Movie Title: Jagun Jagun
Release date: August 10, 2023
Address: Tope Adebayo and Adebayo Tijjani.
Duration: 2 hours, 14 minutes
Cast: Adebayo Salami, Dele Odule, Yinka Quadri, Muyiwa Ademola, Odunlade Adekola, Fathia Balogun, Lateef Adedimeji and Femi Adebayo
It’s hard not to notice a pattern when reflecting on the number of Nigerian films released annually. It is in the sense that, among the hundreds of films shown annually, there is always one that is positioned as a major contender for the best film of the year. In addition to its stellar cast and production design, a film of this type excellently delivers on a crucial part of filmmaking: storytelling.
Although it seems too early to confer a film with such accolades in 2023, Jagun Jagun undoubtedly ticks most of the boxes for a good Nollywood film.
Produced by Femi Adebayo, Jagun Jagun tells the story of a warlord, Ogunjimi, feared by people inside and outside his community. However, the arrival of a young man reveals his insecurities, as he fears that his authority will soon be displaced.
The Jagun Jagun trailer and teaser materials were enough to arouse national enthusiasm and anticipation among viewers. The two-minute trailer promised viewers an epic action experience that would keep them on the edge of their seats. Judging by the film’s number one position on Netflix Nigeria’s trending list and its fourth position on Netflix UK’s trending list, it’s safe to say that it delivers to some extent.
Jagun Jagun sets a precedent for what Nollywood producers should consider if they decide to produce an epic film. Co-directed by Tope Adebayo and Adebayo Tijani, the film takes stunt execution, production design and acting performances to a whole new level, immersing viewers in a fictional world they probably won’t want to leave after two hours and fourteen minutes. .
However, the film is a bit under the radar when it comes to flaws, as it solidifies the argument that more attention should be paid to visual effects and editing.
the plot
Before you continue reading, watch out for spoilers ahead. Gbotija (Lateef Adedimeji) is a young warrior who comes to a warrior training camp to train and avenge the death of his father. Upon arrival, he realizes that he may have bargained for more than he asked for because a ruthless leader, Ogunjimi (Femi Adebayo) is in charge of camp affairs.
After many training sessions, Gbotija is sent to fight in a war. Things go wrong as the warriors on the battlefield are mostly young and inexperienced. Angered by the group leaders’ decision to go into hiding while the war raged, Ogunjimi sends a spiritual assassin, Agemo, and punishes the absent officers by depriving them of food and freedom.
Another warrior, Wehinwo (Adeoye Adeyemi Elesho), goes against Ogunjimi’s orders and gives the officers food, which leads to his death. News of his passing reaches home, angering his fiancée, who consults with a herbalist to kill Ogunjimi’s wife (Fathia Balogun).
Fortunately, Gbotija saves her, thus earning respect among the other members of the group. Gbotija’s popularity soon reaches the ears of Ogunjimi, who becomes jealous and decides to kill two birds with one stone. After a high-ranking officer, Gbogunmi (Ibrahim Yekini Itele), in his group rejects his command, he proposes that Gbotija fight Gboogunmi to the death. Gbotija then experiences a bitter victory.
With the promise of a promotion, Gbotija faces several challenges. In his final challenge, he realizes that he is being tricked. He leads to a showdown with Ogunjimi, where only one can make it out alive.
The good
Jagun Jagun has a good script. One can quickly tell that various thoughts, edits, and revisions went into the script, as each event and scene contributed to the ending of the film. It was refreshing to see a movie mostly devoid of irrelevant scenes that would leave viewers wondering, “What was that for?” The twists and turns were another favorite part of the script, as many were unpredictable. Even when it was obvious that Gbotimi would eventually betray Ogunjimi, the viewers did not know how such an event would happen.
Odunlade in Jagun Jagun
The cinematography of the film is top notch. With several fight scenes, the film had a good chance of having different sloppy camera angles, but the directors found a way to make things work, which is pretty impressive. Don’t even get us started on production design; The commitment to building a complete ensemble that evokes the old era is truly an A-lister move.
Plunging into acting performances, many of the actors complied. Not surprisingly, as the film contains many famous young and veteran actors. However, actors like Lateef Adedimeji shine brightly as leads, balancing the scale of a compassionate and fierce warrior. Femi Adebayo also does not lose her acting brand, since she incites fear both in the minds of her characters and in that of the viewers.
Stunts are also an important element of the show. It was quite emotional to see a Nigerian film that didn’t stray from the fight scenes, instead showing professionals engaging in a well-choreographed action scene.
The bad
First of all, editing and visual effects. Although the Nigerian film industry is understandably slowly incorporating special effects into films, the use of some in Jagun Jagun seems to have undone. A good example is the first scene where Ogunjim cuts off a man’s hand; one could quickly tell that it was fake since there was a disparity between the hand and the background.
In terms of editing, the texts are under fire. Many transitions felt seamless, while some seemed to cut and join.
Second, what happened to Ogunjimi? Characters continued to refer to Ogunjimi as a fearsome and ruthless warlord, but viewers didn’t get a chance to witness his fury until the very end. It would have been great to see Ogunjimi fight in wars, punishing his enemies with no mercy from him.
Lastly, as clichéd as it sounds, it would have been more realistic for the writer not to initially grant Gbotija as much spiritual power. He might have been portrayed as weak but he developed a strong personality. He provides a strong character motive that drives his action.
final verdict
Look at it. Although Jagun Jagun has similarities to movies like King of Thieves and Orisa, it raises the bar for Nigerian epic movies.
Jagun Jagun is streaming on Netflix.
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Let hear it in the comment below if you do have an opinion on this; FILM REVIEW: Jagun Jagun Raises The Bar For Epic Nigerian Films