An Izu Ojukwu-directed period piece that tells an epic tale about Amina, the fabled warrior-queen. Major hit or epic miss? Well, let’s find out.
Based on real life events in 16th Century Zazzau, now Zaria, in the northern part of Nigeria, Queen Amina (Lucy Ameh) known as the Warrior Princess and Queen must utilise her military expertise and strategy to defend her kingdom and homeland against the incursions of marauders. Amina is typically seen as a feminist tale highlighting the fact that women can and have been shining in typically male-dominated fields for centuries.
Of course, it would not be a great movie without great acting. Lucy Ameh as Amina is worth all the accolades and Ogunjiofor Jenevieve as the younger Amina is remarkably convincing. They both embodied the sense of authority and defiance the character holds in every version of the story told.
Good scenery is one of the pleasing parts of this screenplay. Amina‘s cinematography and special effects are spot on as well. The technical and visual presentation is top-notch. In the battle scenes, injuries and surroundings all feel so real and believable, even more so because the camera crew captures it all to perfection.
There is a unique use and seamless blend of Hausa, English and Igala. This adds a certain flair to the quite simple storyline and helps viewers to appreciate the use of indigenous languages. It feels authentic and translates well on screen.
Diction and dialogue are the magical pair that make this movie work. Although it may not be a 100 percent accurate, the usage of words is quite out of touch with word usage in modern times, which somehow makes it believable and sells it to the audience!
This is one of the few Nollywood movies that gets sound tracking; every melody used fits the scene just right, setting the tone and mood just as it should be. Styling and costume also deserve an A for effort. The 16th century apparels and hairdos are recreated in a way that is pleasing to viewers’ eyes.
There are a few areas where Amina fell short. Some scenes were not properly developed. It feels as though those scenes that could have had so much more potential are cut off abruptly. While this is not a huge problem, it is a noticeable flaw in the grand scheme of things.
The storyline fell short in some places. It felt as though the producer was more intent on releasing a good movie than having a telling, genuine historical tale. Ultimately, there are portions where the good storytelling was sacrificed for manufactured drama.
The one thing that fell flat in optics is CGI. It was quite obvious when it was being used and could quite literally be spotted a mile away. It let the entire movie down.
Amina may very well be the first of its kind in Nollywood and it may have a few flaws here and there (where is the perfect movie?). It is, however, an outstanding watch and remarkably, charts the path for period dramas like it to follow. We Stan ground-breaking storytelling here.
If you are a fan of period dramas, here is one for you and if you aren’t, this is a good place to start.
Watch it on Netflix today.
Didi Dan-Asisah is an art enthusiast and critic. She lives in Lagos.
Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.
