Red Circle enters with conviction. Directed by Akay Mason and penned by Abdul Tijani-Ahmed, the film positions itself as a socially aware crime thriller laced with commentary on privilege, class, ambition, and the fragility of justice. On the surface, it has all the ingredients: a rich protagonist who defies family expectations, a best friend from the opposite side of Lagos, a suspicious death, and a sprawling criminal syndicate.

Privilege, Ambition, and Hollow Justice

The story centers on Fikayo Holloway (Folu Storms), a wealthy Lagos journalist who dreams of breaking stories with bite rather than covering fluff. Her refusal to take her place in the family business causes friction with her parents (Femi Branch and Bukky Wright), and her job isn’t any better, with her boss (Patrick Diabuah) continuously sidelining her for male colleague, Mustapha (Timini Egbuson), who benefits from her ideas. The world around her undermines her at every turn. But when her best friend, Venita (Omowunmi Dada), is murdered after witnessing a crime linked to a feared figure named Mr. A (Debo ‘Mr. Macaroni’ Adedayo), Fikayo dives headfirst into danger, determined to expose the truth.

The plot becomes an investigation. There are connections between class, privilege, friendship, and moral responsibility. But while the setup is strong, the emotional stakes feel too light for the gravity of what unfolds. Fikayo’s reaction to her best friend’s death is immediate and cold: a few tears, then straight to strategy. The film doesn’t linger in loss or grief long enough. It moves quickly, sometimes too quickly, sacrificing depth for speed.

A Visual Language Painted in Red

Mason commits fully to a visual palette dominated by the color red. In almost every frame, there’s a touch of crimson—in lighting, clothing, set design, or blocking. This motif, while initially arresting, begins to oversaturate. The use of red might have functioned as a strong piece of mise-en-scène, a symbolic tether to violence, passion, and danger. Instead, it hovers somewhere between inspired and excessive.

The cinematography is competent, and moments like the party scene—staged around a circular table dripping in red—feel both metaphorical and grounded. But these flashes are undermined by inconsistencies. The titular “Red Circle,” presumably a high-powered criminal cabal, is not sufficiently fleshed out. For a film so concerned with systems of control and shadowy power, it doesn’t show enough of how that power operates or impacts the world beyond our main characters.

For the soundtrack it works in a way that it effectively helps the story without distracting or bringing attention to it. It doesn’t standout, particularly, but it’s effectively moderate and purposeful.

Characters on a Tightrope of Conviction

Lateef Adedimeji brings grit as Oshisco, a street enforcer with surprising moments of vulnerability. His performance is one of the more memorable ones. His performance rides the line between caricature and believability which makes his character lovable. Fikayo, our lead, is layered but not fully realized. Her fight for justice feels authentic, yet her motivations blur at times. Her hypocrisy—wielding her privilege while pretending to reject it—is an interesting dimension. Still, Folu Storms delivers a committed performance, even if the chemistry with Tobi Bakre (as Kalu, the inspector), never quite ignites.

Tobi Bakre, as the detective Kalu, shares screen time with Storms, and though a romantic subplot brews between them, there’s no spark. The eventual sex scene feels awkward, like a narrative obligation more than something earned. Venita, played with raw earnestness by Omowunmi Dada, brings a grounded realism that heightens the tragedy of her death.  Patrick Diabuah, Timini Egbuson, and others fill out the supporting cast with varying degrees of impact, but no one overshadows or deeply elevates the story.

Final Thoughts: A Circle That Misses Its Center

Red Circle is a moderately ambitious film with a compelling premise and scattered moments of brilliance. It offers a lot: commentary on class divide, a textured (if imperfect) protagonist, striking production design, and flashes of narrative creativity. But these elements do not coalesce into a cohesive whole. It wants to be a crime thriller with heart, a visual metaphor wrapped in a genre piece—yet it falls short in digging deep where it matters most.

The red thread that binds the film is aesthetic more than symbolic. With tighter plotting, richer character arcs, and more rigorous thematic payoff, Red Circle could have landed with more force. As it stands, it’s a commendable effort that glows but doesn’t ignite.

Red Circle clearly wants to say something about social injustice, media bias, familial expectation, and what it means to truly stand for truth. But rather than weaving these themes into the action, the film spells out its intent in ways that dull their impact. The storytelling avoids clunky exposition in places, using parallel editing and visual cues smartly.

The film’s question — “How far would you go for love?” — is buried under the louder question of “How far would you go for drama?” Red Circle delivers on its energy, but in terms of thematic depth and lasting impact, it draws a strong outline without filling it in.

Verdict

Red Circle is a visual feast with moments of intrigue, powered by solid performances and a strong directorial vision. But it wavers in narrative depth and symbolic clarity. A decent addition to Nollywood’s crime drama catalog, but not a genre-defining one.

Rating: 3.5/5