Sometimes, a movie can remind you why you loved the characters in the first place, only to turn around and make you wonder what happened to the story and that was exactly my experience was with Merry Men 3: Nemesis.
This time, the Merry Men are not chasing another corrupt politician or getting themselves into trouble because of money, women or their usual lifestyle. The trouble came looking for them.
The movie started by introducing Dafe played by Chidi Mokeme, a man whose connection to Ayo (Ramsey Nouah) goes much deeper than we initially understood. Something happened between the two men in the past, and Dafe has spent years carrying the pain and anger from it. When he eventually returns, he isn't coming back to make peace and that is where everything changed.
The Merry Men were caught completely off guard as Dafe began carrying out his revenge, and the consequences were much more serious than anything they have faced in the previous part of the movies. The movie quickly moves from the playful energy I've come to associate with Amaju, Ayo, Naz and Remi into something darker.
There was grief, suspicion, betrayal and a lot of questions about who can actually be trusted. What makes the situation even more complicated is that Dafe's revenge gradually becomes bigger than his personal issue with Ayo. Corruption, the death of his mother and powerful people who have escaped accountability become part of the bigger picture. He isn't simply trying to hurt Ayo; he wants people to pay for what he believes they have taken from him.
And honestly, this could have been a very good story. Chidi Mokeme is one of the strongest things about the movie. After seeing him in Shanty Town, watching him play another intense villain is almost effortless. Dafe has the presence of someone who doesn't need to shout before you know he is dangerous.
Ireti Doyle also deserves credit for bringing something extra to Dame Maduka. Even when the script isn't doing much for her, she manages to make the character interesting but then there is the usual problem about this movies or their producers.
The movie is too long, too messy and sometimes unnecessarily complicated. At 2 hours and 11 minutes, there are scenes that feel like they should have been removed or shortened. The action is there, but some of it feels inserted simply because the movie needs to look like an action film. Several plot points also raise questions that the movie doesn't properly answer and I honestly missed the chemistry of the original Merry Men.
Amaju, Ayo, Naz and Remi were what gave the first two parts of the movies their personalities. Here, the story takes such a dark turn that the friendship and playful dynamic that made them enjoyable are pushed into the background.
The movie directed by Moses Inwang, with Ayo Makun and Anthony Kehinde Joseph among the credited writers, also features Ufuoma McDermott, Nadia Buari, Uchemba Williams, Segun Arinze, Sam Dede and Nancy Isime.
I wouldn't say Merry Men 3 is completely bad but might just not receive the same or more rating with previous parts. There are genuinely entertaining action moments, strong performances from Chidi Mokeme and Ireti Doyle, and an attempt to give the movie a darker direction.
But for me, the biggest disappointment is that the movie had a much better story buried somewhere inside all the noise.
After two movies of watching these men get themselves into trouble and somehow find their ways out, I expected the final part to give me something memorable but instead, Merry Men 3 left me thinking about the fact that maybe not every successful franchise needs another mission. Sometimes, knowing when to stop is part of the success.
I'll be dropping my 🖊️ here on the movie review
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All images are for the movie.
