The action scenes are razory and intense, though much of this slow-burn tale of revenge plays like a glum origin story. Yet “Monkey Man,” while it qualifies as a volatile, rabble-rousing action film, ...

At the London premiere of Monkey Man, star, co-writer, and first-time director Dev Patel described the film as his "best friend, worst enemy, and the little gremlin" on his shoulders, for years. It’s ...