Akilla's Escape

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Akilla's Escape

2021

1h 30m

Crime

Drama

Action

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

49 Reviews

50%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

A drug dealer finds his moral code challenged when he interrupts an armed robbery and captures one of the gang members who is a 15-year-old boy.

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Critics Consensus

Akilla's Escape occasionally loses sight of its strongest assets, but solid acting and a smart story make this a neo-noir worth watching.

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Whelan Barzey

Time Out

07/25/2023

3/5

It’s an uneven puzzle: eye-catching but not entirely convincing when put together.

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Leslie Felperin

Financial Times

08/25/2022

3/5

The editing and cinematography are heavily stylised, which can make the film feel like a flighty distended music video at times, but Williams and Mpumlwana’s alert, compelling performances keep things grounded in grit.

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Phil Hoad

Guardian

08/23/2022

2/5

It’s all not quite enough to get Officer’s film to live up to its pretensions, which are also present in the overlong opening credits discoursing on Jamaican history and corruption; themes hinted at later but which never entirely bloom.

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Shakyl Lambert

CGMagazine

07/12/2024

7.5/10

Although it suffers from slow pacing, Akilla’s Escape remains an engaging neo-noir mainly off the strength of its two lead performances.

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Edward Porter

Sunday Times (UK)

09/13/2022

2/5

Williams is a strong presence, but the story’s elements — past and present — blur together in a monotonous whole.

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Josh Parham

Next Best Picture

06/05/2022

4/10

The themes explored lack nuance, the storytelling doesn't craft an engaging pace, and the performances are near-universally bland.

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mark g

@Mark_Alan_G. Jan 14

Very strong movie, beautifully shot and well acted. After watching it I was shocked at the low rating on IMDB. However, something very screwy about that rating and if you look at the ratings you will see that. This film will pull you in and give you perspective on a way of life you are unfamiliar with.

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10/01/2021

A hauntingly beautiful tale of redemption and fatherhood. Saul Williams is a movie star. Highly recommend. Take it in.

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florent m

@FlorentMagnoac 07/12/2021

Pretty conventional on many levels and on most of its story beats. Has some good acting and ideas but it's stuck in usual gang story.

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Synopsis

A drug dealer finds his moral code challenged when he interrupts an armed robbery and captures one of the gang members who is a 15-year-old boy.

Director: Charles Officer
Producer: Jake Yanowski
Screenwriter: Charles Officer, Wendy Motion Brathwaite
Distributor: Vertical Entertainment
Production Co: Canesugar Filmworks
Genre: Crime, Drama, Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 11, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 11, 2021
Runtime: 1h 30m