A Critical Review of Lionheart by Genevieve Nnaji through Four Media Lenses

 

The movie Lionheart came out as a directing debut by Genevieve Nnaji and it is a trailblazing Nollywood film that tells the story of the Obiagu family. Adaeze, a smart and confident business woman raised and groomed well to lead her father’s company during a financial crisis and how she was supported by her uncle she once thought was trying to steal her position in her father’s company. At the beginning, it felt like the movie would revolve around the patriarchy mentality where the storyline would involve the daughter, Adaeze been underestimated and less appreciated because of her gender and that Chief Ernest Obiagu and his wife had connived to make the uncle the successor of the Lionheart organization because they felt she was incapable. Later on, we found out that they were just doing the best for her by grooming her into becoming a better successor than she could have imagined This review will build on the fact that the movie is both a cultural and feminist statement that shows how African women can lead with grace, intelligence, and strength in pretty heels. I will explore the film using four lenses: Formal Media Analysis, Marxist Critique, Stuart Hall’s Encoding/Decoding Theory, and Bell hooks’ Oppositional Gaze.

Section A: Formal Media Analysis

To start with, we will notice that Lionheart uses warm and natural lighting to reflect Nigerian culture and mood giving us that sense of home and helping us understand the originality of the movie. Also, many shots use close-ups to capture Adaeze’s facial expressions, showing her emotional journey and the inner strength she withholds while the camera movement was gentle during family scenes to give us time to observe the serenity and connection between them but becomes more still in boardroom meetings to show power and tension between them. An example is the board meeting involving Samuel and Igwe-Pascal and the Odogwu himself, Chief Ernest. This meeting was one was the coldest power showdown in the history of meetings in lionheart. Next, we have the Mise en scene, this element shows that everything in frame supports the story. Adaeze’s office outfits show her as a modern woman, while her mother’s traditional clothes remind us of her roots. Also, the company building is clean and modern, but the family house is a mixture modern and traditional, showing balance between cultural tradition and progress. We also have sound design element showing us how the film blends traditional Igbo music with soft instrumental sounds. When Adaeze faces tough decisions, the background music becomes quiet, making her emotions louder. Also, dialogue is in English and mostly Igbo, which shows the mix of modern and deep-rooted cultural values.

Next on the elements is editing which is clean and calm reflecting how scenes flow smoothly while the pacing allows us to follow the story clearly. Even during emotional moments, the editor makes sure to holds shots a bit longer so we can feel the weight of what’s happening it helped the actors have a deep connection with the audience. Next is performance and I must say, Genevieve plays Adaeze beautifully, giving calm but confident, pretty but intelligent and how she doesn’t shout to show power but her body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice carry strength. The actors playing her parents and uncle are also quite believable and respectful of their roles. Finally, we have Narrative structure which simply shows the story as easy to understand and follow. It starts with conflict i.e. the company in debt and ends with solution i.e. the merger with the Maikano. Adaeze’s journey is the focus as it shows how she grows from being quiet in meetings to boldly saving the company.

Section B: Marxist Critique

Moving to one of the three other lenses, we have Marxist critique which Lionheart uses to show power of wealth and business in Nigeria. They made it look like Adaeze has more chances to lead because she comes from a rich family but this isn’t true because everyone can earn their right to lead as long as they are competent. The movie also shows the upper-class controls most actions and we can see that while observing that the workers in the company are mostly in the background, while the drama is between business owners. Also, when the company faces problems, Adaeze and her uncle try to find money through a business merger. This shows how businesses focus on profit, not always on people. The film doesn’t talk much about workers’ rights or how the merger might affect them rather it focuses more on keeping the company’s name alive. In conclusion, Lionheart celebrates African success, but it also ignores the struggles of lower-class workers.

Section C: Stuart Hall’s Encoding/Decoding

The next lens is Stuart Halls encoding and decoding theory where encoding talks about what Genevieve wants us to see from the movie. The message she encoded was that women can also be strong leader in the workplace and at home, that they can stand their grounds and cater for the needs of their family and still be soft and warm like a mother. Lionheart supports women breaking gender roles and this was shown when Obiora wasn’t even considered a successor to his father’s company. Even though the film promotes respect for tradition, it still didn’t go with the stereotype that all male born should be successors and females belonged in the kitchen. Some audiences, especially African women, may receive this as an empowering message. They may read it as a “preferred meaning” that success and respect are possible for women. However, others may have a negotiated reading, thinking the story is too unrealistic or idealistic because it avoids deeper problems like sexism in business like we saw in that particular scene where a man asked for Adaeze as a price to an agreement or in the scene with Arinze where he was trying to coerce her to loosen up just because he is helping her with 500 million. In conclusion, Hall’s theory helps us see how people may interpret Lionheart differently based on their own beliefs, experiences, values and background.

Section D: bell hooks’ Oppositional Gaze

Then we conclude with Hook’s oppositional gaze which I would use from a Black feminist view because I feel Lionheart gives African women something they rarely see. That is, themselves in power without being sexualized. Adaeze is not shown as an object of desire. She is shown as a leader, thinker, and daughter and is fully respected. This is not common but, in this movie, we see a Black woman telling the story, and Adaeze controlling her life. She wears decent clothes, speaks clearly, and shows emotions without being weak. In conclusion, this gaze allows Black female viewers to feel seen and respected. Lionheart rejects the male gaze and gives African women a new mirror.

In conclusion, I have analyzed Lionheart using Formal Media Analysis, Marxist Critique, Hall’s Encoding/Decoding, and the Oppositional Gaze and shown how the film is beautiful in its visuals and strong in its message. It uplifts African women but still keeps things safe by not deeply challenging capitalism or class inequality. Still, it is a step forward for Nollywood in storytelling, representation, and style. I believe Lionheart is more than just a film, it is a cultural statement that deserves to be heard.