121. MONKEY MAN (2024) dir. Dev Patel

MONKEY MAN is the directorial debut of Dev Patel. My best friend asked 'Wasn't that the guy who played Zuko in that bad Avatar movie?" Yes. Yes, he was. He's also built a strong genre-spanning body of work since then, starring in THE GREEN KNIGHT, HOTEL MUMBAI, THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY, THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD and LION, for which he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 2017.And yet, I find myself completely willing to throw all that away for MONKEY MAN. This is the kind of debut that lasts: a kinetic, achingly sincere action epic that genuinely feels like the effort posed by someone who knows they'll never get the chance to direct again.I know Patel's supported by producer Jordan Peele (director of GET OUT, US & NOPE) but $10 million isn't supposed to look THIS good. Seductive neon-splashed hotel rooms, martial arts photographed by camera operators with the stamina of Navy Seals, surreal deep dives into Hindu mythologies: it's a wholly original, excellent time at the movies.---Follow The Movies on ⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠& ⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠Financially support the podcast via the ⁠⁠tip jar!