For a feature inscribed with all the odes to John Wick (with nods to Bruce Lee and The Raid), Monkey Man fascinates more than it frustrates regarding director/writer/star Dev Patel in his directorial debut. You see, Patel has been on a roll with enhancing his capabilities and confidence with the camerawork on display here, a frenetic energy that pulsates every few minutes to keep us gripped to the screen. When you evaluate it more as a style-over-substance riff and a visual demo reel, there’s value to his efforts onscreen. Once the action stops, we’re given the visual cues of India’s urban locale in a turbulent affair, from the excitable chatter of adults to kids running through the streets. Then, we also have to touch on Hindu mythologies and other aspects, but, unfortunately, these have become more of a half-justice development in the movie.

Patel plays The Kid, an anti-hero of sorts, who gets smashed in the opening’s underground brawl (Rocky vibes over here) and then finagles his way to working inside a brothel for Queenie Kapoor (Ashwini Kalsekar). The political elite and all higher-ups reside here, including corrupt police chief Rana Singh (Sikandar Kher), who is responsible for The Kid’s mother’s death when their land was taken years prior. After a failed attempt to take him out, The Kid gets chased and nearly taken out by the police. Fortunately, he survives and becomes taken in by a small community, which teaches him to rebuild his spirit and strength (with subtle tidbits to fight for the nation’s underclass).

You know, for such a condensed revenge work of sorts with nods toward a political context, Patel and his crew dazzle us with some claustrophobic, artistic choreography in his escape attempt and then ramp it up in the final act with a fluid, stylish, violent showdown with The Kid working his way up the top. The action is the selling point, which looks fabulous, and folks can have a great time with Mr. Patel getting his wardrobe inspirations directly from Keanu Reeves (in his titular action series) and dispatch righteous skills in a techno-color establishment. Poster art couldn’t handle enough of the blood and destruction around these parts.

However, the intermediary chapters of the renewal of faith in the community can only hold attention for so long, as the weaving in of India’s politics (and jabs towards marginalization) all create a stumbling sensation for Monkey Man. You have an avenger inspired by a Hindu god to combat political corruption in religious fervor; not necessarily a wrong approach, but potentially a divisive one. Granted, this “monkey man” isn’t called into action by divine messaging but rather a tale of enacting revenge on those who took his life away from him—had Patel and Co. stayed in a singular lane and not drifted off into a chaotic split of touching on other significant issues with less-than-considered time, we’d probably be judging this feature more fondly. Perhaps we should be more sympathetic as Patel is paying respects to his heritage, the kinds of Shiva the Destroyer and Hanuman inspiring many.

All in all, Monkey Man is a damn good time when it keeps the ball rolling with visceral action beats; hopefully, Patel will get more assurance and awareness for his next outing, so we distribute fewer demerits his way.