REVIEW: ‘Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre’, a cinematic brilliance marred by inconsistent storyline

The sequel to ‘Anikulapo‘, the 2022 award-winning film, premiered on Netflix on March 1. ‘Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre’ is a six-part mini-series produced by Kunle Afolayan.

Following the success of its predecessor, ‘Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre’ arrives amid sky-high anticipation and expectations from film lovers. While it seamlessly connects with its predecessor, introducing new subplots raised questions rather than providing the intended depth.

SYNOPSIS

In a race against time to avoid a dismal fate, traveler Saro returns to Ojumo with orders to complete a nearly impossible task.

THE STRONG POINT OF THE MINI-SERIES

The major highlight of the mini-series is the smooth link between the film and the mini-series. The mini-series picked up exactly why the previous one ended with Saro dead and Arolake on the run — no confusing start. The use of flashbacks was perfect, giving context to ongoing scenes as well as linking the previous effortlessly.

The acting performance in the series is noteworthy. Every actor in the movie brought their A game and delivered professionally, both minor, major, veteran, and young. However, Owobo Ogunde stands out due to his amazing interpretation as an antagonist and a self-centered chief.

Another notable aspect of the series is the cinematography, costumes, and effects used. All of these portrayed Yoruba culture in its purest form. The location and set design also created an aesthetic viewing experience, from the market space to the palace and the mud houses.

THE WEAK POINT OF THE MINI-SERIES

The major weakness of ‘Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre’ is the dragged storyline and overly expanded plot. There were several distracting scenes and subplots, and at some point, it looked like the series was just about the tussle between the king, his chiefs, bashorun, and the priest. The introduction of subplots also led to slow pacing which made the series tiring at some point instead of being engaging. The plot expansion brought up questions rather than depth, there are several unanswered questions. Is Saro dead or not because he was not seen among the dead at heaven’s gate? Saro was told to kill 20, he killed three; what are the implications? Has Arolake gained freedom?

There was also inconsistency in the plot regarding the years Saro was given to live again. In a scene, three years will be mentioned and in the next, it will be reduced to two years; it became hard to follow and did not blend with the series.

Another flaw of the series is the poorly crafted fight scenes. The fight scenes between Prince Kuranga and Awolaran lack authenticity, it could have been better.

FINAL VERDICT

‘Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre’ gets a 6/10.