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Who Killed Captain Alex?, 2010
Captain Alex (Kakule William) is spearheading an effort to take out a criminal group called the Tiger Mafia. When the mafia leader's brother is killed, they strike back at the authorities and the bloodshed continues to escalate.
What an absolute blast.
There's something very engaging about movies that are made with genuine enthusiasm. Sometimes, of course, movies that are written-directed-starring-etc can just turn into hollow imitations of whatever Tarantino or horror classic floated the filmmaker's boat. Here, though, there's a joy to the proceedings that makes it much more than just shallow playacting.
I remember this movie making a splash when it first came out, and I saw lots of stills or GIFs mocking the special effects. Honestly, I didn't mind them. There's a genuine charm to the film knowing that it was made on less than a shoestring budget and by a guy on a computer he cobbled together.
I think that what makes the movie work is that the tone remains entirely consistent throughout. This is a group of friends making a movie for themselves and their community. The acting, action, and camera work is all pretty even, so once you settle into it, you're good. It also never veers into the kind of content---serious torture or sexual assault--that can sour this kind of "for fun" low budget film. There's a real marked difference between what this movie is doing and what's happening in a lot of the films we're currently watching in the Hall of Infamy.
And while this might be a divisive opinion, I liked the voice over commentary. Yes, sometimes it's fart jokes. But I laughed more often than not, especially at lines like "Save me the head, like Predator" or, as the camera looks over a sewage flooded courtyard "I love it. Pearl of Africa". Or, during the tepid sequence where a captured woman is tortured (they throw water on her, then throw the bucket at her!), "They caught her watching Nigerian films." It felt like the kind of commentary you'd get in a live-MC'd event.
The movie is certainly helped by its brisk run time. I'm not sure that it would retain its charm after something like 90 minutes, but 68 minutes? Absolutely. I'm not sure I'd watch it again on my own, but I'm really glad I checked it out.
Who Killed Captain Alex?, 2010
Captain Alex (Kakule William) is spearheading an effort to take out a criminal group called the Tiger Mafia. When the mafia leader's brother is killed, they strike back at the authorities and the bloodshed continues to escalate.
What an absolute blast.
There's something very engaging about movies that are made with genuine enthusiasm. Sometimes, of course, movies that are written-directed-starring-etc can just turn into hollow imitations of whatever Tarantino or horror classic floated the filmmaker's boat. Here, though, there's a joy to the proceedings that makes it much more than just shallow playacting.
I remember this movie making a splash when it first came out, and I saw lots of stills or GIFs mocking the special effects. Honestly, I didn't mind them. There's a genuine charm to the film knowing that it was made on less than a shoestring budget and by a guy on a computer he cobbled together.
I think that what makes the movie work is that the tone remains entirely consistent throughout. This is a group of friends making a movie for themselves and their community. The acting, action, and camera work is all pretty even, so once you settle into it, you're good. It also never veers into the kind of content---serious torture or sexual assault--that can sour this kind of "for fun" low budget film. There's a real marked difference between what this movie is doing and what's happening in a lot of the films we're currently watching in the Hall of Infamy.
And while this might be a divisive opinion, I liked the voice over commentary. Yes, sometimes it's fart jokes. But I laughed more often than not, especially at lines like "Save me the head, like Predator" or, as the camera looks over a sewage flooded courtyard "I love it. Pearl of Africa". Or, during the tepid sequence where a captured woman is tortured (they throw water on her, then throw the bucket at her!), "They caught her watching Nigerian films." It felt like the kind of commentary you'd get in a live-MC'd event.
The movie is certainly helped by its brisk run time. I'm not sure that it would retain its charm after something like 90 minutes, but 68 minutes? Absolutely. I'm not sure I'd watch it again on my own, but I'm really glad I checked it out.