Synopsis: A young man (Gbotija)determined to become a mighty warrior joins an elite army led by a warlord (Ogundiji). The warlord turns against him out of jealousy and he must pass some tests in order to attain the position he wants, keep the woman he loves and stay alive.
Another Yoruba epic film from Femi Adebayo and I must say he did not disappoint. I couldn’t help but compare this film with King of thieves; Ageshinkole but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Femi Adebayo has redefined the genre such that the record he needs to beat at the moment is the one he created.
What did i like about the movie Jagun Jagun?
I liked the story a lot. I liked the cinematography, liked the setting, the set pieces were impressive, ranging from the rooms and the shrines to the bustling and vibrant battle grounds and most importantly the sprawling training ground. I was really proud of the entire production.
I liked the costumes, I liked the makeup. Jagun Jagun was a very bloody movie and I honestly thought they did a very decent job with the the scars and the blood spills to mention a few. Jagun Jagun the movie is violent, unrestrained, and thoroughly entertaining.
Although the movie was a little slow at the beginning and I got bored and tired after the first 30mins, but it go better and the it felt like the actual movie started towards the middle of the film.
Plot progression was coherent, attention to detail was on point, there were no obvious loopholes in this movie, no unanswered questions, all loose ends were tied, characters were properly developed, they explained everything that needed to be explained and we did not have to wonder or fill in the gaps by ourselves. For example, I was happy they explained Gbotija’s connection to the trees.
Let’s talk about acting and casting. Jagun Jagun features amazing performances across board. Adedimeji Lateef gave us an unforgettable performance as Gbotija. It was apparent that he put in a lot of work preparing for this role, even his physical appearance was different, he had actual muscles. It is satisfying to see a Nollywood actor bring this kind of dedication to his role. Femi Adebayo also gave a strong performance (I did not even mind the incessant head movements, it suited his character). Bukunmi Oluwashina as Kiitan also did really well. A big shout out to ALL the other actors, they all gave their best.
I liked the battles. The action sequences were beautifully choreographed. The war scenes were real and believable.
Special Effects worked. At no point did I feel like it was blatantly excessive or poorly executed.
Another thing that worked for this movie was the sound. This movie featured moving and memorable sounds, the arrangement and delivery gave the movie more depth.
I liked the dialogues, the wordplay was brilliant. One scene that stood out for me was the scene where they used the word “Ogun” in its different forms to mean different things.
I like the themes addressed but the most important thing to note is that Jagun Jagun lays bare the tragic foolishness that is at the heart of fighting wars. It vividly illustrates the absurdity of fighting wars orchestrated by the rich for their selfish interests while they keep their own children away from all the madness. This is something we see at play in Nigeria today.
The love story between Kiitan and worked. I was not too excited about it, but it worked sha. I really liked the twist about Kiitan being the “Agemo” I did not see that coming at all.
What were the issues?
Although I thought Jagun Jagun was a good watch, the storytelling left me feeling like it could have been much more satisfying.
Jagun Jagun created a visually stunning world, yet the movie lacked the gripping intrigue it needed. It was engrossing but it did not elicit that seat gripping tension that would have truly set it apart for me. Even though there were emotional scenes, the movie was not as moving as i would have liked. I was not as invested in Gbotija as I should have been, I did not feel there was so much at stake because the success or failure of his journey had no bigger significance outside of him, as a result, the movie was a little flat to me.
They knew he could speak to trees but not one time did they take that into consideration while he was being tested. Instead, we saw a wooden knife and a wooden coffin. That is not how real and calculated enemies move. So it seemed like an intentional oversight put in place by this movie to help Gbotija win. His wins looked too easy to me and as a result, i did not find them thrilling. Knowing his power, the fight with Agemo should have happened in an empty space, they should have lured him to a place without a single tree or stick in clear sight, that would have been more exciting but no, Ogundiji sent Agemo to attack Gbotija in the middle of a forest. Make it make sense.
I am also of the opinion that they under utilized the training school. As soon as the movie focused on Gbotija, they abandoned that part of the story. It would have been nice to see that there was an actual structure to the training program, something they were all working towards. It would have been more realistic for Gbotija to compete with other students for the coveted promotion, rise in hierarchy a little bit or just grow in strength,skill and stamina before he had to fight with the almighty Gbogunmi or before his rivalry with Ogundiji started. I think the time they could have used for this was spent showing us different kingdoms.
But again, maybe I’m just overthinking it.
Anyway, the movie ended well and it appears that there might be a sequel and if that’s the case, I’ll be here to watch it too!
For a long time, Yoruba epic films were not considered to be “big screen worthy” Femi Adebayo is one of the filmmakers trying to fix that impression. While so many of us thought Ageshinkole was just a one time thing or a lucky hit, with Jagun Jagun, Femi Adebayo has confirmed that he is dedicated to portraying the essence of the Yoruba culture through storytelling. His commitment to this cause is evident in every frame, every dialogue and every nuance in the movie Jagun Jagun.
Jagun Jagun is a bold and artistically ambitious project and i think it’ll always remain one of Femi Adebayo’s most profoundly beautiful works.
I also believe that it is a career-defining work from the directors Adebayo Tijani and Tope Adebayo.
Overall, Jagun Jagun was a good watch. Even though i thought it was a low stake, low tension drama, it is an intensely shot action filled war epic, powerfully directed and anchored by award winning performances.
Rating: 8/10
