Brotherhood Movie In Review

Since the dawn of time, the forces of good and evil have been in a war for supremacy over the souls of men and the Brotherhood movie, gave these forces the perfect battleground for a fight for the ages.

It is rare to find Nollywood movies that experiment with unfamiliar elements in the crime-action thriller genre, which thread up to astonishing digs in filmmaking and I cannot deny its majesty. I guess Jade Osiberu, the film’s producer and founder of GREOH Studios' goal of making ambitious films that mirror the Nigerian experience has been made affirmative. This marvel is embellished with remarkable acting, splendid production, charming sounds and a relatable story with life lessons on the choices we make as humans.

So, please a little warning, as there are a few spoilers ahead in this review.

Genre

Crime-action thriller

Cast

Falz, Tobi Bakre, Sam Dede, Toni Tones, Ronke Oshodi-Oke, Omawunmi, Jidekene Achufusi, Deyemi Okanlawon, Mercy Aigbe, Dianne Russet, OC Ukeje, Basketmouth, Zubby Michael, Seyi Awolowo, Dorathy Bachor, and Boma Akpore.

Synopsis 

Twin brothers, Wale (Falz) and Akin (Tobi Bakre) are orphaned when their parents are killed on New Year's day on their way home from crossover church service. After years of fighting to survive on the streets of Lagos, they fall on opposite sides of the law. The bonds of brotherhood are put to the ultimate test as one joins a Taskforce that hunts down the other and his gang.

Falz and Tobi Bakre on scene feud is introduced to us in a humour-like manner. Despite being twin brothers, both are on opposite sides of the law, they each know this and do not try to hide their animosity. This created an unwitting cold known war between both camps. I must acknowledge that the character delivery of Falz and Tobi was commendable.

The central theme of this movie recks of the Nigerian factor, the struggle of every young orphaned Nigerian child on the streets hoping for a better life, how this foundation plays a vital role in shaping the destinies of these children, how society is a shadow of itself no shade to the Basketmouth's Shadow character, the plight of the Nigerian law enforcement agents, corruption in high places, the place of law in the society and how you have a choice to make of what path to follow in life.

Cinematography

The one thing that clearly stood out in this was the defining cinematography coupled with Loukman Ali directing gave this movie a unique feel. I even at some point, questioned if this movie was solely shot in Lagos alone. The movie gave shots that painted unforgettable moments for us to see, each scene giving you the details you need to define its purpose. Kudos to them.

Tone

Despite the insane amount of tension among the major characters and the high stakes of both being on opposite sides of the law, the Brotherhood script keeps humour and excitement alive in every scene. Crime may be dangerous and scary, but the thrill can be intoxicating.

Music/Score and Soundtrack

One thing most Nollywood movies never get right is the affairs of music and sound. It seems like it is constitutional that the sound and music scores for our movies consciously suffer this fate. But this movie broke the spell, thanks to the contributions of 'Gospel' the up-close-and-personal sound effects kept me constantly on the edge of my seat and other great acts did justice with their songs, as each repped the scene they were assigned to. The icing on the cake was the use of Fireboy DML & Asake's hit track ‘Bandana’ to end the movie was nothing but lit.

Acting

Many of the characters did well in their performances but the one which stood out for me was Basketmouth's performance. It was interesting to see him play a villain in such an action-packed movie and this was a break from the norm he is known for in the entertainment industry. Much love to him.

Direction

Loukman Ali, approach to this movie deserves top admiration. For an individual who is not indigenous to our style of directing to come with this great flick and giving that this is the first Nigerian project that he directed, only shows that the Ugandan director who directed the critically acclaimed “The Girl in the Yellow Jumper“, has a lot to offer Nollywood. Kudos to him.

Script

The good thing about this movie is the way it was structured, each scene had its given purpose, whether it was to educate, inform, entertain or give some insights into the plight of our characters. It's quite laid in a simple format for all parties concerned (fans and critics) to understand, follow and draw observations from. A shout-out to Jadesola Osiberu and Abdul Tijani-Ahmed.

Stunts

This area of filmmaking is probably the most overlooked in Nollywood, many Nigerian movies make little to no use of stunts and most times what we get are of low standards. However, this was not the case, as Loukman Ali, was joined by a pan-African production crew that stretched from West Africa to East Africa and Southern Africa. These included cinematographers, sound engineers, stunt coordinators, and pyrotechnics from Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa, who were flown into the country to deliver an African blockbuster. The stunt team did give a fair account of themselves on this project.

Costume Design

This was on point, each scene and each character got matching wears for the enhancement of their performance on set.

The Pitfalls

This movie was almost perfect except for a few scenes that felt a little bit cheesy, maybe this was unintentional or they were just doubling down on emotional scenes. Also, it is pertinent to note that some scenes screamed like Hollywood rip-offs, though it is not bad to be inspired by any form of art, because if art cannot inspire art then what is its place in society? 

Overall Score

I will rate this movie an 8/10. It has great potential of being a major hit in the Nigerian movie industry, Africa and beyond. I, therefore, recommend this movie for your viewing pleasure, entertainment, education and other given needs.