Anikulapo: Rise of The Spectre’ Review: Kunle Afolayan’s Sequel Series Doesn’t Live Up to Its Rebirth

Kunle Afolayan’s fantasy drama series, Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre, picks up brilliantly from where the pilot (the 2022 Anikulapo) ends. After the protagonist Saro (Kunle Remi), the horny-minded, son of suffering enriched by his libidinal valour, dies for the second time, he is sent back to earth to repay his debt to death before he can journey into heaven. Failure to do so would make him a lost soul who wanders with no resting place for eternity. But Saro owes a huge debt—he raised twenty souls from death when he was on earth—which makes his task daunting. Now a messenger of death, he returns to earth to begin a new mission.

The 6-episode series arrives with great anticipation, as an extension of the original Anikulapo, a spirited narrative that blended fantasy with a touch of realism. The first two episodes of the sequel series serve as a link to the 2022 film, establishing promising subplots and new characters. However, the subsequent episodes fail to keep up the momentum. Consequently, the rest of the series leaves us with meandering subplots and uninspired characters wandering around like ghosts in search of eternal abode.

It is established that Saro’s fate as a living or dead person is hanging on a thin thread. Unlike when he had the power to raise the dead, he is now at the mercy of the dead. This softens the story. Now, there is a need for a new fierce plot to drive the several characters to a climax that brings them together. The introduction of Bashorun (Owobo Ogunde) as a vicious warlord thirsty for power and dominion in the kingdom brings a new dimension to the story and elevates the tensions. Still, there is a huge sense of declining efforts as the series moves forward and the expanded story pulls its focus away from Saro and Arolake to loosely linger on Balogun’s quest for power, Arolake’s sudden wealth, and the ineffective battle between Awolaran (Lateef Adedimeji) and Prince Kuranga (Uzee Usman) for the King’s daughter, Omowunmi (Eyiyemi Afolayan).

The collaborative effort between Sola Dada and Kunle Afolayan, credited as screenwriters on the series, yields mixed results. Their writing suffers from inconsistency in plots and character development. Multiple subplots are introduced in an attempt to build a bigger world, but unfortunately, they lack cohesion and do not contribute meaningfully to the overarching narrative. Some of the character development, like Prince Kuranga’s association with Oyo which leads to his relationship with Princess Omowunmi, the daughter of the Oyo monarch, feels forced and disconnected from the main story. However, the series does have potential, particularly in its exploration of the Yoruba oral tradition of Ifa mythology and its emphasis on love, honesty, sacrifice, and human destiny. With some more focused writing, the series could have delivered a compelling examination of its themes rather than a mishmash of underdeveloped ideas still trying to pitch its case.

 

As a co-writer and director, Kunle Afolayan bears significant responsibility for the series’ shortcomings. While he demonstrates a strong visual style and flair for capturing the beauty of traditional Yoruba settings, his direction fails to rein in the whimsical and off-tangent screenplay, resulting in an unfocused narrative. With such a desultory screenplay—going from one subject to another in a half-hearted way, which becomes evasive and difficult to enjoy—it’s hard for him as a director to get a firm direction and acting decisions out of his mix of new faces and veterans. These issues lead to a tendency for the series to meander off course, which makes the viewing experience disjointed and possibly wearisome for first-time watchers.

Some actors deliver commendable performances. Kunle Remi returns with a mesmerizing performance as Saro, capturing the philandering and chaotic personality of his role. Owobo Ogunde’s portrayal of the lawless Bashorun is admirable for providing a haunting drama to drive the weak subplots. Gabriel Afolayan elegantly depicts the lovable Akin with dignity, despite being restricted as a mere admirer and messenger to Arolake. Deviating from her magnetic and authentic acting in the pilot, Bimbo Ademoye’s Arolake loses her magic as she is thrown into the unconvincing subplot of sudden, mysterious wealth and reunion with King Ademuyiwa (Taiwo Hassan). Some characters, like Sola Shobowale’s Awarun slightly rely on exaggerated expressions and melodramatic delivery, which could have been toned down for a more nuanced portrayal.

The lack of cohesion in this larger world and some of the unconvincing performances could have been addressed with serious character development. Kunle Remi and Bimbo Ademoye who showed potential in the pilot could have benefited from further exploration of the depth and complexity of their characters’ inner struggles. Similarly, with some adjustments, the actors behind supporting characters like Adedimeji’s Awolaran and Usman’s Kuranga could have benefited from playing their roles more fully and delivering lines with conviction if they were given actual meat to chew.

With all its shortcomings, what made the original two-phased pilot captivating was its spirited narrative that was both refreshing and humorous. The series, instead of learning from the flaws of the pilot and improving on them, relegates its Ifa corpus and Yoruba cultural inspirations to mere exotic visuals for a bland and padded story. Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre becomes elusive by confounding itself before wearing us out.

Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre premiered on Netflix on March 1.