In March 2021, after having seen only a few images of the film that Dev Patel had just directed in his directorial debut, Netflix reached a $30 million deal for the worldwide distribution rights in a bidding war where it outbid several competitors.

Three years later, the platform considered that Monkey Man was "too violent and raw" for the Indian audience and was reluctant to include it in its catalog due to the potential backlash against the film's political commentary, which criticizes Hindu nationalism, so it decided to discreetly sell the rights.

When Jordan Peele (Get Out) saw it, he joined as a producer and negotiated an exclusivity agreement with Universal Pictures by which he acquired the Netflix distribution rights for $10 million. Patel then declared to The Hollywood Reporter that "Peele elevated us from something some wanted to sweep under the rug to placing us on the mantelpiece of the fireplace."

The film premiered in selected theaters last spring and grossed over $35 million at the box office despite receiving an R rating (for viewers over 18) due to its violent and bloody content. 

Now, Monkey Man has arrived on Prime Video's catalog with a certain forbidden and cult film aura and has remained in the top positions of the most-watched since its entry last week.

'John Wick' in Bombay

Inspired in part by the Hindu myth of the deity Hanuman, half man, half monkey, the film explores social themes such as corruption, discrimination, the caste system, poverty, and the experiences of the Hijra community in India. 

The protagonist (Patel) is a man recently released from the Bombay prison who delves into a world that is unknown and different, immersed in corporate greed and the erosion of spiritual values.

With no hope that this world will offer him the chance to start over, this unexpected hero will use his newfound freedom to avenge those who hurt him and took everything from him in the past. 

Critics' Reviews

Ty Burr wrote in his review for The Washington Post: "Monkey Man addresses the inequalities of India's caste system in a more biting way than one would expect. The views of poverty in Bombay are brief but harsh".  

Penelope Debelle, on the other hand, noted in InReview that "It's a wild and stylish movie... absolutely brilliant and captivating". 

Discussing Film highlighted that "Monkey Man displays a unique identity and bold originality in its epic that cannot be compared to any other revenge thriller", while The Scree pointed out that it is both "a revenge opus, a spiritual journey, and a political statement that will leave you speechless".

*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence