Half of a Yellow Sun Review

Half of a Yellow Sun (2013)

Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose
Director: Biyi Bandele
Country: Nigeria | UK
Genre: Drama

Editor’s Notes: Half of a Yellow Sun opens in limited release this Friday, May 16th. 

Based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel of the same name, Half of a Yellow Sun is the debut of writer-director Biyi Bandele and, for a first full-length feature, is a truly impressive feat. However, in the grand scope of great filmmaking, Half of a Yellow Sun fails to compare. Though Bandele directs with a stern level of conviction and a palpable sense of confidence, the film exposes many missed opportunities and misendeavours; the dramatic structure diminishes along with the film’s running time until all that remains is an incoherent heap of disjointed scenes that are difficult to piece together. Unquestionably conceived through noble intentions, Half of a Yellow Sun is a sore disappointment.

It’s like Bandele has attempted to replicate the initial premise of the book word for word, then realized that to do the same for the civil war narrative would be too time-consuming, ultimately ending up with a pile of narrative threads ham-fistedly thrown together despite having little relevance to one another.

Starring Chewetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton in the two leading roles, the film encapsulates the horror of the Nigerian civil war and the brief creation of the Republic of Biafra between 1967 and 1970 that the conflict resulted in. Although this story thread is the clear focus of the narrative, the relationship between Odenigbo (Ejiofor) and Olanna (Newton) is explored to great lengths and the turbulence that rocks it due to one party’s infidelity as well as political activism.

The pace of the film is dreadful; although it’s undoubtedly about the civil war, this story thread is not exposed until half way through the film. The first half is merely an amalgamation of stagnant storylines that result only in buffing the film up and increasing the running time. After the war begins, the first hour feels pointless and unnecessary; Bandele has put far too much emphasis on attempting to establish certain characters at the detriment to the informative goal of the film. Furthermore, the second half is rushed with little explanation of occurrences, disallowing the audience to understand the significance of events that transpire during the last 45 minutes. It’s like Bandele has attempted to replicate the initial premise of the book word for word, then realized that to do the same for the civil war narrative would be too time-consuming, ultimately ending up with a pile of narrative threads ham-fistedly thrown together despite having little relevance to one another.

The disjointed pace of the film does not allow the audience to engage with its story or emotionally invest in its characters, transforming a promising premise into a dull and monotonous tedium. It’s infinitely difficult to escape boredom whilst watching Half of a Yellow Sun, a dire shame because the production efforts are truly commendable. As well as its botched narrative, the characters are not likable and their actions are completely unfathomable; Odenigbo’s infidelity comes out of nowhere, only adding confusion to the mix. Olanna’s subsequent forgiveness and willingness to take on his child, the result of such infidelity, isn’t backed up by logical reasoning in any way; this lack of explanation deems the film instantly inane.

It’s infinitely difficult to escape boredom whilst watching Half of a Yellow Sun, a dire shame because the production efforts are truly commendable. 

Half of a Yellow Sun is a bitterly disappointing adaptation of a well-loved novel that remains uninspired in its efforts to captivate; there is no unique visual flair to relish, nor any symbolic imagery to ponder. The film feels rather half-hearted in its execution; the fact that the director seems not to care only makes the audience care even less. The fine performances of Newton and Ejiofor are certainly the merit of the film, but are incapable of redeeming it. Clumsily carried out, visually mundane and mind-numbingly dull, Half of a Yellow Sun fails to exceed the potential of what it could have been.