In 2024, streaming platforms were blessed with awesome Nollywood movies and series that kept many glued to their TV screens due to the improvement the industry produced in the year.
In this write-up, we take a look at Kemi Filani’s Top 7 Naija Netflix Movies of 2024, praising and criticizing their stories, cinematography and acting.
- Seven Doors
Seven Doors surprised me because I never expected the level of storytelling I encountered while watching the series. Each episode is laced with intrigue, and they all end with a cliffhanger that leaves you peeping to see what the next episode has to offer.
The film was produced by Femi Adebayo, who played the lead character alongside Chioma Akpotha, Adebayo Salami, Ronke Oshodi, Muyiwa Ademola, Jide Kosoko, Aisha Lawal, Yinka Quadri, and Gabriel Afolayan, among others.
Seven Doors tells the story of a newly coronated monarch, the Onilara of Ilara, who means well for his kingdom and hopes to ensure justice regardless of who’s involved. However, shortly after reluctantly mounting the throne, the crisis in mysterious forms starts afflicting him.
This series is on point in terms of special effects and Computer Generated Imagery (CGI), which shows that the Yoruba section of Nollywood is not relenting when it comes to telling traditional stories using modern technology. It’s a step in the right direction just like Lisabi: The Uprising, Anikulapo, and Jagun Jagun.
I was impressed in the first episode when a huge statue of a cock was animated to accept a dead chicken from a traditional priest. As if that was not enough, statues of past rulers of Ilara were animated to transform into real humans. The statues looked exactly like the humans they transformed into.
The sound effect in this movie is impressive and adds to the suspense. I like how the editor separated dialogues from soundtracks, unlike what was obtainable in old Nollywood, where some awful soundtrack overshadows dialogue.
- Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre
The first season of the Netflix series Anikulapo: The Rise of the Spectre seems to be more about Bashorun Ogunjimi, a warlord in the Oyo kingdom, than one would expect it to be. Two characters stood out in the original story before the series: Saro (Kunle Remi) and Arolake (Bimbo Ademoye). However, in the series, both characters seem to take the back seat in comparison to the ambitious Bashorun, played by Owobo Ogunde, the son of the late legendary theatre manager, Hubert Ogunde.
I’ve never seen acting in Nollywood as good as what Owobo Ogunde delivered as Bashorun. His character was full of different vibes which he played perfectly. From being a romantic lover with charming smiles to being a fierce warlord and a stern father, Bashorun exhibited an aura that made me forget that Saro was the main character in the show. His ambitiousness made him desire the power that Saro used in bringing back the dead to life. I wonder what the series would look like if he eventually possessed the real power gotten from the mysterious bird called Akala. Without Bashorun, ‘The Rise of the Spectre’ would have been an unnecessary extension of Anikulapo (The movie).
I’ll give Rise of the Spectre a 9 out of 10. This is because I dislike how Bashorun was killed. A warlord of fierce nature doesn’t go down as easily as he did, especially on his turf with his men around against intruders. Even though he was caught unawares, his death should have been tough and capable of making his killers bow in respect.
- House of Ga’a
I have to give it up for Femi Branch following his outstanding performance as Bashorun Ga’a in the new movie House of Ga’a, which is currently streaming. Though I’ve always known him to be a good actor, his performance in this movie is a step ahead of his potential.
House of Ga’a is the legend of Bashorun Ga’a, a fierce Oyo Empire prime minister and warlord. He is feared by kings who mount the throne of the Alaafin of Oyo despite being their appointee. Kings who fail to do his bidding meet their demise in mysterious ways. However, his overbearing attitude led to his downfall.
Directed by Bolanle Austen-Peters, House of Ga’a boasts of a star-studded cast that includes Temilolu Fosudo, Teddy A, Femi Branch, Femi Adebayo, Gabriel Afolayan, Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, Adeniyi Johnson, Lateef Adedimeji, Yemi Blaq, Mike Afolarin, Stan Nze, Ibrahim Chatta, Seun Akindele, and Bridget Nkem, amongst others.
- Oloture: The Journey
Oloture: The Journey is the sequel to the Nollywood movie Oloture. This series tells the story of a journalist working undercover as a sex worker. With her life in danger, the journalist Oloture, portrayed by Sharon Ooja, decides to flee to Europe illegally. Her journey exposes her to the rigorous risks encountered by illegal migrants.
The series boasts of an array of stars like Omoni Oboli (Alero), Ikechukwu Onunaku (Chucks), Daniel Etim Effiong (Tony), Bucci Franklin (Ade), Beverly Osu (Peju), Bukola Oladipupo (Beauty), Pearl Watts (Jewel), Patrick Doyle (Sir Phillip), Ayo Mogaji (Oloture’s Mother), Stan Nze (Ben), Amarachukwu Onoh (Andrew), Wofai Fada (Vanessa), Efa Iwara (Femi), Susan Jimah (Rose), Anthony Nwahiri (Abi), Maureen Ihua (Madam Stephanie), and Segun Arinze (Theo).
I like how the directors began the film by giving hints of what transpired in the prequel, more like bringing viewers up to speed before the sequel took its turn. However, I wouldn’t say I like the suspense-filled soundtrack that almost accompanied every scene at the movie’s beginning. The scene where the bus conveying Oloture and other Europe-bound travellers in the Niger Republic was convincing, except for the CGI fire inside the tumbled bus that later exploded.
One plot I detested so much was when Oloture told Femi about her journalistic work and the dangers she was in. I thought the plot was too weak because Oloture knew that some folks were after her life, yet she chose to reveal such sensitive details to a stranger.
- Tokunbo
Tokunbo, directed by Nollywood legend Ramsey Nouah, left me with ups and downs. While the movie has some good points, taking a closer look, you will realise that Hollywood and other major movie industries worldwide have overused those points. For instance, a major plot of the film is the kidnapping of the daughter of the first female governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Tell me you have yet to see a movie where an influential person’s child got abducted.
Tokunbo tells the story of a car smuggler who got entangled in the kidnapping of the daughter of a government official. A failure to pull through with the abduction will spell grave consequences for his own family.
The movie stars Gideon Okeke, Chidi Mokeme, Majid Michel, Adunni Ade, Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi, Darami Nadi, and Tosin Adeyemi, amongst others.
- Lisabi: A Legend Is Born
Lisabi: A Legend Is Born is the sequel to the hit movie Lisabi: The Uprising by Nollywood actor Lateef Adedimeji. It tells the story of legendary folk hero Lísabí Agbongbo-Akala and his effort to save the Egba people from the high-handedness of the Oyo Empire.
The prequel told the story of how Lisabi and his people were subjected to all manners of oppression and pushed to the wall until they couldn’t take it anymore. Then arose Lisabi with an inspirational speech that motivated the people to revolt against the Alaafin of Oyo.
The sequel stars Lateef Adedimeji, Adebimpe Oyebade, Ibrahim Yekini Itele, Olarotimi Michael Fakunle, Gbenga Okanlawon, Olumide Oworu, Olayode Juliana, Boma Akpore and Gbenga Afolayan, to mention a few.
While I enjoyed the prequel, I struggled through this latest edition. The producers should have merged both movies instead of splitting them into parts. This is because the tempo created by the first was already down before the second part was released.
- Hijack ’93
Hijack ’93 is a film that tries to achieve something different from the romance comedy and drama the Nollywood industry is saturated with. Even though it fails in many regards, it still deserves commendation for making a bold move.
Directed by Robert Peters and written by Musa Jeffery David, the movie depicts a real-life event involving four young men who hijacked a local aeroplane to pressure their country’s military government. However, the directors fail to tell viewers the exact reasons why the young men did what they did. They just expected viewers to connect the dots, which were absent.
Hijack ’93 stars Nancy Isime, Sharon Ooja, Jemima Osunde, Idia Aisien, Adam Garba, Nnamdi Agbo, Oluwaseyi Akinsola, Allison Emmanuel, Efa Iwara, and John Dumelo, amongst others.
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