Ola Cardoso’s prison thriller Suky cherry-picks from every related prison film, making it a mere patchwork devoid of novelty.
The film follows Suky (Malik Sanni), a young boy born into a family of fighters. His life takes a turn when he witnesses the brutal murder of his father, Adigun (Tobi Bakare), a respected boxer who, after several compromises, refuses to throw a match.
This tragedy ignites Suky’s thirst for revenge, setting him on a dark and violent path. What unfolds is a tale of vengeance, betrayal, and survival, wrapped in a spectacle of combat and power struggles.
While the movie boasts impressive visuals and a few stand-out performances, it stumbles under a derivative screenplay and inconsistent execution, leaving it as a patchy, if ambitious, effort.
The story begins with promise. Suky’s world collapses after his father’s death, and a compassionate lawyer steps in, urging him to let justice take its course. But things escalate quickly when the gang responsible for Adigun’s murder invades the lawyer’s home, slaughtering him and his pregnant wife. Suky arrives mid-massacre and fights back, only to be overpowered, framed for the killings, and sent to Aja Prison—a chaotic, overcrowded hellhole where lawlessness reigns.
There, he encounters Dambe Boxing, a brutal Hausa martial art where victory often means broken bodies or death. To survive and earn his freedom, Suky must battle the prison’s fiercest fighters. This premise sets the stage for a revenge-driven action flick but it struggles to find its footing beyond that.
Suky isn’t your typical coming-of-age story, though Suky’s youth and growth linger in the background. Instead, it leans hard into the action-thriller territory, prioritizing visceral fight scenes and raw tension over emotional depth. The film’s focus on boxing, martial arts, prison, and gladiatorial outlooks suggests the screenwriter Isaac Ayodeji drew heavy inspiration from classics in those genres. Unfortunately, this reliance on familiar tropes is Suky’s bane.
The screenplay feels imitative, recycling ideas from better-known martial arts and prison films without adding fresh twists. This lack of originality muddies the plot, leading to confusion and inconsistency. For example, Suky’s transition from a grieving son to a hardened fighter happens too abruptly, with little explanation of how he masters Dambe Boxing so quickly.
The Senator’s (Femi Adebayo) relationship with the Aje Gang and Marshal remains vague, and Suky’s affection for Dr Simi (Bimbo Ademoye) feels like a rushed detour rather than a meaningful arc. These gaps leave the narrative disjointed, undermining the stakes of Suky’s journey.
The cast of Suky delivers an uneven range of performances, often as topsy-turvy as the story itself. Tobi Bakare shines briefly as Adigun, exuding strength and dignity in his limited screen time, but his early exit robs the film of a grounding presence.
Malik Sanni brings a quiet intensity to the younger Suky, but his portrayal lacks the nuance needed to carry the film’s emotional weight.
James Damilare Solomon’s stoic demeanour as the older Suky works in the fight scenes, yet it leaves his character feeling one-dimensional elsewhere
Most of the supporting cast—particularly the gang members and prison inmates—overact or underwhelm, their performances veering between the cartoonish and forgettable. This inconsistency pulls down the film’s credibility, making it hard to invest in the chaos unfolding on screen.
Two exceptions stand out: Olarotimi Fakunle as the prison warden, Marshal, and Itele D Icon as Suky’s mentor, Ijaya. Fakunle delivers a commanding performance, infusing Marshal with a chilling blend of authority, humour, and menace. His presence looms over Aja Prison, making it clear why lawlessness thrives under his watch.
Meanwhile, Itele D Icon’s Ijaya is a spotlight—a grizzled trainer whose tough exterior hides a core of compassion. His scenes with Suky crackle with energy, offering rare moments of connection in an otherwise cold narrative. These performances are bright spots, proving that Suky had the potential for stronger character work if given more focus.
Where Suky truly excels is in its directorial flair and cinematography. Cardoso’s vision shines through in the sleek camera work, which captures the brutality of Dambe Boxing with visceral precision. The fight sequences are fast-paced and well-choreographed, pulling us into the coliseum with bone-crunching close-ups and dynamic angles.
The prison itself feels alive—filthy, claustrophobic, and teeming with danger—thanks to thoughtful set design and moody lighting. These technical strengths are the film’s saving grace, elevating it above its weaker elements. Yet, even here, the patchwork nature of the story intrudes. The slick visuals can’t mask the screenplay’s identity crisis—Suky doesn’t know if it wants to be a revenge thriller, a martial arts showcase, or a prison survival tale, and it suffers from trying to be all three at once.
This is a film of highs and lows. Its ambitious premise and striking direction hint at what could have been, but a lacklustre screenplay and uneven acting hold it back. The reliance on tired genre conventions stifles its creativity, leaving us with a sense of déjà vu rather than excitement. While the combat scenes thrill and the prison setting unnerves, the story struggles to tie it all together.
***Mchael Kolawole is one of Nigeria’s best movie critics. Catch him on X @mykflow
