Gangs of Lagos

I watched this as a Westerner - imagine the experience might be different for those versed in Nollywood.

The first half of the film is solid - a brothers-from-the-streets tale of organised crime of the kind that you've seen a dozen times before, but the Lagos setting and solid performances (at least from the leads) help it stand out. The second half limps home though. As the action ramps up the plot becomes increasingly threadbare, as it seems does the budget. It's telling of this decline that - bizarrely - a large chunk of the final showdown is very obviously greenscreened, despite just having a generic rooftop background. Without the grounding in the Lagos streets that carries the opening, the latter stages just feel like a very low budget US action flick.

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.

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.

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.