One may not appreciate the buzz currently generated on the internet following the remake of “Issakaba”, until he or she is privileged to encounter the cast and crew of the iconic movie on set.
This was the experience last week when our reporter took time out to be with the Issakaba boys, while they were filming at the Film Village, in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The two nights of encounter with the Issakaba boys were not only mind-blowing, but also, a valid reassurance that another bar-raising movie is in the making after the feast made by Funke Akindele’s “ The Tribe Called Judah” last year, when it became the first Nolywood movie to surpass ¦ 1 billion at the box office.
From the unveiling of an impressive cast weeks back to hitting location, the buzz about the Issabaka remake has been sustained on the internet. And from all indications, the reboot will definitely surpass the expectations of many lovers of Nigerian movies.
The beauty of the Issakaba reloaded is the class of the actors starring in the movie, as well as the quality of the equipment deplored to retell the old time story.
On set, the Issakaba boys including Chidi Mokeme, Nosa Rex, Emeka Rising, Sanni Danger, Ben Olaye among others were hungry to execute judgment and perhaps, restore sanity in society.
One of the best scenes in the movie is the initiation night, where the Issakaba boys acquired diabolical powers that enabled them to fight against crime. Some of the members would be heard chanting ‘Odeshi’ when tested with guns as proof that bullets couldn’t penetrate their bodies.
The lead character, Sam Dede could also be heard dishing out orders and shouting “Issakaba”, as the boys responded appropriately.
Lancelot said the movie which is based on true life events that recounted the Bakassi Boys’ exploits in the south-east back then, has gulped almost N300 million. He, however, assured that the Issakaba reloaded will lead a revolution in African cinema, adding that everybody would be given the opportunity to see the movie when it’s finally released.
The movie, shot for almost one month, was rounded off during the week.
“This franchise, Issakaba, remains a phenomenon that has refused to go away since it was first made.
“The word Issakaba became a cliche, talking about justice, fairness and the need for the society to be governed by the truth, projecting ‘if you live by the sword, you will die by the sword’.
“ Everybody will be given the opportunity to see Issakaba. Extensive research was made on how people want to see Issakaba. But in the reboot, new artists are reborn, the old artists are rejuvenated and the reigning ones are reinstated. It’s a potpourri of awesomeness and I can assure our fans that follow the oil movement, the Imasuen Lancelot filmic journey over the years that another massive blockbuster is birthed.
“When I pride myself as the most consistent film maker in Africa, this movie is coming at almost 30 years of being a filmmaker,” Lancelot said.
Many classic movies have been remade in the past such as “Living in Bondage: Breaking Free”, “Nneka: The Pretty Serpent”, “Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story” among others, but ‘Issakaba reboot remains one movie that will continue to resonate with the people following its story line
