Monkey Man (2024), BBC 3, BBC iPlayer, Screenwriters Writer Paul Angunawela, John Collee, and Dev Patel, Director Dev Patel.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0030fhy/monkey-man

There was a time in Holywood when men were men. They had to smoke like a steam engine leaving the station. Drink like there was no tomorrow and break enough hearts to keep the tabloids busy inventing new kinds of innuendo. Some of them were singers, crooners or dancers. They had to shoot straight and have the innate ability to gallop away on any old horse when needed. Which brings me to Dev Patel.

Writer, director, and star. Monkey Man is his movie. He’s not moved into the Brad Pitt league or the Tom Cruise league, or even the Mark Wahlberg league—in which every film is an excuse to show off his muscles.

Dev Patel might have played The Green Knight, which was as boring as a trip to Poundland, but in Monkey Man, Patel really does show some muscles and have to fight for his life.

Bruce Lee used to be the go-to man for unarmed combat. He could knock a man over by the movement of his eyes. And if he cleared his throat, he could clear a room of armed killers.

Patel is Bruce Lee here. Myth as metaphor. In order to become Monkey Man, he must rise from the sewerage system of Indian society and smite with an avenging hand the super-wealthy landowners who control the system and have stolen his parent’s land and killed his dear old mum.

He must team up with other outcasts of Indian society, such as the transgender Hijra, seek justice, and embody Hanuman’s moral core of righteousness.  

Dev Patel is the kickass Kid and the legend.