Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre

The director of this movie deserves a standing ovation.

I kept clapping at intervals while watching Anikulapó

The perfect blend of continuation in the storyline from the end of the first movie into the new series was seamless. Diving into the movie with its aromatic and comical representation of life and death is delightful, a play of philosophy with comedy.

The story is rich, Anikulapó is totally absorbing.

The cinematography is good, the sound too, everything was perfectly knit together.

The new characters were an overkill considering Anikulapó's rich and captivating storyline.

Bashorun is exempted from the overkill, he played his part well, his acting was a jewel in the crown of Anikulapó. His acting impressed me the most, followed by the 3 ghosts whose sad faces made their scene an effortless comedy.

The costumes and character cast was creative and accurate, especially the angel at heaven's gate.

The movie opens a window to view a part of the Yoruba culture.

Personally this is where the richness of the movie emanates from, it being centered on the Yoruba culture offered a refreshing sight to my Igbo eyes.

The decision to extend the series appears misguided, resulting in a poorly constructed narrative lacking coherence. The sluggish pace intensifies viewer frustration, turning the experience into a tedious ordeal. It seems as though the writer prioritized meeting deadlines over crafting a compelling storyline.

The unnecessary expansion of the plot contributes to the film's downfall, leaving audiences yearning for the simplicity of the original. The involvement of seasoned movie veterans appears more about financial gain than artistic commitment, with their talents seemingly underutilized in this lackluster sequel.

The poorly crafted fight scenes fail to showcase the strength or scale of the soldiers, reducing a whole army to merely six characters. Surprisingly, individuals on Instagram with less fame have managed to create superior fighting sequences. Additionally, the tribal marks in the makeup appear inconsistent, with some parts seemingly washing off.

In the end, the film squanders a significant opportunity, tarnishing the legacy of its predecessor. The decline in quality is disheartening, especially considering the potential for a captivating follow-up. A more thoughtful storytelling approach and genuine passion for the project could have salvaged what has become a disappointing cinematic endeavor.

Nice cinematography, noncohesive storytelling with lots of distracting scenes hence ultimately dragging the pacing and diluting the overall impact of the narrative. A more fitting title for the film could have been "Bashorun: The Rise of the Spectre" or a similarly evocative alternative.

Some call it a legendary movie, but I won't argue based on the set, while nice cinematography can enhance the visual experience, it's often not enough to compensate for the film's shortcomings in other areas, especially in the storyline which lacks clarity or fails to effectively connect the various plot threads hence the detachment from characters.

Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre is an incredible tv mini series that well surpasses the first movie (Anikulapo). It's a set of cinematic master piece. The craft is expertly made, and it shows in every shot. The first movie should have been a tv series. The star of this series is Owodo Ogunde. His character was brutal, and cynical; a genuinely terrifying Balogun that wanted more power and political control in the Oyo empire. The last time I rated a Kunle Afolayan movie/series this high was October 1. He has improved on his craft. The only knock on this tv series is that we didn't get enough of the back story of Balogun conquest.

This is one of the best African movies/series in a while. Exceptional storytelling with rich African culture. I think the problem with some people is that they go in to watch movies like these with "Hollywood mentality", that is, with so much foreign movie style expectation. The cinematography was on point with a lot of originality. The message was well carried out and the acting was real and the characters played their roles exceptionally well. This movie is true to African culture. I guess some people do not even know their own culture.

Kudos to the entire crew and directors for an excellent job done.