6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
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
Starring: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Sobhita Dhulipala, Pitobash, Vipin SharmaMartial arts | 100% |
Mystery | 42% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
English SDH, French
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Director/Actor/Producer Dev Patel's 'Monkey Man' arrives on 4K UHD disc courtesy of Universal. Produced by Jordan Peel's Monkeypaw
Productions, the film is a grim, gritty (and occasionally funny) tale of revenge set in India which features several impressive and punishing fight
sequences and tense chases. This Collector's Edition features over 55 minutes of special features including behind-the-scenes segments, an
alternate opening and ending, and a richly informative commentary track with Patel, Producers Jomon Thomas and Sam Sahni, and Co-Producer
Raghuvir Joshi. A 1080p Blu-ray disc, an embossed slipcover, and a Digital Code are also included.
On its surface, Dev Patel's Monkey Man is a simple action film following one man's quest for revenge. The film focuses on a man known
only as The Kid (Patel) a member of one of India's lower castes who manages to scrape out an extremely hand-to-mouth existence by participating
in underground fights. In the ring, he dons a realistic monkey mask and is known as Monkey Man, a perennial loser who seems to exist purely to
take abuse. Serving as both ring announcer and fight organizer, Tiger (Sharlto Copley, Powers, District 9, Chappie) never misses an
opportunity to
belittle The Kid/Monkey Man and short his already marginal pay. Orphaned at a young age when a man named Rana (Sikandar Kher, Monica, O
My Darling and Sense8)murdered and set fire to his mother, The Kid
has lived his life on the fringes of society in abject poverty. However, now the time seems right for him to attack the elites and exact his revenge for
the cruel killing of his mother.
Monkey Man 4k's transfer starts out quite impressively. The lush greens of the riverside setting and the vibrant colors of The Kid's mother's
clothes are richly saturated. Primaries in The Kid's picture book pop nicely as well, with the pages being nicely tactile. Inside the fighting den, a more
sepia-infused color palette takes hold, where red, blues, and greens are necessarily muted as a result, but this is clearly intentional. Blacks here can
tend toward a milky or hazy dark grey instead, though the black hair on the Monkey Man mask is still appropriately inky. Elsewhere, such as the
crowded room where The Kid sleeps and the dark exterior scene frequently revisited in flashbacks, provide very satisfying black levelsOverhead shots of
the bustling and glittering urban centers provide wonderful levels of detail, splashes of color, and brilliant whites. Skin tones are universally healthy
looking and realistic throughout, save for those instances where rather obvious lighting choices, such as the overwhelmingly purple room in the club,
make their desired impact. Much of the film is appropriately grungy, dark, and less vibrant, with the poorer areas where the film spends much of its
time dominated by pale greens, tans, whites, and greys, where every surface is layered with age, wear, and grime. Fine detail is typically very
impressive, with facial particulars and sometimes elaborate make-ups open for inspection, as are the innumerable utensils, ingredients, and equipment
in the kitchen where The Kid works. It's also very easy to appreciate and enjoy the the embroidered traditional garments worn by several characters
during a pivotal moment in the film. It's a winning transfer for a visually varied film.
Please note, all screenshots are taken from the included 1080p disc.
Monkey Man 4k's English Dolby Atmos track is quite good. It's at its best and most immersive during moments of extreme violence when the sounds of the crowd in the fighting den or the general surroundings of other environments surround the viewer placing them perfectly in the center of the action. Music is occasionally allowed to dominate and demonstrates great fidelity and precision whether pushed to the forefront or nestled neatly into the ambiance of the scene. Regardless of the action on-screen, dialogue is always properly prioritized and is nicely centered. Directionality is impressive as bullets and other items move through the sound field. The substantial bass presence adds needed weight to punches, kicks, crashes, and gunfire throughout the film which features them frequently and nicely enhances musical elements as well, particularly in the club scenes.
All special features for Moneky Man 4K are located on the included 1080p Blu-ray disc and consist of:
In the end, Patel needed as much strength, perseverance, and humility as the character he played in order to finally get Monkey Man to the screen, and we're fortunate he did. Those looking for a straightforward action film will find much to enjoy here. The film's cast is wonderful, though will be largely unfamiliar to many Western viewers, and the fight scenes are energetic and expertly captured. Those looking for something a little deeper will find that here as well as Patel's project tackles a variety of issues without ever feeling heavy-handed. Outfitted with a variety of special features, the most enjoyable and illuminating being a number of deleted scenes and alternate scenes and the commentary track the film, fans will find much to enjoy. Monkey Man, for all of the obstacles that could have brought it to a premature end, is an outstanding first directorial effort from Dev Patel and his work on-screen goes a long way toward establishing him as an action hero. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to see more from him in both of these capacities. Monkey Man comes highly recommended.
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