Lakatabu: The Monster Review – A Yoruba Movie With Few Surprises

A man begins to exploit his powers for criminal purposes, using them to threaten the lives of innocent citizens. His inevitable downfall begins when he kidnaps the daughter of a man who once stole from him. From Odunlade Adekola Film Productions, Lakatabu is a Yoruba-language film, both produced and written by Odunlade Adekola.

Plot

Lakatabu commenced with Laka being resurrected. In the following scene, a group of highway kidnappers set up a roadblock, abducting both men and women and taking them to Laka’s lair. Among the captives was Muyiwa, who managed to escape, leaving his wife behind with the kidnappers. Determined to save her, Muyiwa returned home to seek help from his father, a spiritual leader. Meanwhile, Laka, sensing the presence of powerful forces, summoned Muyiwa’s father to his lair through a spiritual connection. Unfortunately, Muyiwa’s father died during the attempt to confront Laka.

During another kidnapping attempt, Laka and his men encountered Prince Adetola and his wife. When they attempted to shoot the prince, none of the bullets could penetrate him. He then informed Laka that he had ten minutes to report to the station, which turned out to be Laka’s lair. 

Upon returning to the lair, Laka and his men found the prince and his wife waiting for them. A brief confrontation ensued, during which they captured Laka and his wife. While imprisoned, Prince Adetola began to recite incantations. When confronted by Lakatabu, every attempt Lakatabu made to shoot the prince was unsuccessful.

Lakatabu returned to the man who had resurrected him, recounting the events that transpired with Prince Adetola. In response, the man instructed Lakatabu to kill his mother, the queen, as that was the only way to kill the prince.

Meanwhile, unrest spread throughout the palace as the search for the prince intensified. The kidnappers eventually contacted the queen, instructing her to come to Igbeyinola. Upon her arrival, they captured the queen and tragically killed her. When they shot Prince Adetola, the bullet finally penetrated, resulting in his instantaneous death. The kidnappers then callously discarded the bodies along the road for the king to discover.

Meanwhile, another gang of kidnappers began gathering information about Laka and the chaos they were causing, leading them to decide to eliminate Laka’s group. However, on their way to confront Laka, they were ambushed thanks to a tip-off from the inspector. 

In the ensuing conflict, all the men from Irawo were killed, and Irawo himself was captured. When questioned by Laka, Irawo disclosed that the king had sent him to kill Laka. As a result, he was shot immediately. In revenge, Laka stormed into the palace and kidnapped the king.

Upon the king’s encounter with Lakatabu, a flashback unfolded, taking him back to a time when Laka had once worked for the king. At that point, Folagbade was not yet a king himself, but Laka diligently gave a percentage of his earnings from every job to Folagbade at that time. His ultimate goal, however, was to become king. After a particularly disastrous mission that nearly cost Lakatabu his life, he confronted the king in a fit of rage. The confrontation quickly escalated into a heated exchange of threats between the two. Returning to the present, Lakatabu ultimately fulfilled his revenge and killed the king.

Meanwhile, the prince’s wife, who had been held captive throughout this ordeal and had been secretly servicing Lakatabu, revealed a startling truth to him. She confessed that she had once been a prostitute, working undercover for Prince Adetola. Her mission had been to obtain a priceless idol worth $150 million from the king. Intrigued by this revelation, Lakatabu decided to take advantage of her knowledge and skills, planning to use her for a heist to steal the idol.

Soon after, Tunmise, Prince Adekola’s wife, confronted Lakatabu and his dark powers. This encounter led to another flashback, where it was revealed that Tunmise was, in fact, the daughter of the man who had fortified Lakatabu with his powers. Lakatabu had killed her father when the man refused to disclose the secret of Lakatabu’s vulnerability, his Achilles’ heel. Before his death, however, Tunmise’s father gave her a charm capable of neutralising the powers of others. 

The question remains: What became of Tunmise after her father’s death? And what is the ultimate fate of Lakatabu, now that his past is catching up with him?

Cast

The cast of Lakatabu featured a talented ensemble of actors, many of whom are well-known figures in the Yoruba Nollywood industry. As expected, the seasoned performers delivered their roles with their trademark skill and flair. Notable cast members included Odunlade Adekola, Akin Lewis, Adebayo Salami, Ibrahim Chatta, Tina Mba, Adunni Ade, Bolanle Ninilowo, Femi Adebayo, Lateef Adedimeji, and several other distinguished actors. Their collective performances added depth and authenticity to the film, showcasing the rich talent of the Yoruba film industry.

Language

Yoruba was the predominant language in Lakatabu.

Summary

The Yoruba storyline in Lakatabu is beginning to feel formulaic, and unfortunately, the film offered few surprises. While Odunlade Adekola made a notable effort with some of the twists—such as the unexpected deaths of Prince Adetola and the king—the overall narrative lacked the excitement and unpredictability expected from a gripping drama. 

Additionally, many subplots seemed disconnected from the main story, particularly Muyiwa’s storyline, which felt irrelevant by the end of the film. Perhaps it will be explored further in a potential sequel, but as it stands, it added little to the overall plot.

While the movie’s conclusion hints at the possibility of a second part, the excitement for it is not particularly high. The film’s pacing and unresolved storylines left many feeling unsatisfied, and though there’s a promise of continuation, the enthusiasm for what’s next seems to have waned.