A Review Tailored for Wese Kings Entertainment
Kemi Adetiba’s latest Netflix crime thriller, To Kill a Monkey, makes its gripping debut in July 2025 — and it’s nothing short of a cinematic punch to the gut. This eight-episode rollercoaster, sculpted with grit, moral complexity, and Lagos’s electric tension, is a bold, if occasionally unwieldy, step into Nollywood’s darker territory.
Plot & Themes
At the heart of the story is Efemini “Efe” Edewor (William Benson), a brilliant but downtrodden programmer pushed to the edge in a system that offers nothing but broken promises. When an old classmate—Oboz (Bucci Franklin), a fraud mastermind—reboots his life in cybercrime, Efe’s moral compass begins to wobble.
Meanwhile, Inspector Mo Ogunlesi (Bimbo Akintola), driven by personal tragedy, is hell-bent on cracking the high-stakes “Monkey Case.” The series thrives on contrasts — tradition vs innovation, desperation vs ambition, and integrity vs survival. It poses the uncomfortable question: When the system fails you, how far would you go to reclaim your life?
What Shines
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Performances of Substance
Bucci Franklin is phenomenal as Oboz — captivating, intimidating, and unforgettable. His Edo-accented menace gives the gangster archetype a fresh Nollywood twist.
William Benson treads a more restrained path as Efe, delivering a quiet, painful transformation that grounds the series emotionally.
Supporting players like Bimbo Akintola, Stella Damasus, and Lilian Afegbai layer depth with performances that feel lived-in and earned. -
Visual & Sonic Brilliance
The cinematography presents Lagos like we haven’t seen before: neon-lit, oppressive, alive with tension and texture.
The sound design and original score by Oscar Heman-Ackah resonate like a pulse, elevating every moment of dread, betrayal, and heartbreak. -
Cultural Texture & Local Authenticity
From snippets of Pidgin, Urhobo, and Bini dialects to deeply felt social dynamics, the show breathes authenticity into dialogue and gesture.
Lagos isn’t just the setting—it’s a living entity, both harsh and beautiful, pushing characters further into the shadows.
Where It Stumbles
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Plot Overload & Uneven Pacing
Adetiba’s ambition shines through, but sometimes at the cost of coherence. Subplots—from the Teacher crime boss to Efe’s betrayals—feel scattered and undercooked.
Momentum dips mid-season, only to rush through its finale in a way that sacrifices emotional closure for speed. -
Missed Storytelling Opportunities
Some thematic threads—like the haunting imagery, ritualistic opening scenes, and AI-fraud mechanics—are visually striking but narratively underused.
Inspector Mo’s crusade lacks deeper grounding in systemic stakes, limiting the emotional heft of her pursuit.
Final Verdict
To Kill a Monkey isn’t perfect—but it’s powerful. It’s a daring hybrid of crime thriller, ethical drama, and visual poetry, unmatched in its ambition and aesthetic flair. Where many Nollywood stories go for comfort, this one relishes discomfort—and that’s exactly what makes it unforgettable.
For fans of morally complex narratives, riveting performances, and cinematic daring, this is a thrilling, necessary watch. Just be prepared: it’s a story that lingers, shakes, and asks hard questions long after the screen fades.
Score at Wese Kings Entertainment: 4 / 5
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