“Kesari” is an Ambitious Mess That Loses the Plot

The film premise itself shows promise – we’re introduced to Kesari, a mystical god-like figure who transforms into a human (called Ifadola) on earth, only to reclaim his divine power later on. It’s an intriguing basis for exploring heady themes of duality, destiny, mortal existence and more. But the film bungles the execution so badly that any deeper meaning gets hopelessly lost in the messy narrative.

Right from Ifadola’s bizarre re-birth where Kesari supernaturally enters the womb of a pregnant woman, the transitions are so abrupt and under-explained that you’re left utterly confused about what’s actually happening on screen. Why does this deity decide to be reborn as a human and what’s the cosmic significance? The film never bothers to clarify or provide any sort of context.

The frequent, jarring cuts between the mythological past setting and contemporary modern-day times only compound the confusion rather than building a coherent, easy-to-follow narrative throughline. We’re thrown into ancient Yoruba kingdom feuds one minute, and then suddenly transported to the exploits of a present-day gang of robbers led by Kesari, without clearly establishing how these two disparate plot threads are meant to connect.

The film itself doesn’t seem to know what kind of story it really wants to tell. One moment it’s trying to delve into deep Yoruba creation myths and cultural lore, the next it inexplicably wants to shift gears into a supernatural Robin Hood-esque tale of Kesari robbing from the rich to philanthropically help the poor. There are potential kernels of interesting ideas here, but they are so half-baked, forced and sloppily stitched together that any deeper meaning or significance gets completely lost.

Baffling story choices only amplify how messy the plotting is. The supposedly crucial 200-year-old book with secrets about Kesari’s life and destiny makes absolutely zero sense in how and why it’s incorporated. It feels like an entirely pulled-out-of-thin-air plot device just for mere dramatic convenience. Why lazily use such a contrived MacGuffin instead of organically developing the mythical elements? It’s choices like these that constantly undermine the overall endeavor.

The performances, much like the listless screenplay, are also very uneven. Ibrahim Yekini as the central Ifadola/Kesari himself seems uncertain about whether to play the character with subtle, commanding dignity befitting a deity-turned-mortal or with hammy, over-the-top bluster. He veers erratically between these two conflicting styles, failing to create a cohesive or engaging portrayal.

The usually excellent Lateef Adedimeji is criminally wasted as one of the gang members “Water” who exists solely as a character dump with no clear motivations or personality. Amoke Ade’s romance with Ifadola has no real weight, development or chemistry. And the villainous police officer hunting Kesari appears to have literally walked in from another random movie entirely, serving no purpose except being a bland antagonist. You keep waiting for these characters to be fleshed out properly, but it never happens satisfyingly.

It doesn’t help that the special effects look terribly dated and laughably unconvincing, failing to depict any of the supernatural happenings in a way that makes you buy into the mystical premise. The shoddy CGI head of gold that is meant to represent Kesari’s divine form is unintentionally cheesy rather than awe-inspiring. You can’t take it seriously at all, which undercuts the entire spiritual angle the film is going for.

While there are a few moments of humor from the gang of robbers that provide some unintentional levity, they aren’t nearly enough to rescue this confused, mess of the film. The absurd swings from silly campy comedy to heavy-handed mythology only amplify how much the film struggles to find its identity and voice.

‘Kesari’ bites off far more than it can chew in its ambition to blend traditional folklore, modern caper storytelling, profound spiritual insights and mainstream entertainment appeal into one neat package. What could have been a unique, culturally resonant fable ends up as an overwritten, underwhelming, metaphysical slog to sit through.

While the filmmakers perhaps intended to explore mature themes, there are elements that come across as gratuitous rather than serving the narrative. A particular scene involving full nudity feels jarring and out of place, adding little value to drive the story in any meaningful direction. Such creative choices raise questions about their necessity and risk distracting audiences from the core mythological premise.

For all its endeavors about ancient wisdom, grand mythological legacies and putting a modern spin on Yoruba tales, the only lesson this movie imparts is, sometimes, simplicity is key when it comes to effective storytelling. “Kesari” had the indigenous roots, it just catastrophically failed to nurture and cultivate them into something coherent, compelling and impactful on screen. It’s a mystifying misfire that squanders its intriguing potential.

Trying to clumsily juggle too many disparate genres, subplots and themes, the film adopts a messy, convoluted structure where multiple narrative strands get tangled up and lost amidst the sloppy exposition dumps and lack of convincing character work. By the time the final act rolls around, you’ve completely checked out from making any sense of the supernatural machinations and thinly-sketched arcs.

The shoddy visual effects and production values don’t help matters either. Beyond the laughable CGI work, even the editing is remarkably choppy, allergic to letting scenes breathe. The camera work is utterly uninspired and does nothing to enhance the mystical premise through any sort of strong visual language or imaginative framing.

It’s quite a pity because the central idea of a spiritual entity experiencing human existence held the promise of exploring profound, universally resonant themes about the duality of the human condition itself. But the film squanders that opportunity entirely by getting mired in its own nonsensical plot contrivances and fevered desire to cobble together as many genres as possible into an ungainly final product.

For a movie meant to celebrate Yoruba folklore and draw from those rich mythological traditions, ”Kesari” ironically ends up a creatively bankrupt, heavily flawed bore that does a disservice to that cultural legacy.

In the end, “Kesari” is a creative ambition which is admirable, but the execution falters, resulting in a film that doesn’t live up to its potential as a unique melding of contemporary genres and ancient Yoruba traditions. Hopefully, future Nollywood offerings can apply the lessons of nuanced characterization, thematic focus and leaner storytelling when aiming to modernize indigenous stories for the screen.

Release Date: May 31, 2024

Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes

Streaming Service: Netflix

Director: Ibrahim Yekini and Tope Adebayo

Cast: Ibrahim Yekini, Odunlade Adeoka, Deyemi Adedimeji, Femi Adebayo, Adebowale Adedayo, Boma Akpore, Femi Branch, Yinka Quadri, Bolaji Ogunmola, Yvonne Jegede, Kevin Ikeduba, Dele Odunle.