant Magazine — Justin Clark 5 April 2024. The review praises the intimate, patient revenge story that treads familiar ground with captivating flair and purpose. It highlights the film's engagement with mythology, sociopolitical critique, and standout action beats involving queer characters. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/monkey-man-review-dev-patel/) ## The Guardian — Wendy Ide 7 April 2024. The critic describes Patel’s directorial debut as a visceral love letter to global action cinema that is exhilarating if messy. They single out the brawling energy of the fight sequences and the axe-based mayhem for praise while noting some rough edges and vague political elements. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/apr/07/monkey-man-review-dev-patel-directs-and-stars-in-a-bloody-revenge-thriller) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Lovia Gyarkye 12 March 2024. Festival review. The critic calls it an ambitious but uneven revenge thriller that both fascinates and frustrates. Patel's performance and action sequences earn praise, while the screenplay's handling of politics and clichés draws complaint. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/monkey-man-review-dev-patel-1235849364/) ## The i Paper — Christina Newland 5 April 2024. The critic finds Patel a compelling action star with a dynamic, graceful fighting style but criticizes the film as sloppy and overlong due to first-time director excesses and an unwieldy plot. They single out the dazzling fight sequences and mesmeric central performance for praise amid the chaos. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/monkey-man-review-dev-patel-2990968) ## The Telegraph 4 April 2024. The critic calls the directorial debut an astonishingly violent, expertly staged John Wick-in-Mumbai slugfest that proves Patel can handle savagely choreographed revenge thrills. They highlight the grisly hand-to-hand combat and folkloric underlay while noting its substance on social issues. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/monkey-man-review-gore-hounds-will-relish-dev-patels-brutal/) ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating ★★★★☆. 3 April 2024. The critic hails the directorial debut as an audacious action flick that is startling in execution and ambition. They praise the stylised cinematic head-butt quality of the neon-soaked revenge story and its mix of roundhouse kicks with political ideas. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/monkey-man-film-review-an-audacious-action-flick-from-dev-patel-t2zjbhfw2) ## Total Film — Jamie Graham 26 March 2024. The critic calls Patel's debut a savage triumph, highlighting his versatility as actor, director, and co-writer in an intense revenge story set in a fictional Indian city. They praise the cultural twists on familiar action tropes and the pointed social commentary, while noting the film's relentless intensity. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/monkey-man-review/) ## Digital Spy — Mireia Mullor Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 5 April 2024. The critic describes the film as an astonishing directorial debut that is brutal, political, and deeply entertaining, praising its stylish action sequences, political awareness, and Patel's performance and vision while noting occasional tacky elements. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a60293802/monkey-man-review/) ## The Wrap — Chase Hutchinson Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 12 March 2024. Festival review. The critic calls the film a dynamite directorial debut that exceeds John Wick comparisons through inventive stunts, strong character study of trauma and justice, and effective social commentary, with a standout final act that cements Patel's skills as actor and filmmaker. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/dev-patel-monkey-man-review/) ## /Film — Jacob Hall Rating 8/10. 12 March 2024. Festival review. The critic praises the film's ambitious blend of visceral action, political themes, and emotional depth in Dev Patel's directorial debut, highlighting its raw, scrappy fight choreography and righteous fury. They note it can feel overstuffed and lacking subtlety at times. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1537468/monkey-man-review-dev-patel-sxsw/) ## The Ringer — Miles Surrey Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 5 April 2024. The critic praises Patel's debut as establishing him as both an action star and a promising filmmaker, highlighting the visceral, impactful fight choreography that makes the viewer feel every blow. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2024/04/05/movies/monkey-man-movie-review-dev-patel-action-star-director) ## Deadline — Valerie Complex Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 12 March 2024. Festival review. The critic praises Patel's kinetic direction, tense fight sequences, and deep reverence for Indian folklore, which help establish him as a future of action cinema, while noting some pacing issues in the second act. Overall, it highlights the film's blend of action and social commentary as a promising directorial debut. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2024/03/monkey-man-review-dev-patel-1235855973/) ## The Playlist — Matthew Monagle Rating B-. 12 March 2024. Festival review. The review commends Patel's passionate, genre-blending debut that incorporates social commentary on inequality and marginalized communities alongside brutal action sequences, though it finds some fights routine and the messaging occasionally preachy. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/monkey-man-review-dev-patels-goes-into-john-wick-revenge-mode-in-mumbai-set-actioner-sxsw-20240312/) ## Den of Geek — David Crow Rating 4 out of 5. 12 March 2024. The critic calls the film a visceral, kinetic blast of adrenaline and an unqualified success as Dev Patel's directorial debut, praising its inventive fight choreography, cultural specificity, and rage-fueled action while noting some narrative thinness. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/monkey-man-review-dev-patel/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/monkey-man.md