Monkey Manwas one of the best action movies of 2024, telling the story of Kid (Dev Patel), a man who is desperate to seek vengeance against those who killed his mother. Directed by Patel in his directorial debut,Monkey Manfollows Kidas he makes a living in an underground fight club where he fights with a gorilla mask. From here,Kid is able to infiltrate the upper echelons of society,exacting revenge against those who took everything from him.
Monkey Manis an incredible action movieand perfectly balances powerful character-driven narratives surrounding vengeance with stunning fight choreography. Movies likeMonkey Manhave explored the human desire for revenge for decades, providing audiences with some of the most incredible fight scenes in cinematic history as they do so. While there are countlessgreat action movies,when it comes to action tales about revenge, some stand out.
The Raid: Redemption
Cast
The Raid, released in 2012, follows an elite SWAT team as they attempt to infiltrate a fortified apartment block in Jakarta to apprehend a notorious drug lord. Led by martial arts star Iko Uwais, the team faces relentless adversaries in a battle for survival after their cover is blown.
The Raidis a movie that tells the story of Rama (Iko Uwais), a police officer who joins a 20-man squad for a raid on an apartment block that is suspected to house Tama Riyadi (Ray Sahetapy), a notorious crime lord in Jakarta. The grim setting ofThe Raidis not its only similarity withMonkey Man, asthe movie also tackles heavy themes of corruption within the police force and explores Rama’s personal issuesas well. As a rookie member of the police, Rama faces overwhelming odds as the mission progresses and is thrust headfirst into the action.
A particularly memorable scene comes whenRama has to face off in a hallway against a group of henchmen. The hand-to-hand combat choreography on display here is nothing short of breathtaking, with the quick cuts and editing adding to the atmosphere of overwhelming chaos as well. Ultimately,The Raidis a must-watch for any fans ofMonkey Man, as Rama’s emotional journey of violence and action seems to mirror that of Kid.
Atomic Blonde
Based on a graphic novel, Atomic Blonde stars Charlize Theron as Lorraine Broughton, an MI6 agent who is attempting to locate a sensitive list of double agent spies before it is smuggled from East to West Germany, just before the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Theron is joined by a cast that includes James McAvoy, Sofia Boutella, and John Goodman.
Atomic Blonde,directed by David Leitch, is another movie that combines the themes of vengeance and suppressed trauma found inMonkey Man. Starring Charlize Theron as MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton,Atomic Blondeisan action-packed tale of historical espionage set against the backdrop of Berlin in 1989.
The “stairwell fight” scene has become one ofAtomic Blonde’s most iconic and echoes the incredible choreography on display inMonkey Man.
Lorraine, who is tasked with recovering a list of every double agent in Berlin, is driven by personal motivations, similar to Kid inMonkey Man, and both of their stories are thrilling to watch unfold. The “stairwell fight” scene has become one ofAtomic Blonde’s most iconic and echoes the incredible choreography on display inMonkey Man.
This scene sees Lorraine going toe-to-toe with numerous henchmen, engaging in brutal hand-to-hand combat with them. The claustrophobic setting, coupled with the intense physicality of the choreography, makes this scene one of the most memorable in recent action movie history andmirrorsMonkey Man’s visceral approach to fight sequences.
The Night Comes For Us
The Night Comes For Us is a 2018 Indonesian action thriller film that follows Ito, a former triad enforcer, who must protect a young girl from a gang of assassins while on the run in Jakarta. Directed by Timo Tjahjanto, the film features a high-octane mix of martial arts and gunfights as Ito faces off against his former allies.
Timo Tjahjanto’s 2018 movie,The Night Comes for Us, shares a lot of thematic DNA withMonkey Manin its exploration of retribution and redemption through violence. The movie stars Joe Taslim as Ito,a member of the Six Seas Triad, an organized crime syndicate in Southeast Asia. It follows Ito as he begins to feel remorseful for his previous actions and fights his way to protect a young survivor from a village massacred by the Triad.
WhileThe Night Comes for Ushas been criticized for its often excessive use of violence, the themes of retribution and trauma are richly explored. It is a movie full to the brim of bone-crunching action and impressive fight choreography, particularly in the final confrontation between Ito and his former ally, Arian (Iko Uwais). Themixture of professional martial arts and street fighting styleis blended to perfection and makesThe Night Comes for Usone of the more unique action movies about the redemption of modern times.
X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class explores the origins of Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr, who later become Professor X and Magneto. Set during the early days of their friendship, the film depicts their collaborative efforts with other mutants to avert a significant global threat.
At a glance, it may be difficult to see the similarities betweenX-Men: First ClassandMonkey Man, in part due to the lack of a gritty, grounded plot. However, First Class does share a surprising number of themes withMonkey Man, particularly regarding the character of Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender).First Classopens with the harrowing scene of Erik at Auschwitz Concentration Camp, being forced to move a Nazi coin with his mind by the evil Dr Klaus Schmidt (Kevin Bacon). When he does not move the coin, Schmidt kills Erik’s mother.
Erik’s tale of vengeance forms a key part of his character, and his latter descent into villainy, making him one of the most compelling characters ever produced by Marvel Comics. His childhood trauma, like Kid’s inMonkey Man,drives Erik forward until the final confrontation with Schmidt(now called Sebastian Shaw) in 1962. In a scene that is as satisfying as it is brutal, Erik finally “moves the coin” that he has carried with him since childhood, using his powers to push it through Shaw’s brain, killing him. The sheer brutality of this scene is closely aligned with the scenes of visceral violence portrayed throughoutMonkey Man.
Gladiator
Gladiator follows Maximus, a Roman general betrayed by the new emperor Commodus. After escaping execution, he is enslaved and becomes a gladiator. Set in ancient Rome, the story portrays his struggle for survival and quest for vengeance as he battles for his freedom in the arena.
Gladiatoris one of the most iconic movies of all time, with Ridley Scott’s tale of vengeance setting a true benchmark for other movies to aspire to.The journey ofGladiator’s Maximus(Russell Crowe) closely follows that ofMonkey Man’s Kid, as he seeks revenge against the corrupt Roman emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) who ordered the murder of his wife and child.Like Kid, Maximus must claw his way back from nothing to claim justice, with his journey being fueled by the murder of his loved ones.
Gladiator is full of memorable fight scenes, but arguably the movie’s most iconic is when Maximus faces off against the Tigris of Gaul. After besting his opponent, he refuses to kill him in a moment of pure sportsmanship and valor. WhileGladiator’s choreography is more focused on the use of weapons such as swords and shields,the grittiness of this one-on-one combatis what makes Maximus' tale of retribution so similar to Kid’s inMonkey Man.
Inglourious Basterds
Inglourious Basterds is a film set during World War II in Nazi-occupied France. It follows a group of Jewish-American soldiers, known as “The Basterds,” led by Lt. Aldo Raine, who engage in ruthless anti-Nazi efforts. Their actions intersect with a French-Jewish theater owner in a plot against the regime.
Quentin Tarantino isa director whose movies are characterized by their visceral depictions of violence, and that alone makesInglourious Basterdsa worthy comparison toMonkey Man. However,Inglourious Basterdsis, at its core, a tale of revenge being told from multiple perspectives. First and foremost, there is Shoshanna (Mélanie Laurent), a Jewish French woman whose family was murdered on the orders of Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shoshanna therefore takes it upon herself to trap most of the Nazi high command in her Parisian cinema and set the place alight.
There is then also the tale of the Basterds themselves, a group of Jewish American soldiers who engage in guerrilla warfare against the Nazi War Machine. Both the Basterds' and Shoshanna’s vendetta come face-to-face in the movie’s final act, which depictsthe brutal killing of hundreds of Nazis including Hitler himself, in the cinema. Theover-the-top violence, coupled with a compelling tale of retribution is very similar to Kid’s traumatic story inMonkey Man, makingInglourious Basterdsa perfect parallel here.
John Wick
John Wick is a 2014 action thriller featuring Keanu Reeves as a retired hitman. The film follows John Wick as he emerges from retirement to avenge the loss inflicted by a group of gangsters, setting the stage for a relentless pursuit and exploration of a shadowy underworld.
Perhaps one of the best-known tales of modern retribution in cinema comes in the form ofJohn Wick. The 2014 movie followsthe titular character (Keanu Reeves), who embarks on an elaborate mission of revengeafter thugs break into his house and kill his dog. Thecomparisons to be made here withMonkey Manare fairly simple - the protagonist is driven by his trauma to exact revenge on those who wronged him. Wick’s personal loss, like Kid’s inMonkey Man, is what fuels his actions, along with a well of deeply suppressed trauma from the death of his wife.
There are countless incredibly choreographed fight scenes inJohn Wick, but the most memorable has to be the nightclub scene. Wick is closing in on his targets, systemically taking out henchmen in a nightclub through his unique brand of “gun-fu”. WhileJohn Wickfocuses more on firearms action thanMonkey Man, the hand-to-hand combat scenes make it a more than worthy comparison to be made here.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 follows an assassin as she seeks revenge after being betrayed by her former employer, Bill, and fellow assassins. Released in 2003, the film initiates a violent journey of vengeance directed by Quentin Tarantino and stars Uma Thurman as the central character known as The Bride.
Quentin Tarantino’s signature over-the-top violence and tales of retribution and vengeance manifest themselves fully in theKill Billfranchise. These movies tell the story ofThe Bride (Uma Thurman) whose wedding rehearsal was massacred by a group of highly-trained assassins.
The Bride embarks upon one of the most iconic revenge missions in cinematic history.
Left for dead, The Bride embarks upon one of the most iconic revenge missions in cinematic history. Her deep emotional trauma, the barriers she faces to overcome it, and the incredible fight scenes, all makeKill Billhighly comparable toMonkey Man.
Theclimactic clash between The Bride and the Crazy 88gang in the House of Blue Leaves has since become a staple of cinematic fight scenes. The chaos of the scene, coupled with Thurman’s excellent choreography, has made it one of the most memorable of Tarantino’s filmography. While the movie is less gritty thanMonkey Man, it nevertheless has its fair share of thematic parallels while also providing audiences with non-stop action.
Hot Fuzz
The second film in Edgar Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Hot Fuzz stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as two policemen who investigate a seemingly idyllic community in the English countryside. After London hotshot policeman Nicholas Angel is transferred to the sleepy town of Sandford, he finds himself partnered with bumbling local officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). However, the pair soon discover that Sandford is not all it appears to be, uncovering shocking secrets that will shake the town to its very core.
While primarily a comedy, and far more slapstick thanMonkey Manever is,Edgar Wright’sHot Fuzzis nevertheless a compelling tale of character-driven violence and emotion. The story followsbig-city police officer Nicholas (Simon Pegg) as he is transferred to a remote villagein the English countryside. After a series of conspicuous accidents, Nicholas begins to unravel the mystery of the village, slowly revealing to the audience that things are not as they seem.
Like Kid inMonkey Man, Nicholas has deeply buried trauma in his past that comes to a boiling point duringHot Fuzz’s climax. His journey from rigid by-the-book cop to a dual-pistol-wielding sharpshooter is as funny to watch as it is dramatic. While the tone ofHot Fuzzis vastly different toMonkey Man,it is hard to deny the parallels between Nicholas and Kid, and the journeys they take towards using violence as a means of securing justice for themselves and others. The action is also top-notch, especially when paired with Wright’s exceptional direction.
Oldboy
Oldboy follows the story of a man mysteriously imprisoned for 15 years without explanation. Upon his release, he embarks on a quest to uncover the identity of his captors and understand the motivations behind their actions. This gripping tale navigates through themes of vengeance and discovery.
Park Chan-wook’sOldboyis often regarded as one of the greatest revenge thrillers of all time. The movie follows Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), a man who is imprisoned in a cell resembling a hotel room for 15 years. When he is finally released, he seeks vengeance on those who imprisoned him, and answers as to why they did it.
The intricate web of lies and conspiracies that Dae-su must navigate is akin to Kid’s turbulent journey of justice inMonkey Man, and Chan-wook’s exploration of psychological trauma is expertly executed here as well. Regarding the action,Oldboy’s hallway fight scene has quickly become one of the most legendary action sequences in modern cinema. Filmed in one continuous shot, the scene sees Dae-su take on numerous henchmen, seemingly with ease.
Monkey Man Ending Explained: What Happens To Kid
Monkey Man has an explosive ending that sees Dev Patel attempting to achieve his revenge. We break down the biggest moments from the film’s ending.
His determination is as inspiring to watch as the brutality of the choreography. The visceral nature ofOldboy’s violence, coupled with its ability to explore the true depths of human suffering are parallel to the themes explored inMonkey Man, making it a natural comparison. It’s a truly superb revenge thriller, and that’s not even mentioning the shocking twist at the end.
