Dev Patel's directorial debut, Monkey Man, is a brutal, no holds barred beatdown of a movie. The film focuses on Patel's protagonist, known only as Kid, who is on a bloody quest for vengeance spurred by an unspeakable crime from his past. The mission brings him up against the corrupt ruling classes in a political but personal struggle. Naturally, the parallels to John Wick are obvious.
It's something the film itself is very aware of, too, considering it name checks John Wick early in the runtime when Patel's Kid is buying himself a gun. The neon-lit action sequences, frequent needle drops, and even Patel's sharp black suit all feel like homages, deliberate or not. Many reviews and reactions to the movie have drawn the comparison. But Monkey Man is so much more than the next John Wick.
