Movie Title: Aki and Pawpaw Remake
Original: Aki na Ukwa (2002)
Main cast: Chinedu Ikedieze, Osita Iheme, Toyin Abraham, Beverly Osu, Stan Nze, Uti Nwachukwu, Amaechi Muonagor, Charles Inojie, Hanks Anuku.
Writers: Stephen Boyo and Ozioma Ogbaji
Directors: Chris Odeh, Mimi Bartel and Agozie Agwu
Producers: Charles Okpaleke, Moses Babatope, Kene Okwuosa and Craig Shurn
Release Date: Dec 12, 2021
19 years ago, tiny actors Osita Iheme and Chinedu Ikedieze came into the spotlight after landing their star film roles in ‘Aki na Ukwa.’
The instant success of the film ensured that they became celebrities overnight.
Ikedieze, who was 25 at the time, played the role of Aki, while Iheme, who was 20 at the time, played Pawpaw.
Following the success of the film, the actors continued to play brothers, keeping the stage names Aki and Pawpaw.
19 years later, best friends have reprized their roles in the remake of the classic Nollywood movie, ‘Aki and Pawpaw’.
Many years later, they remain an iconic part of our history and have made their way into Nigerian pop culture through various popular memes and gestures.
Graphic
The movie turned out to be a sequel to the original version, but this time Aki and Pawpaw have moved to the city, Lagos, where their uncle, Uche, lived.
Uncle Uche took Aki and Pawpaw to work at their neighbor’s bar, a decision Mama Nkri lived to regret, as the two brothers brought her nothing but trouble.
Aki and Pawpaw are no strangers to annoying everyone in an attempt to survey the hustle and bustle of the city. But it seems that every move they made led them to a new difficulty.
On the other hand, there is Pankshan, a social media influencer with an outsized ego, who has a habit of making life difficult for his staff, especially Samata, his assistant. Samantha was already fed up with her boss when she ran into Aki and Pawpaw.
Unfortunately for Aki and Pawpaw, they were victims of fraud, a “baptism” that everyone new to Lagos must experience.
The troublesome siblings stole their employer’s money and added all their savings to invest in the purchase of some kind of chemical that turns papers into money.
Luck ran out for Aki and Pawpaw, as what they felt would be a life-changing opportunity ended in tears and regrets.
The chemicals they bought from a self-proclaimed Indian were ineffective.
They had lost their money and were not getting paid at the end of the month. It was already Christmas and they wanted to travel to Enugu for Christmas to meet their father.
However, Aki and Pawpaw were already friends with Samantha, who was milking content from the funny brothers and posting it on her Instagram page, while she fed the duo peanuts.
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Aki and Pawpaw accidentally fell to fame, as their praise song for Samantha went viral. Could they handle fame and brotherhood?
Aki and Pawpaw
The actors approached the role with the same comic synergy reminiscent of Aki and Pawpaw of old. It’s like the actors come with an update on everything.
As the movie progresses, at some point, the viewer might forget that they are watching a movie and might even mistake the comedy duo for brothers due to the identifiable characteristics they share.
But in reality, they really are not. While Pawpaw, 39, hails from Imo State, Aki, 44, hails from Abia State.
The duo undoubtedly still got it, as they never lost their comedic gestures and antics like the old days, only this time, they bring some modern flair and vibes to the picture.
TOPICS
The movie, while fun, teaches pertinent moral lessons and is highly thematic.
The film portrays the culture of eastern Nigeria and the sense of brotherhood. Samantha, Aki, and Pawpaw became closer friends when they discovered that they were all from the “same place”, also known as “Nwafor”.
In addition, he portrayed the culture of the people, especially the Igbos, who traveled to his village for Christmas. Aki and Pawpaw traveled for Christmas when they discovered that they were popular even in the village for their praise for Samatha.
When they found out how Samantha was defrauding them of its contents, they took her to her relatives. Relatives were very popular in most of the veteran Nollywood movies, they were known as the “old men.”
Also, when the duo gained fame but suffered misunderstandings, the family tried to reunite the group.
The movie described social media as ‘social media’, Pakshan was very famous and had a large following, but was in competition when Aki and pawpaw broke the ‘social media’.
The film exposed the power of social media and how it has drawn so many people to the spotlight. It also highlights the skills that exist in the field of social networks. The pursuit of fame and the intoxicating power of social media.
ACCESSORIES
Unlike the first film, the remake is produced with better equipment, brilliant cinematography, and a top-notch soundtrack.
The story of the film is closely related to contemporary society, with the characters doing what they do best, with a touch of modernity.
Defects
The movie is not only funny and sarcastic, but it is also very predictable towards the end.
While the writers would argue that it is a comedic film that requires little to no suspense, laughter or comedy alone is not enough to keep the audience glued for nearly two hours.
Furthermore, the long-awaited film failed to explicitly explore the reality of the characters after nearly two decades.
The actors did a decent job of instilling suspense and adding comedic overtones to the film, but due to the absence of some realistic scenes, the producers almost failed to make this a charming watch.
If 19 years ago Aki and Pawpaw were just notorious kids in town, in this sequel, we didn’t expect them to be cast as teenagers. One thing this sequel lacks is continuity. In filmmaking, continuity is the principle of ensuring that all the details in a movie or television show are consistent from shot to shot and scene to scene. But in this case, from the original to the sequel, or the remake, as the producers describe it.
The producers failed to reflect the reality of Aki and Pawpaw, who are now 40 years old in this sequel.
The taste of the average Nollywood fan has evolved over the years, even more so over the years, various aspiring Aki and Pawpaw have emerged and could very well have been cast in the movie.
Aki and Pawpaw, on the other hand, can be chosen as their parents, etc.
It would have made a lot of sense if this sequel begins with Aki and Pawpaw as parents having to deal with their children’s antics.
Classification
8/10
The movie was almost perfect, save for the continuity errors.
conclusion
Beyond the evolution of nostalgic feelings, Aki and Pawpaw is a movie that families can enjoy from this yuletide and beyond.