Monkey Man (2024) & The First Omen (2024): Double feature that doesn’t disappoint
Dev Patel during his first open interview after the announcement of his directorial debut (Wikimedia Commons).
Last summer marked the cultural phenomenon “Barbenheimer,” with the releases of Barbie (2023) and Oppenheimer (2023) occurring on the same day. Following in the footsteps of that legendary day in cinema, this past weekend presented the newest double-movie feature: “The Monkey Omen,” a name to describe the releases of the action film Monkey Man (2024) and the horror prequel The First Omen (2024).
Like “Barbenheimer,” “The Monkey Omen” will not soon be forgotten. When describing why, it’s important to first discuss Monkey Man (2024), a film that marks the directorial debut of long-time actor Dev Patel. In this film, Patel takes his first steps in moving away from his acting roots (his best-known work in films such as The Green Knight (2021), Chappie (2015), and Slumdog Millionaire (2008)), and solidifies his stylistic approach to directing. Monkey Man (2024) dives into the life of Kid, a man who is part of an underground fight club (not that fight club) and is hellbent on getting revenge to settle the score for his childhood trauma and unfiltered rage.
In my opinion, vengeance-driven action always makes for the best offerings, and Monkey Man (2024) continues this pattern. The action genre is one that typically lacks depth and well-written characters, so it was refreshing to see this film offer a great story that immediately hooks you with a gritty, nuanced protagonist on a sympathetic journey you can't help but root for.
The cinematography in this movie is stellar—there is great use of the color red that captures the elaborate set pieces throughout. Additionally, the heart and soul of India ooze from this film with its dedicated and authentic sound design alongside elaborate street sequences. Overall, the strongest aspect of the film is the action—the intense brutality and gore—which make for some insane scenes that complement the deeper story.
The final act is the cherry on top of what I think might be one of the best films of the year. For this being Patel’s first time directing, I’m floored with how he delivered a deep, character-driven action film that everyone should take the time to check out…4.5/5.
On the other side of this historic weekend of movie premieres, things got horrifying with the release of The First Omen (2024). The Omen franchise is one special to me as my mother introduced the original installment to me at a very young age. Unfortunately, the rest of the first Omen franchise isn't worth your time (don't make the same mistake I did by watching them all).
The First Omen (2024) is a prequel film I didn’t ask for but am grateful to have received. The film, a horrifyingly intriguing story, follows a new character, Margaret, as she is sent to Rome to begin a life of service within the church. It is then that her skepticism begins to unravel a large conspiracy. Credit must be given to actress Nell Tiger Free who portrays Margaret—she perfectly captures the character’s plunge into madness. Along with the acting, the cinematography is surprisingly excellent, with a multitude of shots capturing the beautiful streets of Rome and the church itself.
One of the best aspects of this movie is its original and gruesome horror. While there is little to no horror in the first act, the second will leave your skin crawling, your eyes darting away from the screen, and your jaw dropped.
With these thoughts in mind, I consider myself extremely impressed with how excellent The First Omen (2024) was, and how the climax ties it into the events of the original film from 1976. In my opinion, this is arguably the best horror film of the year so far and was an excellent time…4.5/5.
The double feature this weekend offered amazing films that you should most certainly check out!