Critical Review of Lionheart’s Genevieve Nnaji’s Film Using Four Analytical Lenses

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 Critical Review of Lionheart’s Genevieve Nnaji’s Film Using Four Analytical Lenses

 

Introduction

Genevieve Nnaji’s Lionheart  is a significant film in the Nollywood industry , not just because it marked Netflix’s first original Nollywood acquisition, but also due to its subtle challenge of traditional gender roles, business ethics, and family values. Set in Nigeria’s Eastern region, the film revolves around  Adaeze Obiagu, a woman working to prove her capabilities in her father’s transport company after he falls ill. This review examines the film through Formal Media Analysis, Oppositional Gaze (bell hooks), Male Gaze (Laura Mulvey), and Marxist Critique. These lenses uncover how Lionheart constructs meaning around power, class, gender, and cultural identity while maintaining its captivating story.

 

Section A – Formal Media Analysis

Cinematography

The cinematography in Lionheart is clean, composed, and organized. The camera work avoids exaggerated angles or movement, reflecting the calm and mature tone of the film. Wide shots are used effectively to showcase the busy Enugu streets, giving us a sense of real-life Nigeria.  boardrooms are shot with balance and simplicity, conveying a sense of control and seriousness. and control. Adaeze is often centered in close up shots, especially during tense business scenes, suggesting her importance and confidence "Lionheart" uses  natural and warm lighting, creating a light and optimistic mood that complements the film's themes of family, business, and Nigerian culture,the overall visual style  shows  a bright and inviting atmosphere, reflecting the positive and hopeful narrative. 

 

Mise en Scène

Every detail in the mise en scene costumes, props, locations, and even color choices demonstrates the blending of modern Nigeria with traditional values. Adaeze’s outfits are modest and professional, often blending native prints with Western cuts, symbolizing her balance between tradition and modernity. The Lionheart office features company branding and glass walls, symbolizing transparency and ambition. In contrast, her father’s home is filled with cultural symbols and traditional Igbo decor, grounding  a deeper connection to the Nigerian culture.

 

Sound Design

The film makes subtle use of sound. The background music  is gentle and uplifting, often using traditional Nigerian music instruments. In some scenes, silence is used to emphasize emotional weight like when Adaeze is overwhelmed with responsibility. Dialogue is clear and natural, without being overly dramatic. The mix of English and Igbo adds to the authenticity of the environment, connecting language to identity.

Editing

The editing of Lionheart is  straightforward. Transitions are smooth, and scenes are allowed to breathe without being rushed. There are no rapid cuts or rapid montages; instead, the rhythm is taken at a slow pace to allow the  audience grow attached to the characters. This  choice reflects the film’s theme.  real progress takes patience, not shortcuts.

 

Performance

Genevieve Nnaji as Adaeze delivers a reserved but strong performance. Her expressions, especially in scenes where she’s confronted seems realistic, it shows her quiet frustration and inner strength. Nkem Owoh as Uncle Godswill adds humor without reducing the story to comedy. The acting across the board feels real with no exaggeration, characters behave like people we know, not caricatures.

 

Narrative Structure

The film has a three-act storyline : Exposition (the father’s illness), confrontation (business challenges and sabotage), and resolution (Adaeze’s negotiation and success). The story is strongly written and avoids unnecessary subplots. Interestingly, the conflict is not driven by violence or revenge but by economic pressure and gender expectations making the narrative feel more mature and relatable.

 

Section B – Oppositional Gaze (bell hooks)

 Bell hooks’ theory of the Oppositional Gaze shows how Black women are often silenced or misrepresented in film. Lionheart actively resists this  by placing Adaeze at the center not as a love interest or side character, but as the main driver of the story. She is intelligent, capable, and composed. She looks back literally as well as metaphorically. Her gaze is not submissive she meets the stares of her male counterparts eye to eye , challenging their doubts with reason and  confidence. Unlike many Nollywood films that rely on melodrama or  extreme -femininity, Lionheart allows Adaeze to be complex. She doesn’t “fight like a man,” nor is she presented as a victim. Instead, she succeeds by using her voice, ideas, and emotional maturity. This is a rare portrayal of Black womanhood that doesn’t exaggerate or romanticize. For viewers familiar with hooks’ theory, Adaeze is a taking back of narrative in the society that women cant be leaders  in the corporate world.

 

Section C – The Male Gaze (Laura Mulvey)

Laura Mulvey’s concept of the Male Gaze critiques how women in film are often framed to satisfy male visual pleasure. In Lionheart, this gaze is notably absent. Adaeze is never sexualized. Her clothing is elegant but practical. The camera never lingers on her body in a suggestive way, and there are no romantic subplots that exist to validate her femininity.

This lack of sexual objectification is especially important in a film industry where female characters are often dressed or filmed to attract attention. Adaeze’s beauty comes from her intelligence, not her appearance. She is not reduced to a symbol of desire, but rather seen as a complete character someone with purpose, flaws, and goals.

Mulvey also discusses how women in film are often passive, waiting to be acted upon. In Lionheart, Adaeze is the one taking action whether it’s confronting corrupt partners or brainstorming business solutions.  That said, we should acknowledge that while Adaeze avoids being sexualized, her leadership is still challenged by the men around her. They don’t see her as incapable because she’s a woman they just don’t expect her to lead. This reveals how even when objectification is avoided, (men) doubt still lingers.

 

 

Section D – Marxist Critique

 

A Marxist reading of Lionheart focuses on how the film portrays class, power, and economic struggle. Essentialy, the film is about saving a family-owned company from being swallowed by corrupt business practices and competition. Adaeze is not fighting for luxury she’s fighting for legacy, integrity, and workers’ livelihoods.

 

The film doesn’t glorify wealth. Instead it is quietly criticized. The wealthy businessman Chief Otuekong is shown using money to manipulate systems, while the Obiagu family relies on honesty and community trust. There’s also a huge  contrast between the elite corporate players and the ordinary workers of the transport company, though the film doesn’t dwell on this class war.

Interestingly, the workers themselves are not given much screen time or voice. The focus stays on the managerial class. Adaeze, her uncle, and her father. From a Marxist angle, this could be seen as strengthening   capitalist values by keeping the spotlight on on leadership and ownership of labour.  The company’s problems are solved at the top, not from collective worker action. Still, the film promotes a kind of “humane capitalism” where ethical leadership and family values win over corruption. It supports the idea that business can be done with dignity, which is a hopeful but somewhat idealistic message.

 

Conclusion

In Conclusion, Lionheart delivers a story that feels both fresh and familiar. It gently challenges stereotypes without being confrontational, making it effective, By applying Formal Media Analysis, we understand how its visual language supports its message. Through Oppositional Gaze, we recognize Adaeze as a rare and empowering representation of Black womanhood. Through The Male Gaze, we see how the film resists objectification and presents women as powerful agents. And with Marxist Critique, it is discussing the power dynamics of the film, capitalism and class.