Wole Soyinka is a biopic about Nobel Laureate, playwright and political activist, Professor Wole Soyinka. It unveils his childhood and the struggles he faced to become the man the world knows him to be today. It reveals the role he played in the Biafra war and the June 12 election. It also shows his arrest, his freedom and how he tried to steal one of our lost treasures from art collector’s private museum outside Nigeria.
Directed by Joshua Ojo, the movie stars Bimbo Oshin, Dele Odule, Femi Branch, Haffiz Oyetoro, Jide Kosoko, Joke Muyiwa, Lateef Adedimeji, Olaiya Igwe, and Segun Arinze, amongst others.
First and foremost, this is not the first biopic about Wole Soyinka. One titled The Man Died premiered earlier this year on the Nobel Laureate’s 90th birthday.
I must confess that The Man Died pulled me into Wole Soyinka’s life, giving me a better glimpse into the struggles he faced for what he believed in. I can’t seem to say the same of Wole Soyinka.
Poor Makeup
The grey hair on Lateef Adedimeji who portrayed Wole Soyinka is actually whiter than snow. It looked as if white paint was poured on his head. It looked too fake in an alarming way. I wonder what the makeup artist was thinking. I think the artist ought to have added some greys in naturally black hair to make it realistic. The grey hair on Wale Ojo who portrayed Wole Soyinka in The Man Died is very believable.
Weak cinematography
The night protest scene was too dark. I almost couldn’t see the protesters chanting “Wole, Wole, Wole.” I think the directors ought to have made some of the protesters to hold burning torches. That would have served as practical lights to give some level of visibility.
The movie failed to deliver nostalgia simply because it doesn’t have this periodic look that transports you back to the life that existed during the real events. The colorist should have made use of warm and vintage look, which will give viewers a vibe similar to what they can get when looking at photos of their grandparents.
I like the aerial shots in this movie but at some point, it seemed as if it was overused.
Acting not impressive
Ibrahim Chatta is one good actor. However, it’s beginning to seem as if he displays the same persona in every movie. I couldn’t separate his role in this biopic from what he played in Lakatabu and in Lisabi: The Uprising. Both films also star Lateef Adedimeji. I think the consortium of actors in Nollywood is actually killing the movie industry. These guys love to work together, thereby preventing the entry of new talents that would have brought fresh energy into the industry.
Lateef Adedimeji is a good actor as well, but I think he didn’t do justice to his character. I also think it’s high time he hands off from biopics. The director ought to have used actors from theatre arts departments of universities, who would have brought stage drama acting to give the movie the necessary vibe it deserves. All in all, Wole Soyinka gets a 4/10.
