Adunni Ogidan Binrin sets out with grand ambitions: to tell the story of a fearless woman standing up to tyranny and injustice. It’s a tale rooted in resistance, a David-and-Goliath struggle woven into a colonial-era backdrop. But somewhere between its historical aspirations and its cinematic execution, the story gets lost in an exhausting mess of melodrama, technical missteps, and narrative confusion. What should have been a stirring chronicle of defiance and sacrifice becomes a long, dragged-out ordeal that asks a lot from its audience and gives back little.

An Idea Without Cohesion

Adunni, a barrister played by Funmi Ogidan-Bello, takes a stand against the oppressive cocoa monopoly enforced by King Adedamola (Patrick Doyle) and the colonial District Officer, Mr. Thompson. The people are enslaved, robbed of their rights to farm and trade, and punished brutally for resistance. The narrative aims to centre Adunni as a voice of justice, a leader rising against injustice. But this story is told through layers of underdeveloped subplots, weakly executed twists, and overlong scenes that suck the urgency and emotional power out of what should be a focused rebellion.

Much of the runtime is consumed by dialogues that lack weight, scenes that stretch far beyond their utility, and repetitive exposition that stalls the momentum. For a film about resistance, there’s very little tension. For a film about injustice, there’s hardly any emotional pay-off. The stakes are high, but the delivery is flat.

Performances That Struggle to Land

Funmi Ogidan-Bello, in the lead role, shows flashes of potential, but she’s often let down by clunky writing and overly staged scenes. There is little emotional nuance, and the drama feels forced. The character is meant to be powerful, yet the film does little to make us feel that power. Dialogue that should ring with defiance lands more like a line read.

The supporting cast includes talented actors like Nancy Isime (as Romoke), Lateef Adedimeji, Odunlade Adekola (Bamidele), Iyabo Ojo, Tina Mba, and Keppy Ekpenyong, but they’re all buried under poor direction and chaotic scripting. Nancy Isime plays a widow whose husband, Wole, was killed by betrayal. Her character’s pain never quite registers, and her logic often doesn’t either. She knows Bamidele is responsible for her husband’s death, yet still lets him into her home. And we get scenes of him coercing her. It’s melodrama turned tasteless.

Odunlade Adekola, cast once again as the double-faced betrayer, brings his usual flair, but his performance can’t save a character that lacks believable motivation. Lateef Adedimeji and Iyabo Ojo’s characters suffer a similar fate—actors with range, trapped in hollow roles.

Tonally and Structurally Lost

The film shifts between languages (English and Yoruba) without clear reason. Well, we have non-Yoruba speakers in the film. Sometimes characters flip within a single scene, confusing the audience. Why are some of the so-called uneducated speaking English? How come they are in the same category as Adunni? The subtitles are often inaccurate or premature, and the set design is plagued by anachronisms: reclining chairs, modern artwork, and photochromic glasses that simply do not belong in the era the film claims to be set in.

There are scenes that break any sense of cinematic rhythm. Sequences drag on for no reason, and tension is often built up only to be fumbled. For instance, after someone is shot at night, the next scene is set in daylight, killing the continuity. The editing has no urgency, the sound design is barely present, and even the musical cues fail to amplify the story’s emotional moments.

Final Thoughts: Resistance Without Resonance

Adunni Ogidan Binrin wants to be a film about courage. A woman stands against a corrupt king and colonial control, driven by conscience. But what plays out on screen feels more like a poorly stitched historical drama masquerading as epic resistance. It tries to say something about collective suffering, about women taking charge when their men are broken, about betrayal, about justice. But the message is buried under poor acting, misfired tension, and exhausting dialogue.

The intent was there. The result? A film that tests patience more than it inspires action.

Verdict

Adunni Ogidan Binrin is ambitious in scale but sloppy in execution. It fumbles what should be a compelling story and turns it into a slow, confusing watch.

Rating: 1.25/5