THE STORY – In Nigeria, a group of teenagers have founded the collective: The Critics. With the most basic resources but an abundance of cinephile passion, they conjure handmade sci-fi spectacles: their own village becomes the set, the green screen is sewn together by hand, and the cast is recruited from neighbourhood children. Their films transform everyday life into wild dreamscapes – both an escape and a refuge. Creating images is, above all, play and pleasure for them, a window to the outside world and, at the same time, a door that genuinely opens outwards.
THE CAST – Raymond J. Yusuff, Godwin Josiah, Ronald Yusuff, Victor Josiah & Richard Yusuff
THE TEAM – Pietra Brettkelly (Director/Writer) & The Critics (Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 100 Minutes
Growing up in the YouTube era, it’s hard not to be influenced by what you watch. Sometimes exciting channels pop up with content that surprises you. The Critics is an example of that: a group of young Nigerian filmmakers who make and upload handmade, yet impressively creative, sci-fi films. Their films challenge Nollywood conventions, are more akin to Hollywood in their obsession with creating something out of this world, and are full of visual effects. Their youthfulness and desire to create are their charm and most powerful assets.
While shooting their many short films for YouTube, The Critics unknowingly began documenting their journey as young filmmakers. Only when Pietra Brettkelly, the co-director of the film, came onboard did they realise what valuable footage they had. Their start is as humble as can be, shooting films on an old phone, getting their friends to act, and using the little electricity they have to edit their sci-fi shorts.
Unaware of the limits of filmmaking, The Critics dare to defy them by using green screens and countless visual effects. As their videos became increasingly popular, eventually reaching 100,000 subscribers on YouTube, they began to gain attention online. Directors like JJ Abrams take an interest; he even has a part to play in their journey, sending a complete filmmaker’s package full of camera, lighting, and sound equipment fit for any young filmmaker. They have ups and downs, but The Critics remain the same over the years, albeit more advanced and grown up.
The Critics are five young Nigerian filmmakers: Raymond, Ronald, Richard Yusuff, Godwin, and Victor Josiah. They all play key roles in the production process, with Godwin and Raymond directing much of it, but Raymond and Ronald often shoot the films. Lacking formal film education forces them to step up and take on multiple roles behind the scenes and in front of the camera. As a collective, their content is extremely impressive, especially films like “Timothee.” With the addition of Abrams’ Canon C200 camera, their content only became more elevated and technically brilliant. It proves that passion and a bit of equipment can be more than enough to make a great film; you don’t need to go to NYU or AFI to be a great filmmaker.
Their hometown, “Kaduna, Nigeria,” inspires “crocodile” as a title. The city is aptly nicknamed “Croc City” with the Nigerian word “Kada” meaning crocodile. This is referenced in the film as one of The Critics’ videos, which is all about searching for crocodiles in the Kaduna River that flows through the city. Also, they visit the river towards the end of the film and rejoice at the mere presence of crocodiles, despite the dwindling population in Kaduna, Nigeria. Seeing the everyday life of the group is fascinating, as we are given exclusive insight into their creative process and how they think and act in the lead-up to uploading their short films.
The film is a standard documentary, using collected footage and piecing together their journey over thirteen years. There’s a lot of new, high-quality filming by Brettkelly and her team, offering a closer, more intimate insight into their lives. The shots are imperfect, often off-centre, which gives it a more homemade quality. The filmmaking isn’t intrusive and allows the subjects to act as normal, despite a camera being present. The edit is splintered by glimpses of their past and present, documenting their change as people and as creatives, as seen in their ever-evolving work. “Crocodile” ends on a fitting note, with one member gone and their number reduced to only four. It’s stated: “Stanley Kubrick, one of the greatest film directors, restricted his crew to only a few people because he knew that people are a nuisance.” Recognizing their limits, they harness their individual qualities and break the archetypal barriers to making films. Yes, Stanley Kubrick’s process was far different, but he, too, restricted his crew and made some of the best films ever.
“Crocodile” marks a big step in The Critics’ journey as filmmakers. With the film’s Berlinale debut, they are bound to get even more attention if the film secures a release. However, looking at their YouTube channel, they haven’t made a short film since October 2023, with the release of the mystery-horror “Into The Woods.” So the question is, where do The Critics go from here? Will they return to making high-quality, low-budget sci-fi and horror films, or will they head down another path? Ultimately, the documentary offers an intriguing look at a special group of young filmmakers. Still, as a documentary, it’s rather plain compared to the wow factor of The Critics’ own films.
