Gangs of Lagos

Gangs of Lagos is a Nigerian gangster crime thriller film that was released on April 7, 2023, as the first Amazon Original Movie from Africa1. It is directed by Jade Osiberu and stars Tobi Bakre, Adesua Etomi, Iyabo Ojo, and many others. The film is about a group of friends who grew up in the Isale Eko area of Lagos, Nigeria, and became involved in crime and violence. The film follows their lives as they face challenges, betrayals, and revenge. The film has received positive reviews from critics and audiences, who praised the film's authenticity, action, and performances23. The film also sparked some controversy over its portrayal of the Eyo masquerades, a cultural symbol of Lagos.

I don't watch much Nigerian media, but this is a quality show. Fast paced, even if the dialogue drags on sometimes. All in all, the show gives you a feet-on-the-ground feel for the no-tourists parts of Lagos.

The actors come across as authentic denizens of the streets. Refreshing to see from a Western perspective where Africa is otherized beyond recognition. I'd love to see more of these shows even if the gangland storylines can get a bit worn out. But it's set apart from Nollywood because it cuts out all the melodrama.

Cool soundtrack, fun actors and a real eye-opener for audiences overseas.

Let's talk about Gangs of Lagos, a new Nigerian movie that have got the whole country talking.

I've been a long standing critic of the Nigerian movie industry, noticeable, is the fact I still don't refer to the film industry as "Nollywood", that's a conversation for another day! But Greoh Studios though cliché in their story telling, have made a name for themselves in the Action Genre. What a man can do, a woman can only try, right?

Just two major movies down and the nation is already overwhelmed (Brotherhood and Gangs of Lagos).

The only thing I see lacking from this studio is attension to detail, little errors that could be avoided but if you ain't detailed yourself, you may not even notice those errors. Considering the budget for the movie, the production came out great, mark my words; only few Hollywood studios can make a movie this good with the same budget.

Gangs of Lagos tells a Nigerian story in a brilliant way, bringing a blend of western story style with Nigerian tradition. The originality, costume, less use of English, Action choreography(5.5/10 and this is the best I have seen a Nigerian movie do). The pictures and sound were great, the sound particularly for me...

What made the movie great also was even though I knew I was seeing regular gang movie clichés, I was still glued to my screen and I enjoyed every bit of the movie.

A recommended watch for every lover of good movie.

Nigerian films are getting better at cinematography, scenery and soundtrack. Gang of Lagos didn't fail in these aspects.

Though the storyline is a little bit boring at some point. The street fight is ridiculously unbelievable especially with Adesuwa going to a street fight with a shotgun and nobody is scared or noticed.

It is good to see Faniran playing a gangster role.

Bimbo Ademoye as always is a phenomenal actor. She didn't disappoint in the movie at all.

Zlatan and Pasuma are the surprises of the movie. Their performances are beyond expectation.

It's not a movie I would want to watch twice so I will give the movie a seven star rating.

Gangs of Lagos reminded us of Jade's Brotherhood, having similar energies and location spots. The movie was more advanced in terms of quality; it wasn't bad at all, just could have benefited from a robust screenplay to make a bigger impact

DELICIOUS

-Jade Osiberu=quality and originality, and that's what we got. Gangs of Lagos, just like Brotherhood, are never-before-seen scripts in Nollywood, so bravo Jade for pushing the envelope!

Sound design, photography, sound engineering, and score were on the plus side. They radiated the Lagos vibe making us feel like we were navigating the rough streets with Oba and his friends.

-We can never get tired of Tobi Bakre, Adesua Wellington is a sweetheart, and first time seeing Chike Osebuka, he has great potential.

Tayo Faniran and Olarotimi Fakunle take home the awards; they were elegant and notorious at the same time. The kind of people you don't want to be stuck in a room with😅

How can we miss Chioma Akpotha's performance? She was the lovable and dramatic African mother who rejoiced, danced, and also got very emotional

-It was humbling to walk in the shoes of these three friends who were trapped in a life of violence and bloodshed yet aspired for a better life.

BLAND

-Oba, Ify, and Gift were childhood best friends, however, we didn't feel a strong chemistry between them.

There wasn't that inspiring camaraderie or strong attachment you'd expect from people who've gone through thick and thin together. They acted more like common friends

-The fighting sequences, though much improved, needed a further push, especially during the closing scene between Oba and his opponent

-Why did the camera operator capture a close shot of Ekun's fake beard?😖We were so impressed with the beard until the close-up shots revealed it was fake...

-Because Gangs of Lagos was a story we've seen before, it was easy to predict the end from the beginning.

It would have made a huge difference to add something new to the table, e.g. Design Teni in a more sophisticated way, have the three friends lock horns with each other, or end in a manner that signaled the battle wasn't over.

Something out of the ordinary would have elevated Gangs of Lagos to greater standards.