Movie Review: ‘Anikulapo’: The Rise of the Spectre’ would have been empty without Bashorun

The first season of the new Netflix series ‘Anikulapo: The Rise of the Spectre’ seems to be more about Bashorun Ogunjimi, a warlord in Oyo kingdom, than one would expect it to be. Two characters in the original story before the series stood out: 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).

Left to me, Bashorun overshadowed Saro and Arolake in the series because his scenes left one with something to look forward to. As for Saro, it was almost as if his best was already displayed in ‘Anikulapo’. The directors tried to play on his womanizing nature, which seemed cool; but after that, what else? The man could no longer raise the dead, therefore, interest in the movie could no longer be centred on him. I look forward to seeing the new spin the directors will give Saro. Regarding Arolake, the directors did well to give her a fresh start. It was almost as if she was a new character.

I have to praise all the departments that made the TV show what it is, especially the sound department. The tense and mild soundtrack that accompanied most of Bashorun ‘s scenes helped me focus on his words. This was evident when he approached Adigun in the cell to give him an uphill task that involved capturing Saro. The soundtrack resonated with the importance of Bashorun ‘s instructions to Adigun. The lighting department also did a wonderful job as their effort helped in conveying the right emotion. An example was when the king got angry at Bashorun inside the palace. The lighting on Bashorun ‘s face helped to display fearlessness when he pointed out the King’s weakness in response.

Concerning costumes, the designers were mild and I like that they didn’t push themselves too hard. The tribal marks on the faces of their characters were so convincing that I had to Google for photos of Bashorun to be certain he’s not tribal marked in real life. The marks on the faces could make tribal marks fashionable again in today’s society. As for his eyes, eyeliner made them charming and sexy whenever he was with his lover Awarun (Sola Sobowale). The same charming eyes transform into those of a hunter locked on prey whenever he is about his ambition to become a terror. The most convincing part of the effort of the costume designers was the decaying dead body of Saro. I felt nauseated when I saw that scene because it looked so real. I like the set design, especially the bamboo houses and the interior designs of the houses. Nothing was pushed too hard as everything appeared minimal and appealing, with carefully chosen colours.

The writers of the story blew me away with the way each character was introduced and how the plots connected. Who would think Saro’s new lady, Latorera (Oyindamola Sanni) is the daughter of his old lover, Awarun? At the point of discovering that, I knew I was watching a series that was skillfully put together, and so I consumed the entire available episodes in one sitting. I must give Director Kunle Afolayan credit for the wonderful job he did in selecting his team.

I’ll give ‘The 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.