'Night of the Kings' (La nuit des rois) follows the events that take place at the notorious MACA prison in the Ivory Coast. The correctional facility is effectively run by an inmate and follows a clear structural hierarchy, the pecking order by which all of the prison inhabitants abide by. The journey begins when a new prisoner arrives at MACA. Dubbed Roman by the reigning Dangoro Blackbeard, the young man is told he must be a storyteller. Unbeknownst to him, his ability to tell a story will determine his fate after the night of the red moon, which happens to be the night of his arrival.
As Blackbeard is in bad health, he must surrender his position as the Dangoro, sacrificing his life so that a new chief may rise within MACA. Seeking to buy time, he appoints Roman to storyteller in order to distract the inmates, to keep them entertained so as to avoid an uprising amongst the ranks, to avoid unnecessary bloodshed amongst the potential claimants to the leader position. Unaware that his life depends on telling a story that will take him and the other inmates through the night of the red moon, Roman, embracing his inner griot, regales his listeners with the tale of king Zama, - the leader of the 'Microbes', a street gang of which Roman was a part of.
Roman's tale of Zama begins at the turn of the 19th century, when African kings and queens fought to expand their kingdoms. He paints Zama as a poor child to a blind father. The father becomes advisor to the queen who is going into battle against her brother. A fantasy infused battle commences, yet the queen suffers defeat, prompting the father and son to flee. They then find themselves seeking refuge in the Lawless Quarter in Abidjan. Here Zama grows up during a time of turmoil in the country. With internal uprising and violence becoming part of everyday life, Zama becomes member and eventually leader of the Microbes and is eventually turned on by the public as they execute him.
'Night of the Kings' is a uniquely composed tale that follows a new inmate into the MACA prison and immediately opens up an unexplored world with its own rules and practices. The somewhat hectic nature of the interactions of the prisoners creates a sense of confusion, putting the viewer squarely in Roman's shoes, as we are just as confused as to what is happening around him as he is. The film unapologetically progresses at its own pace, dropping nuggets of information here and there, leaving us to pick up the details, and piece together what is going on.
Roman's role as storyteller puts pressure on the young man and effectively creates tension, both for him and his ability to tell a good story, and for the viewer in anticipation of where the story may go. 'The Night of the Kings' does not disappoint in delivering an engrossing tale, spanning centuries and melding together the past and the present to deliver a message about what mistakes we should avoid in the future. By regaling the viewer with stories of past kings and queens battling for territory and showcasing the terror that is civil war in more recent times, the film invites the viewer to consider breaking the seemingly cyclical behaviour that humans exhibit and to be more considerate about our actions in the future.
The film successfully combines a cinematically exuberant visual presentation and a theatrical performance through Roman's oratory recitals. Through showing the inmates intermittently creating representations of Roman's stories for the other listeners creates a living show for the prisoners as well as the viewers even though we are privy to spectacular and striking visualisation of his tale, delivering gorgeous costumes and captivating representations of mystical forces. The film cuts from showing us scenes of Roman's story to him relaying the tale to the inmates, yet does not detract from delivering the full impact of his story, allowing the viewer to enjoy both the inmates performances and the cinematic imaginings of the tale.
The film benefits from having a variety of effective and distinct characters peppered through the feature. The movie seems to treats its players more like individual set pieces, moving from one to the other, as the tale requires different players and characters at different times. Some of the distinct characters may be slightly one-note, yet they serve their purpose well in steering the story along, helping Roman discover what he must do and uncovering more about the life at MACA. Anchoring the entire opus is Roman, played by Bakary Koné, who provides both a young and scared greenhorn entering MACA whilst simultaneously amazing the audience with his ability to tell an exciting and intriguing story. Koné acts as our intermediary both to the world of MACA and to the past through his stories, successfully allowing the viewers to enter multiple worlds by viewing the film and enjoying Roman's tale.
The feature is written and directed by Philippe Lacôte who has rendered an enthralling tale of the past, masterfully leading the story to our time and delivering a strong message about learning from past mistakes. 'The Night of Kings' is an unusual and original film that manages to surprise the viewer both with its execution and core story. Through vibrant costumes, amazing visual effects and a stark contrast between the past and the present, 'The Night of the Kings' is a must see film that is distinct and memorable, raising interesting ideas and showing a less seen world on the big screen.
Score: 3/4
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