Razaaq Adoti writes and stars in this scrappy gangland action romp, mixing Nollywood energy with bloody set pieces and a dash of 80s-style grit. The film follows Zion, a former special forces soldier who returns to Lagos after receiving an SOS from his sister Ronke, a hotel chambermaid who stumbles upon a murder. By the time Zion arrives, Ronke is dead, framed as a victim of a deadly fentanyl cocktail distributed by the villainous Dr Baptiste.
Zion's quest for revenge is marked by his boneheaded brand of heroism, often walking into dangerous situations and taking brutal beatings. Despite this, British-Chinese director Chee Keong Cheung delivers a satisfying and fleet-footed ride, skimping on characterisation in the manner of 80s action flicks. Zion gains a cute street urchin sidekick, played by Ijelu Folajimi, to signal his moral alignment.
The film features an impressive selection of immolations, bludgeonings, and machete-gougings as Zion teams up with albino ganglord Jagunlabi (Damilola Ogunsi). Cheung's direction recalls City of God with its colourful handheld blitz, though his fondness for the Dutch angle becomes annoying. The film has an undeniable gangsta lean, matching the shambolic, brutal world it portrays.
