Review | Zikoko!

HBO’s “House of the Dragon,” the “Game of Thrones” spinoff, is back for a second season after a two-year break.

House of the Dragon is a captivating return to the complex and treacherous world of Westeros, a 200-year prequel to the acclaimed TV show, Game of Thrones. Adapted from George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series, this new installment dives deep into the history of House Targaryen, exploring the events that led to the infamous Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons.

Or simply put, this queen…

Queen Rhaenyra | Photograph by Theo Whitman/HBO

…versus this queen…

Dowager Queen Alicent | Photograph by Theo Whitman/HBO

…who, if you’ve watched the first season, is her ex-bestie turned late father, King Viserys’s second wife (long story).

It starts where season one left off, post-King Viserys’s death and Alicent’s mishearing of his final words to mean that her son, the overindulgent Aegon Targaryen, should rule after him instead of his first child and official heir, Rhaenyra.

But where season one was perhaps slow-paced, big on setting and character development up until after the king’s tragic death — ending with Rhaenyra’s second son’s untimely death at the hand of Alicent’s second son and his giant dragon — this season expectedly begins chaotically.

With mourning, reprisal attacks after reprisal attacks, intricate politics, familial betrayals and epic battles, fans of the Game of Thrones universe finally get a taste of what they’ve come to expect — brutality. Expect dragons, battles, crazy misunderstandings and a bunch of petty guys causing avoidable complications.

But also, expect a lot of waiting around for something… more to happen.

Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO

It opens in Winterfell, on a trip to the Night’s Watch and a mention of “Winter is coming”, immediately throwing us deep into nostalgia and a promise that everything good about the original show is about to come back to us?

While the show has finally found its balance, there are still scenes where logic flies out the window, random twists without feeling and too many side plots that make it hard to care about the main battle for the Iron Throne.

At some point, we have to join Aegon to ask what’s up with the game of thrones? Are they going to fight the fight or not? However, the bratty new king, who thinks like most that being king is about doing whatever you want, is hardly a worthy contender.

King Aegon | Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO

At least, not without support from his mum, granddad (and “hand to the king”) Otto Hightower, and crazy brother, Aemond. Even then, Aegon gives us nothing to particularly hate, fear, love or all of the above, like Joffrey, Cersei or Daenerys of the original.

On the other side is Rhaenyra, backed by her own crazy husband/uncle Daemon, her in-laws/cousins the Velaryons, and her kids who everyone knows are illegitimate. She, at least, gives us something akin to an uninspiring Daenerys-lite. Perhaps it is unfair then to even compare this spinoff to the OG show.

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It’s “green” versus “black”. Green for Aegon and Alicent; black for Rhaenyra and Daemon.

There are tons of other characters you might not remember, and the show doesn’t care to reintroduce them. In fact, fans may need a quick recap of the last season to even remember some plots and players, and why they matter. New silver-haired little children spring up, and no one really seems to know whose they are.

Everyone’s angry, constantly about to fight a dumb war.

Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO

The first four of eight episodes were made available to critics like us for review, and from what we can tell — without obviously spoiling anything — the mix of stunning cinematography, meticulous production design and grandeur of the Targaryen dynasty through magnificent sets and costumes gives way to a show that’s okay, and sometimes, good.

The lead actors’ talents feel wasted, left to do their best with often hair-pulling dialogue and threadbare plot.

Matt Smith’s Daemon still doesn’t know who he is. Is he blood hungrily soulless like the show tries hard to portray or is he devotedly loyal to Rhaenyra? While the constant dichotomy is familiar ground for this universe where two-faced (or no-faced?) characters are the order of the day, this time, it feels most like the show itself is altogether unsure.

Rhaenyra x Daemon standoff | Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO

Is Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra to be a strong, capable queen or is she just going with the flow? Does Olivia Cooke’s Alicent actually know what the hell she’s doing? The only sure thing is Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole with his faux-clueless look of steadfast hypocrisy as he righteous-indignantly blusters through the plot. Does he love being a fuck-boy for queens or not?

Also, the plot twists need too much disbelief to work. Some things are too easy and some things are too complicated. Too much potential is lost in boring decisions and lackluster performances that appear to have no end result.

Rhaenyra x Daemon standoff part two | Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO

Except of course, if the end is to build our impatience for some real action to a fevered pitch that would be satisfied by the latter half of the season.

But don’t let that deter you — there’s still plenty to love. As the green versus black conflict heats up, it’s clear that the Targaryen civil war is just getting started. So, grab your popcorn and get ready for a wild ride. Because if there’s one thing this season guarantees, it’s that the dance of dragons is far from over, and the best (and most brutal) is yet to come.

Photograph by Courtesy of HBO

Soft plantain for anyone who can name the dragon above.

Season two of HOUSE OF THE DRAGON debuts today, June 16 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. The eight-episode season will continue with one new episode weekly through August 4.

THIS IS ACCURATE: The Most Annoying Characters on “House of the Dragon”, Ranked

Lolade Alaka

June 16, 2024

Movies & TV, Pop

game of thrones, House of the Dragon, Review, sponsored
After making fans wait eight years for his fifth studio album, releasing and changing his tracklist three times, Reminisce finally released it to the public on October 27, 2023.

Many Nigerian OGs are tiring out, and their new albums barely give the value of their previous work. But not Reminisce, who’s been in the game since 2003. He returns with Alaye Toh Se Gogo, his first body of work since El-Hadj in 2016, and it’s worth the wait.

On first listen, there’s no ascertaining what direction he’ll attack in, even though a general idea of his brand pops in one’s head — clever one-liners and lamba, charging quotables and daring subliminals at foes, sexcapade and high-libido anthems, with some romantic cuts, of course.

He’s been in the limelight for eleven consecutive years since 2012, remaining highly rated and critically acclaimed through it all — “do am if e easy,” Reminisce dares naysayers on the opening of this new album.

Alaye Toh Se Gogo is a street laurel that loosely translates to “certified boss” or simply “top boy,” but the type that Dushane in the grimy British TV show Top Boy would aspire to become. It’s a different beast when a veteran steps out, especially after hibernating for almost a decade.

The first track, Eyes, is a look-back at the uneasy come-ups he achieved against odds. He shares how if music hadn’t paid off for him, an unclean route would’ve likely made a way. This is a story that finds resonance with many individuals around the world.

Mayorkun’s support in chorus duty makes it the perfect album opener — a good combo of rap and singing — as Reminisce fires two shells of boastful yet introspective verses. He had to remind listeners and the competition that he gets sharper with age. He already proved he’s among the meanest rappers in the country.

Awon Aye follows. In Reminisce’s singing bag, another ammo spawned, shot at animosity and jealousy. He cleverly interpolates Pasuma’s Ligali into the hook, giving a local tongue-lashing vibe to it. This song is potent enough to give supposed detractors a wobbly walk when they pass by.

Since Omo X 100 dropped in 2021, Olamide only sings the chorus on their music collaborations, the heavy rap-lifting left to Reminisce. However, on their latest, Orin, the third track on ATSG Vol. 1, they relayed their silent battles and unexpressed emotions, which they compensate with a rewarding bank account and baller lifestyle. They talk about how hard it is for men to bottle up their feelings and keep rising to the occasion. Though soul-lifting, this track is a classic case of men drowning in hustle as a suppressant or escape from vulnerability and life’s drama.

If you’re familiar with Reminisce’s catalogue, all the man wants is his money and more money. This is the theme of Hustle featuring Bnxn and D Smoke. Alaga recounts his struggles to succeed and the vim to push his hustle and never stop.

Well, what’s a Nigerian to do?

The next track plays, and with it comes a realisation that Reminisce’s rap cuts are getting shorter with each song. In just a minute and approximately thirty seconds, Reminisce went full rapper mode on Recycle, just flexing his lyricism. It’s unsatisfying, but there’s more rap on the next track, E.N.K.R. The album version of the previously released song includes Ycee and artist-producer, Rhookcastle, who had the most outstanding performance on it.

Reminisce gets on his “sex symbol” assignment with innuendos at the core of his music on this album. On Shina Peters with Mohbad, he paints a picture of his sexual affairs — straight to the “ta-ta-ta” playlist.

Although Rotate brings out your waistline and legwork, it ends before four steps are made. Another display of Reminisce’s versatility, he effortlessly sings fuji with a new-age delivery that maintains its tempo and modulation, making street-pop his domain. Olu Maintain, the next track, showed him in his fresh pocket; a drill jam alongside youngins Dremo Drizzy, OdumoduBlvck and Powpezzy.

Oxlade’s falsetto cued in Why?, a romantic song in which Reminisce remained uncouth. The longing expressed on the song segued into Mora, a folklore performance — one of the best songs on the album — quite similar to his 2017 hit, Ponmile.

Although a filler Reminisce insisted on keeping on the album despite his team’s stance, Tight featuring Kayode, is a chilled braggadocious song about making money and having fun. It also speaks to Reminisce’s dedication to propelling young talents to a wider audience. Kayode, Powpeezy and even OdumoduBlvck, who recorded his verse for Reminisce before his breakout song, Declan Rice, dropped earlier in the year. On the Zero Conditions podcast, Reminisce mentioned how he’d rather do this than tweet about his support for the “young cats”.

The album ended with an acoustic rendition of Mora, the perfect street song to express love that doesn’t want to end.

Alaye Toh Se Gogo is a solid body of work away from his previous works and successful formula. It offers cohesive production and stellar performance at the age of 42. Age is just a figure in hip-hop. Legends in their 40s and 50s, like Show Dem Camp, M.I Abaga, Nas, Wu-Tang, still make music, cancelling the old “too old to rap” narrative. Fact is, if you got it, you got it.

Reminisce got it.

Alaye Toh Se Gogo is the new honour the street has bestowed on him. This title encapsulates his evolution as an artist, solidifying his superstardom and street legend.

It’s three days to our meat festival in Lagos. Get your Burning Ram ticket ASAP.

Tomide Marv

November 8, 2023

Pop

afrobeats, Alaye Toh Se Gogo, album, ATSG, Hip-Hop, music, Pop, rap, Reminisce, Review
On July 9, 2023, Sarz released the music video of Jam One Kele. The single is off Memories That Last Forever 2 (MTLF2). The single Jam One Kele features singer-songwriters Gimba, MillyMay_Pod and Fxrtune.

Hol’up. What’s MTLF 2?

Memories That Last Forever 2 is a fifteen-track follow-up project to the well-received first volume that came out in 2020. MTLF 2 features the students of the third set of The Sarz Academy; producers and singer-songwriters like Gimba, Syntiat, Pj Star, Charmaine ‘L A and Perfext, and executively produced by Sarz. The compilation boasts of other singles like Body Wicked and Good To Me, and it’s out now and streaming on all platforms.

Jam One Kele: the Party

Nigerian cinematographer Perliks directed and shot the music video. In it, a house party runs from evening till dawn, and these are our favourite things about it.

The “agbado era” reminder

The first scene captures a guy’s encounter with a corn seller, to subtly remind us that no matter how much fun you’re looking for, it’s the agbado era. Everything is now cash and carry; no freebies.

Hot babes and guys everywhere

The house stayed packed with hot babes and guys, talking, drinking, smoking and grinding bodies together. As Gimba sings about a kele (or baddie) he met at a party the night before, everyone’s just moving around, having fun.

Herbal drinks available

Fxrtune appears next to brag about the large sum he spends with his guys in the club. While this is happening, a young local herbal drinks seller climbs the stairs to serve people.

At a Gen-Z party? The only explanation is that some fornication is about to go down, and we’re here for it.

The energy gods

When you see guys with high energy at a party, you know it’s a hit.

Nothing comes free here

MillyMay_Pod smoothly entered the second verse to drop his own gist about a babe he liked at the party. But why is there a POS transaction in this scene? What are they buying and selling?

A guy in his underwear?

This grown male adult was caught in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs, rocking a babe at a public function. What outrageous level of konji is this?

The fun and stress-free vibes

The party goes on smoothly, and everyone is having an amazing time, looking free and comfortable despite the agbado reminder. Meanwhile, the three singers spend the rest of the beat repeating how they jammed one “kele”, and she gave them great vibes.

The video ends as the party ends and morning comes. The guests begin to wake up and leave, but the artists still won’t stop going on about the “kele” they met.

The olodo guys are so mesmerised, they forget to ask the babes for their numbers. But at least, they sang well and had fun. That’s all that matters.

Memories That Last Forever 2 is out now on all DSPs.

READ: Sarz Is Cultivating Future African Sounds

Tomide Marv

July 19, 2023

Pop

afrobeats, jam one kele, music video, Pop, Review, the sarz academy
Spoiler Alert: If you’ve never seen Hunter x Hunter, think twice before reading this because there are major spoilers ahead.

Twelve days ago, I wrote about how falling in love made me delve into the world of anime. Sure, I started because of love, but I stayed for the show. Now, I’ve almost finished watching Hunter x Hunter, and I have things to say and one big question to ask: Are the creators of the anime okay?

Arcs

My friend sold this anime to me with points like the power of friendship, underestimated characters and a simple plot of a young boy trying to find his father. She didn’t lie, but she skipped some essential points.

I thought the hunter games arc where they had to pass a few tests to get their hunter license was all I would have to deal with, and because only a few episodes were available on Netflix, I assumed I was safe. LOL. When Gon, Killua and the friends they made tried to pass the games, I was stressed out because of the uncertainty. Honestly, take me back to when that was my only problem. At episode 106 (on this totally legal anime site), I’m scared my sons might not live to see another day because this is way different from everything they’ve had to deal with. This is something nobody has had to deal with. There hasn’t been a case where Chimera ants get strong enough to be able to take over the world.

I keep trying to convince myself that my sons are the main characters and bad bitches don’t die easily, but it’s hard.

My mental health hasn’t been the same since I started watching, yet Gon and Killua, the people who put their lives in danger, are playing games and running around—acting like they didn’t just increase my blood pressure. Don’t they consider therapy? Does the hunter license not come with health insurance? Why are they acting like everything is okay?

My love for Gon and Killua extended to Kurapika and Leorio, and they’ve earned my full trust and respect. So when Kurapika had to fight the Phantom Troupe? I couldn’t contain it.

Texts I sent to the person that made me start watching HunterxHunter

How is one person making me go through all these emotions in 12 minutes? God, abeg.

After watching the Phantom Troupe and Greed Island arcs, I thought I was invincible. The creators saved the absolute fuckery for when they’ve got you hooked on the show. Because what in God’s name is the Chimera ant arc?

Stress doesn’t begin to cover it, and I’m not even done watching yet. There are still six more days to the battle with the King. Gon and Meleon (the chameleon that can turn invisible but is actually an ant with a human mind) just became partners, and an octopus that’s actually an ant is trying to save Killua’s life. Man-eating ants with tails, wings and powers are trying to take over the world. How do I tell the normal people in my life about this without sounding like a crazy person?

Now, I understand why people binge-watch anime. You’re about to leave to focus on life, but something happens and now you’re saying, “One more episode”. If not for work, I would do nothing but watch anime all day.

One thing I didn’t realise at the time I was sending the above texts is that the Chimera ant arc is where they really showed the power of friendship. I saw Killua cry because of how scared he was that he couldn’t protect Gon, and I lost it. I just wish I got to see Kurapika and Leorio a lot more.

RELATED: I Observed an Anime Group Chat for Two Days. Here’s How it Went

Villians

During the Phantom troupe arc, I was already rooting for Kurapika. I hated the Spider’s guts, and I wanted all of them gone. I mean, look at what they did to Kurapika’s family. Tell me why four episodes in, I’m crying, feeling bad for murderers and thieves. Yoshihiro Togashi, na you do me this one.

Whenever they show an enemy’s backstory, I know I’ll be unable to hate them because they’ve suffered as a collective. Poverty? Abuse? Hunger? Name it; they’ve suffered it. It reminds you that life isn’t black and white. While some people take their suffering and try to turn it into greatness, others hurt and hurt others. It doesn’t excuse their actions, but it makes you feel a bit sorry for them. I think that’s why Gon hardly kills his enemies. He knows. Killua, on the other hand? He doesn’t give a shit about you and your daddy.

If you’re not sympathising with a villain because their backstory is sad or you can see the emptiness in their eyes, it’s because they’re hot. Case in point, Feitan (who I call Feyitan), Zazan, Pitou, Shizuku, Chrollo, Misha and Hisoka.

I know they’re all bad guys, but this is a safe space, and I’ll say evil adds to their appeal. I wholeheartedly believe I can calm Feitan down when he’s about to explode. If anything, I think Ging is the real baddie in all this. Gon wouldn’t have had to go through fire and brimstone to find him if he had been a present father. How does a man tell his 12-year-old son, “Catch me if you can?” It’s giving very much child abuse and begs the question, “Is there no child protection service in this anime?” Why are so many children fighting? What are the adults doing?

RELATED: These 7 Anime Dads Aren’t Going to Win Father of the Year

Heroes

Villains you feel sorry for and flawed heroes, I think HunterxHunter thought of everything. The biggest mistake many people make is assuming heroes are selfless people who make decisions for the good of humankind. But heroes like Gon and Killua act based on their selfish interests; it just so happens to be for the good of humanity.

Gon faces every villain because he assumes it’ll finally get him strong enough to meet his dad. Killua is just in it because he’s bored, loves Gon and wants to help him find his dad. Sure, Gon is a genuinely lovely person who just wants to save everyone, but the ginger he has is because of his dad. Plus, it sometimes leads him to act without thinking and put himself in situations where he would survive, but others who are not as strong will not. Can you blame him? He’s 12. Acting without thinking is what children do.

Killua is not even a conventional hero. He’s an assassin who wanted to quit. If he didn’t meet Gon, his life would’ve gone on a totally different trajectory. Along the line, you see just how much he evolves into the role of a hero(ish).

RELATED: How to Disguise as an Anime Fan

Conclusion

My favourite thing about this anime is how human all the characters feel. They’re multifaceted, just like people in the real world. They might do a nice thing today and a terrible thing tomorrow. I’ve not met a completely bad character yet, not even Hisoka. Neither have I met a completely good character. They have their little quirks, making it a lot more fun.

I’ve not finished watching, and I believe my mental health will worsen, but I’m excited for what’s in store for me.

I’ll update you when I’m finally done, so send me love and keep me in your prayers because I definitely need it.

RELATED: Why Watching Anime With Nigerians Is Always Hilarious

Itohan Esekheigbe

September 24, 2022

Pop

anime, Funny, hunterxhunter, Review
Burna Boy has never been afraid to step out of his comfort zone, as long as it’s on his terms. He’s rapped at lightning speed alongside Lily Allen on Heaven’s Gate, jumped on the amapiano craze with the Yaba Buluku remix and led a choir on Twice as Tall standout, Bank On It.

So it didn’t come as a surprise when, during his history-making performance at Madison Square Garden earlier this year, he premiered Last Last, a song that showed a different side of Burna, inspired by heartbreak and Toni Braxton.

Taking a break from vibrant club bangers, politically conscious anthems and ego-fueled hits, Burna Boy leaned into his vulnerability with Last Last, shedding off the initial gra gra that has rightfully earned him the African Giant title. And just like that, he set the tone for the rollercoaster that is Love, Damini, his most personal album yet.

Ten years after breaking out with Like to Party, Burna Boy is no longer an outsider. Within this period, he overcame record label drama, crossed the line from underrated to recognised, sold-out shows worldwide, won a Grammy and became one of Nigeria’s biggest musical exports.

For an artist whose last three albums served as a response to haters: Outside was to prove he deserved to be part of the conversation; African Giant was an obvious response to the Coachella incident; and Twice as Tall was a comeback from being left out of the Grammy conversation, I was intrigued to find out just who Burna would be responding to this time around.

On Love, Damini, we find Burna Boy talking to himself. With this album, he’s asking tough questions and attempting to answer them as honestly as he can. The boisterous singer finally holds himself accountable (but not enough. We haven’t forgotten the recent shooting) as he swings between invincibility and vulnerability.

RECOMMENDED: This Is For Everyone in a Love-Hate Relationship with Burna Boy

The Breakdown

Burna kicks things off with Glory, telling us he’s doing the best he can while leaning into the faux-Grammy-bait Pan Africanism he’s previously been accused of. On the mid-tempo, Jagele and Vanilla, Burna reminds us of the sweet melody and easy rhymes that made On the Low an inescapable hit in 2019. These songs, alongside the Popcaan feature, Toni-Ann Singh will cause some serious waist whining competitions at the clubs.

Not one to hold back on the features, Burna Boy teams up with J.Hus for the chill, yet paranoid, Cloak and Dagger. It’s not bad, but it’s not a standout. The same could almost be said for For My Hand, which has Ed Sheeran wearing his Afrobeats plaid shirt one more time.

Other international collabs just work. J.Balvin flows surprisingly well on Rollercoaster, Blxst and Kehlani eat up the infectious Solid, while Khalid sings his ass off on Wild Dreams.

Burna Boy shows he’s just as obsessed with Squid Game, TikTok and Victony (all at once) like the rest of us, with the party-starting Different Size, a major standout on this album, partly because it feels oddly familiar.

Social justice Burna also comes out on Whiskey, where he hammers on the soot situation in Port Harcourt and its effect on the ordinary people who live there. And still on his “I’m a man of the people” shit, Burna also weaves a compelling story about our connection through struggles on the rousing, Common Person.

But in the midst of all these, Love, Damini truly shines when Burna gets raw and with himself. Despite the dance beat, he wonders if anything he does will ever be enough on It’s Plenty. He also shifts focus to coming out of a bad place with How Bad Could It Be, a song that marks a major vocal and lyrical departure from the Burna Boy we’ve gotten used to.

On the album’s titular track, which serves as its outro, Burna Boy is full of regrets: not listening to his sister, not reaching out to the people in his life and his infamous anger issues. You’ll be forgiven for being tempted to think the song should have been longer and — possibly the album opener.

Final Thoughts

Love, Damini feels very much like a Burna Boy album, but at the same time, there’s something… different. It shows major growth in Burna’s artistry, as we can finally see who he is as an artist and individual who’s no longer necessarily trying to prove himself.

Love, Damini may not be as much of a compilation of bangers like African Giant or as historic as Outside, but it may just be Burna Boy at his most honest — on a journey to (finally) be at peace with himself.

ALSO READ: Ranked: Top 15 Burna Boy Songs of All Time, According to Album Release

Conrad Johnson-Omodiagbe

July 8, 2022

Pop, Reviews

Burna Boy, Love Damini, Review
I remember watching the trailer for Sugar Rush and being captivated by all the bright colours and big names (Adesuwa Etomi AGAIN?!) but not being able to tell what the movie was actually about. There was a lot of yelling and shots of Tobi Bakre’s character running so I assumed the movie would have comedic elements like the bulk of Nollywood movies out these days. So as soon as the trailer ended, I forgot about it and went about my day.

Thank God a friend convinced me to go see it with them a few days later because I would’ve missed out on a comedy that almost made me piss myself laughing.

Sugar Rush is a movie about three sisters, Susan (the eldest, played by Adesuwa Etomi), Sola (played by Bisola Aiyelola), and Bola (the youngest, played by Bimbo Ademoye). In an effort to better their lives and take care of their cancer-stricken mother and only living parent (played by veteran actress, Iya Rainbow), they stumble on and steal the sum of $800,000 dollars from a murder scene littered with the bodies of a politician and a dozen armed men. This leads to their involvement with some dangerous characters who want the money, and hilarious hijinks ensue.

One of the best things about Sugar Rush is the chemistry between the three leads. In the midst of hilarious and potentially dangerous situations, the hierarchical sisterly bond and love for each other shine through. Bimbo Adeboye especially deserves to win all the awards for her portrayal of the vain and social media-obsessed youngest sister, Bola. Other actors in the movie who deserve acclaim for their roles are Bisoloa Aiyeola (as the middle sister, Sola), Uzor Arukwe (as Knight, the mob boss who kidnaps the girls’ mother) and Williams Uchemba (as Obum, the idiot half of a pair of EFCC field agents).

From left to right: Bimbo Ademoye, Bisola Aiyeola, Williams Uchemba, and Uzor Arukwe.

Another great thing about the movie is how wild the story gets as it goes on. While watching, I could imagine the writers – Bunmi Ajakaiye and Jadesola Osiberu – frantically scribbling with maniacal smiles on their faces as they threw in one insane plot element after the other. Some examples of this are:
- The wildly impractical chase scene involving the Sugar sisters and Andy, Sola’s one-time love interest (played by Tobi Bakre).
- Andy’s surprise death scene.
- The girls not being able to catch a break between getting kidnapped by shady characters who wanted the money and the EFCC agents.
The cherry on top of the insanely fun sundae that is Sugar Rush is how elements of the supernatural are just casually introduced in the third act in the form of the bulletproof mob boss, Anikulapo (played surprisingly well by Banky W) and a juju-infused car with the ability to turn invisible.

Banky W as Anikulapo.

Sugar Rush‘s biggest problems are the crater-sized plotholes that the movie is littered with. As a way to save time, I’ll just list some of them:
- Who deleted the video of Susan and Sola leaving the dead politician’s house with the money from the EFCC computer?
- If the politician was killed because of his reluctance to share the money (like Mrs Madueke, the EFCC boss who turned out to be a criminal, said), why didn’t the assassins just take the money with them when leaving?
- Why does Gina, the dead politician’s daughter (played by Toke Makinwa), send the inexperienced Sugar sisters on a heist to rob the vault of Anikulapo, a man who is quite literally armed to the teeth with juju?
- After that hilarious (night time) shootout, Anikulapo orders his henchman to kill and burn Susan and the EFCC agent, Dan (played by Mawuli Gavor). Why did he wait till daybreak to do it?
- Wouldn’t it have been better if the character of Anikulapo was a looming figure the entire movie, felt (and maybe heard) but not seen until the end? So his reveal would’ve been more “So this is the guy!” as opposed to “Oh, look. It’s Banky W with a dyed beard and on fleek eyebrows.“
CONCLUSION:

Sugar Rush is nowhere near perfect, but it does deliver on its promise of plenty of laughs and a good time. It’s the Nollywood equivalent of Hollywood movies like Hobbs & Shaw, pure mindless fun. And sometimes, that’s all viewers want.

Sugar Rush is currently available to stream on Netflix.
Astor George

January 7, 2020

Pop

Movie, Nollywood, Review, Sugar Rush
I remember rolling my eyes so hard they almost got lost in the back of my head the first time I heard Ramsey Nouah was spearheading the production for a sequel to the Nollywood classic, Living In Bondage. Other than it seeming like a shameless cash grab, I saw no reason for it. Up until I was seated in the theatre, waiting for the movie to start, I was willing to bet my testicles that it was going to be bad.

I’m just happy I didn’t place that bet because it would’ve been “bye bye, nuts.“

The opening scene sets the tone for the rest of the movie.

It starts with an aerial shot of a car driving through a winding bush path, while all that can be heard is the voice of a little girl singing an eerie Igbo folk song. When the car comes to a halt, the driver is revealed to be a man named Obinna Omego (played by Enyinna Nwigwe). He has driven his daughter to the middle of a forest with the promise of showing her a waterfall. He tells her to close her eyes in preparation for the surprise. When she does this, he beheads her.

The movie’s writing team (Nicole Asinugo and C.J. Obasi) took advantage of the original movie’s pop culture juggernaut status by not including flashbacks or time-consuming exposition from its characters. Whether or not you’ve seen the original, the second Andy Okeke appears onscreen (played by Kenneth Okonkwo), you just know that he’s someone important to the plot.

Solid direction, production design, and music (it actually has its own OST album) aside, one thing that sets this movie apart is the performances. Relatively unknown actor, Swanky JKA, leads the cast with a tour de force performance as Nnamdi Okeke (the son of the first movie’s protagonist). A performance that’s sure to catapult him to A-list status. His chemistry with his cousin, Toby (played by Shawn Faqua) and his love interest, Kelly (played by rapper and former MBGN, Munachi Abii) was so intense and believable that when the time came for the character to pick which loved one he wanted to sacrifice, I was hella stressed.

Veteran actor and first-time director, Ramsey Nouah, proved that multi-tasking is no herculean task for him as he expertly switched between directing the movie and playing the character of Richard Williams, an enigmatic, world-class billionaire and spiritual leader of the occult group known as The Six. His performance is reminiscent of Al Pacino’s as John Milton/Satan in 1997’s The Devil’s Advocate.

The only weak links in the cast are Kenneth Okonkwo (whose acting seemingly hasn’t evolved in the last 27 years) and David Jones David, whose performance as Uzoma, the nuerotic journalist and blogger who uncovers and exposes the activities of The Six to the world, is a little bit too over the top.

In Conclusion:

Despite an overly familiar story, Living In Bondage: Breaking Free separates itself from all the shiny garbage coming from new Nollywood with a cast who brought its A-game and a director who had a clear vision of what he wanted: to make a standalone film that pays homage to its predecessor by tackling the same themes it did, but in a modern setting.

This movie is a masterclass in how to properly handle sequels. Was it absolutely necessary? No. Am I fucking ecstatic that it now exists to show others how it’s done? HELL YES!

Living In Bondage: Breaking Free is currently showing in cinemas around Nigeria.

Astor George

November 15, 2019

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Breaking Free, Living in Bondage, Review