Our columnist takes a look at the latest offering from the DCEU, as well as its impact on the troubled studio’s efforts.  

By Seun Odukoya                                  

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not seen DC’s Black Adam starring Dwayne Johnson, do not proceed beyond this point.

Clear? Good.

Between you and me, I actually predicted the mid-credit scene – right down to Superman saying ‘we need to talk’. Honestly. I said it could go one of two ways: 1) Waller asks SHAZAM for help and he says ‘I know a guy’. Of course, we all know the guy he knows is Superman, or 2) she asks Affleck’s Batman.

You know what my choice would be. And, you know the one we actually got.

But that’s neither here nor there. I only mentioned that to establish that I get these movies. Of course, if the first book you read in your life was a comic, you’d probably be just like me.

Predictably, Black Adam opens with the ‘5000 years ago in Khandaq’ pseudo-origin narrative, introducing the tyrant king and oppressed people classically narrated in voice-over. Quickly, we come to present Khandaq, where not a lot has changed. The people are still being oppressed, but this time by white-skinned terrorists. The people don’t do much but sneak around and speak of the ‘people’s hero’ who violently liberated them all those years ago.

Cue the music. Enter Black Adam.

You already know the story; an oppressed people need a hero and someone steps up. He is granted immense power and challenges the tyrant. In the ensuing melee, they are both destroyed and the hero is never heard from again. Only this time, the hero is really not the hero we thought he was.

Sylvester Stallone’s SPARTAN, anyone?

Honestly, apart from Dwayne’s furrowed brow, there’s a lot to like in this movie. There’s the initial ‘I’m-a-bad-guy-so-I-speak-sparingly’ version of him, which quickly gives way to the ‘I-like-the-sound-of-my-voice-so-shrug’ version – which we’re more used to. There are the well-planned fight scenes, which, much like Snyder’s, play to each character’s strength. There’s the inexplicably f**king rich Hawkman who lives in a house with its own underground hangar – much like the X-Mansion – and walks with a swagger that seems to say ‘I want to be Chadwick Boseman playing Black Panther so bad’. He’s a cool character – if you excuse the fact that, apart from ‘world peace’, he really doesn’t have much of a motivation. There are the Gen Z representatives: Cyclone, who seems to just be eye candy, because, despite having an IQ of 167, she wasn’t of much use and Atom Smasher who seemed to be the brand endorsement guy. I mean, tell me you missed the KFC bucket.

The show-stealer of this experience is the ever smooth ever suave Pierce Brosnan, who I have a sort of love-hate relationship with. I didn’t like his Bond, and I still don’t. But that charming rogue he played so well in The Thomas Crown Affair? Perfect.  

The show-stealer of this experience is the ever smooth ever suave Pierce Brosnan, who I have a sort of love-hate relationship with. I didn’t like his Bond, and I still don’t. But that charming rogue he played so well in The Thomas Crown Affair? Perfect.  

Brosnan absolutely crushed it as the world-weary Kent Nelson who has one foot in the future and would rather be anywhere else than right there. The curse of being someone like Wolverine is outliving everyone you love. It’s several times worse for Nelson because he lives through it over and over again – right until it actually happens. Of course, you know there’s a scene in this movie that mirrors the one-finger scene in Avengers: Endgame.

Of course, I write ‘of course’ a lot.

Of all the characters in this movie, Dr. Fate is absolutely the one I want to see again. As much as they showed his range, I still feel as though there’s so much more to do with him. He brought gravitas and a much-needed emotional grounding to the film, which all the heavy-handed melodrama couldn’t accomplish. And we haven’t even touched on Inza.

Of all the characters in this movie, Dr. Fate is absolutely the one I want to see again. As much as they showed his range, I still feel as though there’s so much more to do with him. He brought gravitas and a much-needed emotional grounding to the film.

The film has its share of jokes and one-liners, and in this movie, it actually fits perfectly within the dark tone (unlike a certain ‘Joss-tice’ League) without coming across as cheesy or forced. There’s a scene in which Black Adam wakes up after being knocked out by an Ethereum rocket and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly plays on a TV. And then, an action sequence minutes later mirrors the quick draw scene – and we never see any reference to that again.

Let’s just ignore the fact that we’re not any further enlightened about Ethereum or Nth Metal by the end of the film, neither do we have an explanation of why the child Amon is not afraid of Adam or of why Adam can speak perfect English within moments of awakening. This is a really good DC film and heralds a positive direction for the company moving forward. Whether the audience, who are apparently used to seeing family-centered Marvel goofiness will give it a chance remains to be seen.

Time will tell. Or, as in this case, box office receipts will.

Odukoya lives, and writes in Lagos.

Dangerous love, Stockholm Syndrome, and Boko Haram are but a few ingredients of the sometimes-dark sometimes-happy film that dared to do what many could not.

By Abdulkareem Baba Aminu

Prior to watching ‘The Milkmaid’, I’d only casually read about the film on the internet and the controversy it was stoking, not with the viewing public, but with the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB). But when an opportunity came to preview it, I pressed ‘play’ relatively unbiased, my mind a tabula rasa of sorts. Let’s begin with the plot: In an unnamed part of rural sub-Saharan Africa, a Fulani milkmaid called Aisha risks her own freedom in search of her younger sister Zainab, who was taken by insurgents in a raid on their village. Worlds collide, and relationships are forged between unusual parties, and cataclysmic events follow, as they tend to in these things.

At this point, I have to warn the reader that spoilers will follow: It’s hard to discuss this film, though, without mentioning the relationship that develops between the eponymous milkmaid Aisha and Dangana the mid-level commander at an insurgents’ camp. It begins when she’s forced to marry him, only to realize that his other wife is in fact the sister she’s been frantically searching for. Only that she’s no longer the sweet sibling she knew, now all grown up into a sometimes-conflicted trainer of female suicide bombers. The last thing I expected this film to feature was a Stockholm Syndrome-drenched love triangle. But it’s there, in its deliciously flawed glory. Innocent and wide-eyed Aisha, a slowly-changing Dangana, and the dark-hearted Zainab, all form the best parts of the tale.

Innocent and wide-eyed Aisha, a slowly-changing Dangana, and the dark-hearted Zainab, all form the best parts of the tale.

The aforementioned triangle is helped in no small way by stellar turns by newcomer Anthonieta Kalunta who delivers a blisteringly raw and brilliant performance as Aisha, as well as megastar Maryam Booth who is absolutely terrifying as little-girl-lost Zainab. That’s not forgetting Gambo Usman Kona’s powerful, layered portrayal of Dangana, the insurgent who begins to question his leaders. This is all from a well-paced script by Desmond Ovbiagele (yes, the son of Helen Obviagele of ‘Evbu My Love’ fame), who also directed it. But while ‘The Milkmaid’ is a great story, and told respectfully, with sometimes dazzling craftsmanship and art, its subject matter is bound to ruffle feathers in Nigeria. Quite pointlessly, I might add. But I digress.

A few things that got my goat include the narration, voiced by the character Aisha, which seemed wooden in some places. Also, the subtitles seemed a little too large on the screen instead of just below on the mattes, the black bars atop and below the videographic image itself. Then there’s how the insurgents and their lifestyle are romanticized, made to sometimes look like cool anti-heroes, as opposed to the bloodthirsty, maniacal murderers they are. One would expect their appearances, and the look of their environment, to be sufficiently realistic owing to the jaw-droopingly beautiful costume design work of Obijie Oru, and the solid production design by Pat Nebo. But that’s it: Everything else is gold. Even the supporting cast is as thoughtfully picked as the main one, all helping to tell the gripping story which the film tries to tell.

A few things that got my goat include the narration, voiced by the character Aisha, which seemed wooden in some places.

However, the secret weapon wielded by director Ovbiagele remains Yinka Edward, the brilliant BAFTA-winning cinematographer who treats every shot as a masterpiece of art, helped in no small measure by the beautiful landscapes of Taraba State, where ‘The Milkmaid’ was filmed. Scenes where someone is reflected in water become sheer visual poetry, while a main character being tossed into a dry well is suitably, terrifyingly claustrophobic. Edwards takes his brilliance further here by applying his reverence for beautiful, sweeping landscapes to smaller scenes, elevating the whole thing to high art.

The story, the performances, and the rest of the visuals are at their best when paired with the music of Micahel Ogunlade, which is atmospheric, and almost a character of its own. It guides the viewer through the story and the various emotions it stokes, and does just as well with the quieter moments, as when everything hits a dramatic crescendo. To be fair, the technical aspects of this film are quite high in quality, while being a great work of art. I would rather dwell on that, than the nitpicking that dogged the final version of Ovbiagele’s vision. And this is because ‘The Milkmaid’ asks difficult-but-necessary questions, well-placed within a well-told tale that might as well be drawn from reality.

‘The Milkmaid’ asks difficult-but-necessary questions, well-placed within a well-told tale that might as well be drawn from reality.

Granted, the film tackles potentially problematic themes. But it does so in a sensitive way which does nothing to take away authenticity or grit. The story, also, is loaded with shocks that aren’t gratuitous in any way. In the end, ‘The Milkmaid’ succeeds in telling the story it attempts to tell. If your feathers are too ruffled to let you watch it, then that’s too bad. Because it’s the nearest to a perfectly-told story I’ve come across this side of Nollywood. When it was released, I actually felt Nigeria’s chances at the Oscars that year suddenly became brighter. And that’s fine, because it succeeded in doing what it set out to do: Tell a striking story, and strikingly, too.

‘The Milkmaid’ is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video

After a long wait, the debut of the brand-new TV series ‘House of The Dragon’, set hundreds of years before the Westeros we all loved to hate, has come to pass. Was it worth the wait, or is it just another spinoff?

Warning: There may be mild spoilers. Please avoid if you haven’t watched the series premiere of ‘House of the Dragon’.

By Abdulkareem Baba Aminu

I’m a massive Game of Thrones fan, so much so that I only showed mild irritation at the sudden turn in story quality of the final season. Even then, I accepted some points and moved on. We can’t have it all, after all. When the initial announcements of the spinoff series were made, I was of course glad. Then, after some drama, ‘House of The Dragon’ materialized as the first to be actively developed and produced. Today, nearly three years since we last stepped foot in GRR Martin’s fantasy world, we’re going back roughly 200 years for a story focusing on an older generation of ‘Game of Thrones’ characters.

While GoT had an intricately-woven tale across different families and cities, the royal Targaryen family in King’s Landing appears to be what ‘House of The Dragon’ mostly centers on, at least for now. The story here is that King Viserys Targaryen (played by Paddy Considine) came to power when a council decided on him – over cousin Rhaenys (played by Eve Best) – since a woman had never ruled.

Costumes, sets, props and even makeup is all top-notch. And why wouldn’t they all be? This is a prequel to one of the biggest and most beloved TV series ever created.

Years after, King Viserys is worried about not having any male heirs, but a precocious daughter, Rhaenyra (played as a teen by Milly Alcock). Now, Queen Aemma Arryn (played by Sian Brooke) is pregnant with what he is sure will be a boy. This is particularly precarious, because if it’s not a boy, Daemon (a phenomenally charismatic Matt Smith) is next in line to the Iron Throne, and many characters – including this viewer – don’t want that to happen.

The premiere episode drew in 9.99 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max, the largest audience in the pay TV channel’s history.

If you have watched the premiere episode by now, you know the rest of the drama: As a jousting tournament with the best knights in Westeros goes on, Queen Aemma goes into labor, facing complications that lead to a brutal C-section that sees her die in a pool of her own blood. One of the most powerful parts of the story – visually or narratively – happened as the king made a decision to choose between his beloved wife and his unborn son. Viserys would go on to lose both, and settle for his daughter as an heir, in an unprecedented move that shocks and angers many, even if they held their peace. The episode ends with me asking myself ‘Is Westeros ready for a queen?’ We will have answers as the episodes go by, I am sure of that.

The unfolding visual spectacle of the world the series is set in is a big draw, as the showrunners have a considerably larger budget to play with than that of the first series. Even the dragons have a touch of superior CGI, and are plentiful in this setting. Costumes, sets, props and even makeup is all top-notch. And why wouldn’t they all be? This is a prequel to one of the biggest and most beloved TV series ever created.

So big, in fact, that the premiere episode drew in 9.99 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max, the largest audience in the pay TV channel’s history, including content that debuted before the streaming era, as well as HBO shows that have since premiered on defunct digital platforms HBO Now and HBO Go, as well as their successor HBO Max.

In the final analysis, my observation is that the story of ‘House of The Dragon’ is indeed a crucial part of GoT lore.

In the final analysis, my observation is that the story of ‘House of The Dragon’ is indeed a crucial part of GoT lore, and is already penned down in all the intricateness that Martin’s books are known for. The direction it is taking, from the first episode, is a compelling one, which can only heighten in stakes and drama for the brilliantly-realized cast of characters.

Even if it’s too early to call, I am declaring this series worth the wait and the hype, and one of the rare occasions when spinoffs prove themselves worthy. But will it become the kind of global sensation must-see-TV its predecessor was? While it appears to be matching the original ‘Game of Thrones’ in terms of shock, sex, and gore, that remains to be seen.