A young man living his best life with his wife and children in the city is asked to become the King of Ilara Kingdom. After persuasion from all sides, he agrees and becomes the King. However, soon after his ascension, Ilara Kingdom begins to experience turmoil and trouble. He must resolve generational issues and pay heavy prices or risk losing everything he loves.
This one was a good watch for me. I must confess that I was surprised I actually liked it because do you know what this means? It means that Femi Adebayo, Tope Adebayo, and Adebayo Tijani have consistently delivered three solid stories back to back for three years in a row. If you know Nollywood, then you know this is not an easy feat!
What did I like?
I was intrigued from the very first scene. This series opened with a very spooky moment where we saw seven women jump to their deaths, and even though I thought the angles of the fallen bodies looked a little weird, I think that scene sent me a signal that it was going to be a good one because it could not have been easy to execute that scene.
I liked the story. Simple but effective, I imagine some might even describe it as a basic “Yoruba movie story” but it worked. Seven Doors used one family’s heartbreaking tragedy to reiterate what most of us already know but most times choose to ignore – the actions of those before us have implications and consequences that echo even in the lives of children who are born generations after.
I liked the storytelling. It was fast-paced but still, there were so many moving and emotionally charged moments. There were several highlights and so many standout scenes. This series delivered six episodes of nonstop, tightly wound, and properly paced drama.
Attention to detail was really good. I loved the setting; the set pieces were stunning, from the palace, the home decor, and the vehicles to their outfits and even the parties they organized. There was a point in the story where they showed us a completely different period, and the difference was so clear. I was worried they would lose control and some aspects of one period might mistakenly spill into the other, but it never happened. Someone was paying attention.
Cinematography was good, and I also really liked the makeup and costumes. For example, Esusu’s costume in the final battle was crazy; he legit looked mad. I liked the effects. They might not have been perfect, but they were a great improvement on what we’ve seen recently in movies of the same genre. I specifically loved the scene where the statues transformed into humans, I had a strong urge to clap for whoever did that!
Seven Doors was dedicated to showcasing tradition and culture, and it was unapologetic about delivering on that purpose. My God! They did not hold back at all. From the ritual rooms to the rituals themselves, the incantations, the Ifa parts—even to my untrained ears, it sounded so deep. I felt uneasy listening because I kept thinking, “It’s a movie I’m watching o, why does it feel like I’m seeing something I should not be seeing?” It was that realistic.
Let’s talk about acting and casting. I really liked the choice of actors in this series, and they all delivered. I specifically liked the Nollywood OGs who were in this series(Dele Odule, Adebayo Salami, Jide Kosoko, Saka, Ronke Oshodi-Oke etc), they all did really well. What I appreciated the most was the fact that they were relevant to the story. Unlike some other projects where these old actors were just there to occupy space and they barely even had lines, in Seven Doors, they actually did things that added colour to the story and moved the story forward.
Femi Adebayo delivered a solid performance, as did Muyiwa Ademola and Gabriel Afolayan. Nollywood movies hardly shock me with their casting, but I got two pleasant surprises. Ogogo as the Orator—he was perfect, and his voice was so beautiful. Then Kolawole Ajeyemi’s role and his delivery—who would have thought he had it in him? I was genuinely happy for him because this should shake things up for him and hopefully, help him get better roles going forward.
We also got introduced to a new actor, Aliu Gafar, who played the role of Esusu. If you saw Ageshinkole, then you’ll see some similarities between Esusu’s role and Ageshinkole’s character. I liked the fact that someone other than Femi Adebayo played this character, and he added his own flair. It was a really solid performance.
My favorite performance was from Chioma Akpotha. Anyone who has seen this series would agree with me that it was a powerhouse performance. Queen Amaka was not hot-headed, so she did not do aura-for-aura at any point. You might think that would have made the character weak or irrelevant, but it was the opposite. Her portrayal of Queen Amaka’s emotional journey was so raw and powerful. She approached the character with so much depth and emotion; she was perfect for the role!”
I liked the inter-tribal marriage angle and how they fused the two cultures without doing too much, I liked the themes addressed in this series, such as loyalty, corruption, greed, history, culture, tradition, loss, and love, to mention a few.
Speaking about love brings me to the next thing I liked about Seven Doors: the love life of the king and queen. This story is not your typical love or romance story, but still, the romance that unfolded was so deep, so intense, it became the soul of the story. The connection between Femi Adebayo and Chioma Akpotha cannot be described as chemistry—it was not chemistry, actually. The vibe they were giving off was that warm and enduring married couple vibe. You know that kind of connection that carries the quiet strength of years spent together, when passion has softened into something deeper and there’s just familiarity, unspoken understanding, and unwavering loyalty? That was how genuine their relationship felt. Their romance grounded the story, adding layers that made everything really special. I loved them in every scene I saw them together (even the one where they were wearing their white sport wear 😂) but that scene after the wedding ceremony where Femi Adebayo took off his cap and was begging her ehn, I felt it!
Finally, I liked that they made an effort to explain most of the things that needed to be explained(backstories), so there were no apparent loopholes—at least none that stood out to me.
What were the issues?
Just a few if I’m being honest, I did not notice anything really serious enough to drastically impact how much I liked it. Let me touch on some briefly
The main issue I had with this series was the fact that some sub plots could have been tightened up a lot more.
For example, let’s talk about Prince Adeoye. He was a solid character, but something felt missing. We knew he was a prince, but what exactly was his story? He didn’t seem to have family members or any obvious connection to the throne, aside from his name. What was his job, and how did he have so much money? It felt strange that he was just fighting himself—he never came into contact with the king, and the king wasn’t even aware that he was an enemy. Not confronting the king, not showing his hand, and not being petty to assert his supremacy or show that he had greater influence over the imposter who appeared from nowhere to sit on a throne he considered his just didn’t seem consistent with Prince Adeoye’s character.
It would have heightened the tension and raised the stakes if the king knew about Prince Adeoye or if they had even crossed paths. It would have shown the king that he was fighting a physical enemy as well as spiritual enemies. Another issue with Prince Adeoye’s character was that he disappeared and we just never saw him again. Did he give up? Did he travel? Did he die? It was weird to me that we never got an explanation. The corrupt chiefs as well, it just seemed like the story ended abruptly and their matter was never really addressed, they were never exposed and punished.
Moving on, this is just my personal opinion but as the series unfolded, there was just A LOOOOOT going on, too many moving pieces and it some really long dialogues, prolonged scenes, it was a little bit too much at some point.
Was it just me, or did the ending feel a little rushed? Like they should not have stopped there. I wanted more; I felt there should have been more. I was not really satisfied with the way it ended abruptly, but again, I am thankful that they did not end it on an annoying note. Overall, I thought this was a good watch. Compelling story, memorable performances,a thought-provoking portrayal of what happens when a person’s ordinary life collides with culture, history, traditions, and generational curses 😭
In 2022, I described Ageshinkole as historical pageantry at its finest….a masterpiece and a landmark achievement for Yoruba Nollywood.
In 2023, I described Jagun Jagun as a bold and artistically ambitious project that will always remain one of Femi Adebayo’s most profoundly beautiful works.
In 2024, I would like to say that Femi Adebayo has delivered once again. This series further cements his legacy as a masterful storyteller and cultural custodian. A triumph in every sense of the word!
I would also like to acknowledge the writers and the other directors, Tope Adebayo and Adebayo Tijani. Every frame, every sound, and every moment is a testament to their visionary prowess.
I have had a few conversations which revealed that this is not everyone’s cup of tea so I’ll like to know what you thought about it, please share with me!
My rating: 7.5/10
Have you seen the movie, please share your thoughts with us in the comments below
Read the review of Water and Garri here.
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