Every Monkey Man Action & Fight Scene, Ranked

Dev Patel’s directorial debut, Monkey Man, is packed with brilliant action scenes that showcase his potential as both a director and an action star. Monkey Man follows a man known only as Kid as he seeks revenge on the corrupt police chief who killed his mother and instigated the burning of his village. Kid starts out as a lowly fighter who wears a monkey mask to imitate the Hindu warrior deity Hanuman, but he works his way into a job which gives him access to members of India’s high society. Along his journey, he develops his fighting skills and his philosophy.

Monkey Man has earned positive reviews for its powerful political story, but mostly for its gripping fight scenes. Dev Patel hasn’t shown off his martial arts skills before, but his punchy direction accentuates every move perfectly. Monkey Man features a range of different fight scenes, and Patel uses a confident array of different visual techniques to highlight the shifts between disorganized MMA contests and chaotic fights to the death. Monkey Man could be the best action movie of 2024, and its thrilling fight scenes are a big reason why.

15

Kong Vs. King Cobra

Monkey Man’s shortest fight is a great gag

Kid’s first fight after emerging from his training at the temple is laughably brief. The posters for the fight herald the “Return of the Beast,” so the crowd are extremely disappointed when the fight consists of one swift roundhouse kick to King Cobra’s jaw. This is the first fight that shows what Kid is capable of after his training. Putting him up against a fighter which caused him so much trouble earlier on is a great way of showing his progression. His brutal knockout is a great punch line after the long set-up of his training montage and Tiger’s ostentatious introduction.

14

Kid Kills Baba Shakti

The final fight completes Kid’s journey

Monkey Man‘s ending brings Kid’s revenge mission to a close, as he confronts Baba Shakti at a previously unseen pool in Queenie’s. Kid’s rage mostly focuses on Rana, but he comes to understand that he needs to dismantle the power structures which allow people like Rana to carry out their abhorrent acts of violence. Baba Shakti is presented as a spiritual leader who lends his support to a nationalist political party. His final confrontation with Kid banishes any notion that he might be more pious or virtuous than anyone else, as he pulls out the short blade concealed in his sandals.

13

Kid Takes Down The Guards Outside Queenie’s

Kid becomes Hanuman before approaching Queenie’s

Kid’s path toward Queenie’s is fairly didactic, but he is armed with new skills and a new purpose. His brief confrontation with the guards outside shows just how far he has grown in a short period of time. He dispatches them each with clinical efficiency. They are merely a blip on his radar. Before approaching the guards, Kid rips off his monkey mask, now bleached white to symbolize his embrace of Hanuman. With the white fur of a Hanuman langur, Kid embodies the spirit of the Hindu deity. Monkey Man‘s Hanuman references reflect Kid’s emotional, physical and spiritual evolution.

12

Kid Rides The Elevator To Queenie’s

The brief fight has one of the movie’s best moments

Much like the scene outside with the guards, Kid’s elevator ride to Queenie’s is also an indicator of how far his skills have progressed. But it’s also an indicator of his newfound commitment. During his first assassination attempt on Rana, Kid hesitates to pull the trigger, but throughout his assault on Queenie’s he is content to kill anyone who stands in his way. The elevator fight isn’t the best action scene in Monkey Man, but it does have one of the movie’s most unforgettable moments, as Kid drives a knife through a man’s throat using his teeth.

11

Monkey Man Vs. King Cobra

Kid is introduced as a faceless warrior

The first fight scene in Monkey Man takes place after a short prologue from Kid’s childhood. This is his first introduction as an adult, an anonymous fighter wearing a mask in the ring. The fight highlights Kid’s high tolerance for pain, not to mention his financial desperation, but it’s his conversation with Tiger afterward that reveals more about him. Kid probably could have won the fight as Monkey Man, but he let his opponent get the better of him in hope of a better payout. Tiger’s events are all about the show, rather than real sporting merit.

10

Kid Wakes Up In A Police Van

Kid has to fight off the police officers with his hands cuffed together

After Kid’s botched assassination attempt against Rana, he flees through the streets at night. After being captured following a spectacular car crash, he regains consciousness on the floor of a police van. Although he’s surrounded by police officers and his hands are cuffed together, he finds a way to overcome the odds and escape once again. The close quarters of the police van is the perfect setting to showcase Kid’s hand-to-hand combat skills, and the claustrophobic camera angles help to emphasize the desperate nature of the situation.

9

Monkey Man Vs. Shere Khan

Monkey Man’s second fight gives a glimpse of what he can do

Monkey Man’s second fight is even more exciting than his first, and it also facilitates an important story beat. By inviting Alphonso and tipping him off about the result, Kid gains his trust and earns himself a promotion that will eventually get him into Queenie’s VIP room, where he finally comes face to face with Rana. He fights with a renewed energy against Shere Khan, another one of Tiger’s fighters named after an Indian stereotype. He urges him to punch harder, putting on a satisfying show for the crowd before unleashing his true potential.

8

Kid Fights Off A Man With An Ax

One of Monkey Man’s most brutal moments

After bursting free from the police van, Kid has to flee through a dimly lit building, only to discover that he has inadvertently led the police to a brothel. The owner comes at him with an ax, despite the chaos unfolding all around them. Kid still has his handcuffs on from his encounter with the police, and this adds even more jeopardy to the fight. The close-up shot of Kid biting off the man’s nose is a particularly visceral moment in a movie packed with violent action.

7

Kid Fights Rana In The VIP Room

Kid finally gets his revenge in a one-on-one showdown

The climactic showdown of Monkey Man takes place in Queenie’s VIP room, the same place where Kid first lays eyes on Rana. The outcome of the fight seems like a formality after Kid displays what he’s truly capable of downstairs. Before the two men engage in combat, the camera pans up to a mirror on the ceiling, which suggests that the gods are looking down on the action, emphasizing how Kid is destined for victory. There are other reflective ornaments dotted around the VIP room, perhaps as a subtle nod to the final fight in Enter the Dragon.

6

Kong Vs. The Bear

Monkey Man’s return to the ring highlights his evolution as a fighter

Although he knocks King Cobra out within seconds upon his return to the ring, Kid has to take on a much more intimidating challenger. Nicknamed “The Bear” by Tiger, the giant fighter stands head and shoulders above Kong. The fact that Kid can outmaneuver and outpunch him shows how his skills have developed. This is the fight in which Kid finally wins over the crowd. This is symbolic of the revolution he aims to inspire, especially since his opponent seems so much more powerful than he is at first.

5

Kid Tries To Kill Rana In The Bathroom

Kid’s first assassination attempt ends in failure

Monkey Man uses a shakier camera in Kid’s most uncertain moments. This makes his fear much more palpable, and it’s a bold contrast to his slick, efficient fighting later on. The shaky cam technique reaches its peak during Kid’s bathroom fight with Rana. It starts off as an assassination attempt, but a momentary lapse in concentration leads to the two men wrestling for the gun and trading blows as the ornamental fish tank floods the room. Kid’s failure here is a blessing in disguise, as he never would have reached his potential if he had managed to kill Rana so soon.

4

The Rickshaw Chase

Monkey Man mostly focuses on fight scenes, but the rickshaw chase offers something different

Monkey Man is a martial arts movie first and foremost, but the rickshaw chase shows that Dev Patel’s directorial debut can deliver on other high-stakes action set pieces too. Rickshaws, also known colloquially as autos, are a staple of most major Indian cities, so the chase scene is another way Monkey Man ties itself to the country. Alphonso’s souped-up rickshaw barrels through the streets at breakneck speed, with Kid dodging police cars on his escape from Queenie’s. Even though this scene is executed incredibly well, it’s the only one of its kind in Monkey Man.

3

Kid Storms The Celebration At Queenie’s

Kid disrupts the political event in style

Kid’s battle at Queenie’s is an expression of sheer rage. As the politicians scatter, Kid is left alone to force a small army of guards, but he is equal to all of them. Kid starts the fight with a few fireworks he uses as weapons, which is just one example of how he can turn almost any object into a deadly weapon. He also uses a kettle, a pair of handcuffs, and a serving tray at different times throughout the movie. Calls for a Monkey Man sequel may be premature, but scenes like this are a big reason why fans are already clamoring for more.

2

The Hijras Come In As Backup

Monkey Man’s trans representation is key to the movie’s message

Between the chaos of Kid’s first assassination attempt and his reinvigorated assault on Queenie’s, he spends time recuperating and training at a temple which is home to many trans and other gender non-conforming people. Monkey Man‘s trans representation is vital to understanding the political undercurrents of the movie. When the hijras arrive at Queenie’s to support Kid, it’s a moment which represents a cathartic outcry against authoritarian politicians and bigoted people in positions of power. Kid’s fight against Rana and Baba Shakti is about much more than his own desire for revenge.

1

The Kitchen Fight

Monkey Man’s best action scene is a masterpiece of fight choreography

Monkey Man has been compared to John Wick, and the kitchen fight at Queenie’s is the scene that shows it is far superior to many of John Wick‘s other imitators. Monkey Man makes a cheeky reference to John Wick early on, showing that Dev Patel is aware of how his movie was going to be perceived. Nonetheless, the kitchen fight is both a tribute to John Wick and a statement that Monkey Man is different. With a style of fighting that almost mimics a dance and a black suit that would also look good on Keanu Reeves, Kid flaunts his incredible skills in the kitchen at Queenie’s, and it results in the movie’s best scene.