Somehow, 87% on Rotten Tomatoes (out of 195 reviews)
Runtime: 121 LONG minutes
Directed by: Dev Patel
Starring: Patel, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Sikander Kher, Sharlto Copley
From: Universal/BRON/Some others
It pains me to say this, but Monkey Man was just a bad movie.
After going out Friday night, consuming some drinks there then later at home… no films were watched then or Saturday until the evening as resting & catching up on podcasts was done instead. Last night was more normal for me as I went to the cinema for the film marketed as Indian John Wick but Lord was that not true. I’ve always been wary of it despite the praise as the trailers did not blow me away; beforehand I worried the well may have been poisoned as elsewhere I heard criticisms of “lack of establishing shots” and “shot too close.” Both are sadly true; the latter is for certain a modern Hollywood problem and the former probably is also. However, the main issues I had were not those criticisms.
Rather, what should have been either a fun or moody revenge thriller (HA at the idea of this being like Rolling Thunder or other similar pictures from the 70’s) dealing with a protagonist finally going after those who harmed a love one… this was neither. Instead, it was a laborious, ponderous slog where due to the fractured storytelling it was far too late before the audience was given a full reason to care about the hero’s struggles. Plus, it belabored the point of how it allegedly is miserable to live in India due to corruption and class struggles; expect a LOT of misery and miserable characters, only (for me) not to feel as much catharsis as should have been present for those awful s***bags to finally get their comeuppance.
It’s just misery mixed in with constant fumbled allusions to Gods and folk legends and other ideas that just came off as pretentious—not to mention one of the reasons why this two hour movie felt like it went at least five or so hours at the cinema. I was about in the middle of the auditorium—I can’t speak for behind me but in front of me several people checked their watches at least once, solidifying that others lost patience with this. Worst of all, when there was action (not as much as the trailers implied), it sometimes was cool but other times it was too shaky-cam and yes, too close to be all that enjoyable.
As the point has been addressed in some past reviews of modern films, in fact the decision for multiple characters to drop WAY too many F-bombs was a major negative. I especially “loved” it when a supporting character (who thankfully is in only a few scenes) used it with every third word out of his sewer-hole of a mouth! Just recently I finally started reading Tarantino’s Cinema Speculation. Perhaps in the future in some other review my full thoughts will be given--of course the F bomb is used too often in that too, which wasn’t unexpected but still… a word that has lost all its meaning due to constant overuse everywhere? Yes.
The basis of the plot should have been sound, there’s some decent aesthetic moments and the score wasn’t bad. In totality, the movie was bad; it wasn’t as dire as suggested by the random person who told me after the screening (only because I happened to be by him disposing my trash & no one else was) “Never have I been happier for a movie to end!” I said I agreed, which wasn’t true. I’ve seen worse theatrically; after all, the absolute horrible Suspiria remake became a Chinese Water Torture test as it just refused to end, the last half hour seeming like 30 days. Sadly, the conversation did not go past us telling each other how disappointing this was; he was one of those I mentioned earlier that looked at his watch on several occasions. I’m glad he could vent to me, although more dialogue from him would have been fine also.
Until just moments ago, I completely forgot I had seen Dev Patel in one other movie. As it was Chappie, no wonder that CRAPPIE movie has been mostly forgotten by me aside from how repulsed I was by everything surrounding Die Antwoord. I take no joy in bashing a passion project for Mr. Patel. That said, this was his debut in acting/producing/writing/directing at the same time; it showed. That doesn’t mean possible future movies he directs won’t be better-in my eyes-but something less pretentious (no kidding, the protagonist in the film is never given a name so he’s only known as KID despite only being shown as a kid in some flashbacks. Then again, the Indian city this is set in is never named--apparently it’s some fictitious city but it’s never clearly named either!) would be nice for starters.
I’m glad the movie worked for many; if only that opinion could have been shared by me…
No comments:
Post a Comment