IBADAN, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Kunle Afolayan’s highly anticipated movie, Anikulapo started streaming on Netflix on 30 September, 2022.
The film was shot in partnership with KAP Motion pictures.
‘Anikulapo’ is an epic movie that captures the richness of the Yoruba culture
With the perfect cast; Sola Sobowale, Bimbo Ademoye, Kunle Remi, Taiwo Hassan, Aisha Lawal, Moji Afolayan, Adebayo Salami, Eyiyemi Afolayan, Ariyiike Dimples, Omo Ologede, Yemi Elebuibon, Hakeem Kae Kazeem and many others, Kunle Afolayan once again told a story full of life, warmth, emotion, beauty and grace.
The legendary story is set in the 1702 Old Oyo Empire. The story follows Saro (Kunle Remi), a simple craftsman who wanders into a village with the power of resurrection.
This earns him the name, Anikulapo, meaning one who holds death in his purse.
As his power becomes more evident, his fame begins to rise and the forces begin to gather around him.
He soon falls into a romantic relationship with a young lady whose antics cause her to be described as a man-eater.
As events begin to unfold, it is left to see if the one who holds death can save himself.
The film by Kunle Afolayan, ‘Anikulapo’ is a story of death, resurrection and the greedy desires of men.
In the words of the prolific filmmaker, Tunde Kelani popularly known as TK, “The idea of Anikulapo was bred for three years before it was finally produced.
Being a close person to Kunle Afolayan, he confirmed that Anikulapo is not just any other movie but one that will leave a lasting impression on its audience and truly,
Viewers at the premiere on 30 September, described Anikulapo as sensational, beautiful, original, emotional, captivating, intriguing, thrilling and suspense-filled.”
The principal characters in Anikulapo share similar traits with The Figurine. Much like Sola (Afolayan) and Femi (Ramsey Nouah) in the 2009 supernatural thriller, Anikulapo’s Saro (Kunle Remi) and Arolake (Bimbo Ademoye) happen upon good fortune in a meeting with the supernatural.
Their years of bliss, however, gets truncated seemingly by Saro’s insatiable nature. The character ultimately self-destructs bringing the plot to its resolution.
Anikulapo’s plot progression is simplistic, leaving much to be questioned but one thing is most certain about it. It is astonishingly true to Afolayan’s pre-streaming deal style.
However, the force of the film’s performers is what will effortlessly steal the hearts of its audience.
As the protagonist, Kunle Remi is a discovery, delivering on the complexities of the anti-hero he portrays. Ademoye as Arolake is no less thrilling.
Casting the pair as lovers unarguably tops the list of great decisions made by the Afolayan led production. The stars are a house on fire!
Theirs is a chemistry visibly borne from an offscreen bond milked to perfection for the film.
The entirety of the casting is sheer goodness on screen, made even better with the choice to cast veterans of Yoruba Nollywood.
Anikulapo is not without its flaws but it will easily be a fan-favourite primarily for its cast and its satisfactory plot.
In one of the love scenes, the king’s wife – played by Bimbo Ademoye – took off her clothes before having sex with Saro – played by Kunle Remi.
Bimbo Ademoye owes her fans an explanation for going against her words in an interview earlier this year where she said “Never! My dad is watching. I can’t play nude or a sex scene in any movie”
Also, why did Saro open his eyes at the end, does that mean he lives on?
While a “Game of Thrones” comparison may be a little over the top, it in no way diminishes the film.
Twitter users have reacted to the critically acclaimed movie while some tweeted in collective astonishment at the sight of the queen’s breasts sparking a debate about Bimbo going nude, others applaud the casts for a great job.
A tweep, Topilolo said, “It took Arolake falling in love with an oloriburuku to appreciate the love the king had for her
Anikulapo”
Doctor Penking: “See how the producer of Anikulapo wasted a storyline that would have made a Seasonal movie. If the producer of Game of Thrones catch that script, the part where Arolake was having an affair with Saro alone is 3 seasons. Why did they just rush over such an interesting storyline?”
Ola Sexy: “My rate on this #Anikulapo movie is 6/10‼️
I will like to start the anikulapo review with the good side that made them earn the 6/10 That 6 sef I swear I just gave them for their effort ni😛
“1. I love the SET ❤️😍!!!this automatically can earn them a 100 but they are not the first to give us a nice epic set.. for that
they really tried.. The oyo walls in
- The display of indigenous professions and trades… this is something really new to the industry.. it’s giving the African 🇳🇬Renaissance vibes ❤️the aso ofili, the amokoko (clay pot makers) ,the alagbede (the blacksmith) ,the market scene with different indigenous trades..that was a beautiful attempt.
“3.The costuming was quite ok..
4. The plays major focus was aesthetics.. which they really achieved beautifully .”
5. Strategic positioning of the esho Obas (the palace guards) but was not put to good use.
6. I love the casting a bit .. especially the oyo palace cast.
“The ageds❤️😍 it was giving..
For now I think that’s all I can remember for the good parts of the movie so let’s dig in the other side I will add more good reviews if I can remember along the line Dàà 👍”
“1. The name oyo empire ❌ Shea oyo wa kere ni 🤨🤦♀️
Like fr & that name was too big to fit in for anything in the play.. Alaafin oyo keh..
I wish I can give kunle afolayan a knock on the head for belittling the oyo empire.. even the new oyo empire is no where close to old oyo 🙄
“Empire in terms of anything forget civilization. I am a Lagos girl but they say bi omo oba gbo itan Oma ba aroba..
for them to use the name oyo referring to the old oyo empire of the ages he should have done better abeg !! Or better still used a neutral name !
Abi ano make sense?
“2.the oyo empire was just there…the king himself (ogogo) is a No for me abeg .. did he not see the way the other cast were using accent ?
That’s one reason why I don’t like Taiwo Hassan.. he is too rigid and sterotype to be an actor he spoilt everything for the oyo empire.
“He was trying to portray someone else who is flexible should have taken the role.
In the yard of the Great alaafin of oyo can you imagine only three wives and children 5 sit can’t be.
All the plenty chiefs of oyo what is their significance abeg???
“I can go on and on when talking about the oyo empire but let’s stop there. Let’s just have it that research was not properly carried out.
The story 🥱🤦♀️ 0/10 how can you work with such script 🤦♀️The story is giving children theatre vibe is saro the greedy man 😂❌
“We need more abeg .. the plot is too simple for the kind of play .. the end was predicted, there should be a plot twist now Abi ???
The story is just a No for me abeg !! It’s not good to be greedy, it’s not good to be promiscuous blah blahhh sooo!!!!!!!!!!!
“6.They mentioned slave trade many times in the play, (owo eru).. that is an opportunity to develop the play more but they threw the opportunity away🫣
E pain me gan😒
“7. Is this okay an historical play or cultural play ?? It failed as an historical play because it was a fabricated folk story . No bird can wake the dead in history they can only devour the dead body… the only thing historical about it is the aesthetics.
“Yorubas culturally DON’T CELEBRATE NUDITY!!!
In history/culturally no one dares to have sex with the kings mistress!!!
The great alaafin oyo is begging for sex 😹The shading is just too much & if alaafin oyo offend kunle dem suppose beg am 😹”