LIONHEART AND THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

GENEVIEVE NNAJI doesn't act movies, she lives it. She courageously takes
the form of any character and effortlessly walks the character's life.
There was a time I said to whoever that stomached my opinion that 'Jene'
has never featured in a 'come and shoot' movie. No. Her consistency and
ability to maintain – for decades – her position at the cliff is not
achieved by picking every script.

Jene has class. She is to Africa what Julia is to America – natural. It's a
privilege to know when she was newly introduced into Nigerian Home Movie; I
watched her grabbed the industry, and till this day, she has not let the
mantle go. I have seen this damsel act, and now, have watched the film she
directed; I must confess, there is nothing wanting in her. As a sucker for
creativity and fluidity – and Miss Nnaji epitomizes both – my regard for
Ada Mbaise has tripled.

'Onye ife m na ewe iwe nya biko wegbue ya' (whoever is angered by my
disposition, let that anger kill him). I love them girls but mothers are
supreme. We do not know how to immortalize our heritage and that's the
reason someone like ONYEKA ONWUENU is yet to be publicly known as Maama.
Ageless, golden, Onyeka was the darling of the days of my childhood. She
makes the 'black and white' Television look like a plasma. True, I watched
Onyeka in the 80s, when colored television was yet to be invented but I can
tell you that the eyes of my childhood colored this wonder of a woman.

The 'Elegant Stallion' whose voice is the original 'Ekwe' is a living
legend. Even in politics, I couldn't love her less. Watching her in the
Lion King sent awe down my spine.

PETE EDOCHIE will forever be to me the Okonkwo of Things Fall Apart. He is
everything a complete actor could be. Pete plays every role as if the
script is written by an Igbo Shakespeare: every line poetic, unrushed and
gay. He made word music with his impeccable speeches.

If Pete is not a rich man, we all should contribute to keeping him very,
very rich. His God created him with the ego of the Ostrich and nothing
short of the pride is adequate.

There is nothing special about Nkem Owoh. He limps as he walks and has the
manner of the street urchins. His tone is flat and, like they say, igbotic.
But, ever since I saw NKEM OWOH in Taboo, my life took a detour. I found in
him a mentor, a hero, a guide. I was not alone, Nkem Owoh influenced many
in the 90s. He was our story. I still – till tomorrow – recite most of his
breathtaking hilarious lines. Retelling Nkem Owoh's action is like a
laughter elixir: you first laugh yourself to tears before delivering the
funny gists.

There was a time in my house that we couldn't get enough of his classical
sequels: Pam Pam. Yogo Pam Pam and Kiss Me Quick. On this planet earth,
these three movies can compete with any movie made in the past and every
movie yet to be made. If you have not seen Ukwa, then, wetin you gain?

Of all the Nigerian actors, Nkem Owoh – in my opinion – has the crudest
wits. He is intelligent in an extremely raw way. With his words, and not
stupid actions, he delivers the needed comedy. RMD may have his swags;
K.O.K, his eloquence; but there is no actor in Nigeria that excites the
screen the way Nkem Owoh does.

In Lion Heart, he was not at his best. I have seen Sawam (the movie he
acted with Tony One Week in the 90s), he emptied everything in that movie.

LIONHEART has a beautiful storyline and the picture quality is topnotch.
Watching the perfect blend of English and native language was a huge turn
on. I love the poetic lines of Pete Edochie in the scene of 'Pendulum of my
life' – strong imagery. I also saw another climax when Genevieve was
pitching for the Northern investor. However, I am inclined to judge the
movie by the plot: there are gaps that could be easily filled, and the
predictability of the thread stole the mane of hair around the Lion's face.

All in all, kudos to the crew. We are going higher.

This analysis is written By Anato