Gangs of Lagos

I came to this with pretty low expectations: while I enjoy some 'classic' West-African cinema, Nollywood tend to horrify me, often taking the worse of Western cinema and leaving the out the good bits.

It is far from perfect: a lot of the secondary and some of the primary characters are acted by amateurs. The fight scenes, while sometimes well choregraphed, are evidently mimed (the lack of sync between the moves and sound effects being partly to blame). The camera work is unobtrusive and we are served some inevitable clichés (i.e. Pink-and-blue-lighting in the club scenes), and the soundtrack is a bit homogenous for my taste But the scenario actually holds its own pretty well, offering a gritty and credible slice of Nigerian street-life and a classic 'rise of the foot-soldier' narrative. Most of the characters are morally ambiguous and while it remains fairly predictable, we are far from the simplistic Manicheism of Nollywood. While the dialogues could have been better, all of the main characters are credible, and the writing for the most part successfully walk the fine line between the grotesque and the spectacular, which most crime-stories have to tread.

I watched this as a Westerner - imagine the experience might be different for those versed in Nollywood.

The first half of the film is solid - a brothers-from-the-streets tale of organised crime of the kind that you've seen a dozen times before, but the Lagos setting and solid performances (at least from the leads) help it stand out. The second half limps home though. As the action ramps up the plot becomes increasingly threadbare, as it seems does the budget. It's telling of this decline that - bizarrely - a large chunk of the final showdown is very obviously greenscreened, despite just having a generic rooftop background. Without the grounding in the Lagos streets that carries the opening, the latter stages just feel like a very low budget US action flick.

Gangs of Lagos is a Nigerian gangster crime thriller film that was released on April 7, 2023, as the first Amazon Original Movie from Africa1. It is directed by Jade Osiberu and stars Tobi Bakre, Adesua Etomi, Iyabo Ojo, and many others. The film is about a group of friends who grew up in the Isale Eko area of Lagos, Nigeria, and became involved in crime and violence. The film follows their lives as they face challenges, betrayals, and revenge. The film has received positive reviews from critics and audiences, who praised the film's authenticity, action, and performances23. The film also sparked some controversy over its portrayal of the Eyo masquerades, a cultural symbol of Lagos.

Gangs of Lagos

Every year, Nollywood releases ambitious blockbuster movies but many of them fail to deliver and end up just being a stellar cast with poor plots and direction. Gangs of Lagos doesn't offer anything new, as its subject matter is one that has had several iterations, but the cinematography, acting and locations help it soar.

The biggest issue with Gangs of Lagos would be its plot, it starts off strong but by its second half it trickles and becomes threadbare. The three friends who form the main leads also don't have much chemistry, this isn't a fault of the actors though but of the little time we spend with them as a trio.

The fight scenes are done well and bear resemblance to how fights are staged in Isale Eko. The violence and gore portrayed is also convincing. The problem comes with how the scenes are shot; the moves aren't filmed fluidly and the sound effects aren't always in sync, the overreliance on slow motion is also irking (gives off vibes that they don't trust the audience can see what they're doing).

For all the flaws of Gangs of Lagos, casting isn't one of them. There's barely any form of lacklustreness, even from the amateur and new faces. Adesua Etomi Wellington finally gets a movie that stretches her from her comfort zone, and it's delightful seeing her as a devious tomboy. Chioma Akpotha delivers as a Nigerian mother with as much love as drama; her monologue in the church is one that audiences won't forget. Chike Osebuka as the part-time gangster part-time musician is endearing and believable, and Tobi Bakre also gives a performance worthy of his protagonist status. Other acts like Bimbo Ademoye, Zlatan, Pasuma, Iyabo Ojo, Tayo Faniran also gave impassioned performances.

Giving how the themes of corruption, ghetto life, political thuggery were portrayed, the performances of the cast, the cinematography and the locations, Gangs of Lagos is a step in the right direction for Nollywood.

6.5-7/10.

I don't watch much Nigerian media, but this is a quality show. Fast paced, even if the dialogue drags on sometimes. All in all, the show gives you a feet-on-the-ground feel for the no-tourists parts of Lagos.

The actors come across as authentic denizens of the streets. Refreshing to see from a Western perspective where Africa is otherized beyond recognition. I'd love to see more of these shows even if the gangland storylines can get a bit worn out. But it's set apart from Nollywood because it cuts out all the melodrama.

Cool soundtrack, fun actors and a real eye-opener for audiences overseas.