King of Thieves is said to be inspired by Yoruba mythology, but the epic is more or less a retelling as opposed to an accurate portrayal of folklore. The screenplay, written by Yinka Laoye from a story by Femi Adebayo, wields its creative licence with wisdom, weaving a story that is identifiable and believable, while avoiding unnecessary grandness and complexities. The result is a direct and coherent tale that impresses without trying too hard.
Where the screenplay suffers is in its inability to use its characters collectively to further the purpose of the story. Characters in King of Thieves are often easily disposable or created for the purpose of executing some errand, after which they all but disappear. Oba Adegbite appears onscreen from time to time usually for the sole purpose of expressing worry or pain, but he rarely gets involved in handling crucial matters of state, like dealing with the band of robbers that have plunged his kingdom into chaos. Oguntade's father shows up as a messenger to send his son on a mission but is nowhere to be seen for the rest of the movie, not even when the mission leads to dire consequences. Even a prince appears midway into the film just so that he can be used as a plot device.
But while the characters may be underutilised, the actors are not. Femi Adebayo leads a mostly strong and starry cast with an energetic portrayal of Agesinkole, the man and the myth. His character does not say much, neither do his missing eyeballs, but Adebayo carries the character with staunchness. When he does speak, sound effects are often added to imbue his voice with some power. But those effects are barely needed; without them, Adebayo's voice still commands. Most of the time, however, he speaks through his right-hand man, played by Ibrahim Yekini who portrays his character's wickedness with finesse and subtlety.
The king might not play as much of a role as he deserves, but Odunlade Adekola delivers on the available worry and pain with sufficient nuance. Toyin Abraham, playing Mobonuola, the wife of the Oba, never goes out of character even when the supporting actors around her forget that cameras are trained on them as well, and not just on Agesinkole. And whenever Adedimeji Lateef appears onscreen as Abegunde, the famed Lafongido masquerade (just saying the name "Lafongido" makes me want to break out into his praise song), it is as difficult to not take him seriously as it is to not laugh.
King of Thieves is the movie Amina tried but failed to be. It's not that Adebayo's movie is perfect. It's not. The visual effects, especially, leave a lot to be desired. But if this is the minimum standard for the coming big-budget epic movies from Anthill Studios and Euphoria 360, and even from other filmmakers in the country, it is probably safe to say that we are in for a breezy ride.
