Movie Review: “Enoch” Produced By SoidRock Foundation, Mount Zion Film Productions
Reviewed By Ajibare Abioye
How to even start this review! It’s quite a herculean task separating this movie package from the real-life content. I’ve seen it quite a number of times now and it almost feels new on each viewing. It blesses my heart each time and I could almost stop this video here to go and have another brief watch. Such is the impact Enoch, the long-awaited biopic of my father-in-the-Lord, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, has on me. Nevertheless, I will attempt to put my critique of it into coherent expressions.
Filmmaking is fundamentally a team effort, but to have two teams working together to deliver a production of this magnitude lifts my spirit. Solid Rock Foundation and Mount Zion Film Productions have shown the power of partnership and pooling of resources. In almost every crew department are at least two individuals who are experienced in what they do, all in a bid to ensure that the movie came out as the best it could. Enoch has made biopics become the desire of audiences now, as many have made the request to have other notable, proven men of God on the big screen in earnest. That’s quite a challenge and I pray that the needed executive producers, giants of industries and financiers of such big projects are going to rise to fund these great meals whose return on investment that transcends the present world. The right collaboration gets more done better.
Every time I’ve sat to watch Enoch, I feel the aura of a cinema, and this is because it’s written as a cinematic story by Damilola Mike-Bamiloye; nothing else would have sufficed to tell the history of this general of faith. The title montage by Samuel Obikoya was majestic and the film scores (and quite a number they are) by Jay-Mikee contributed to the grandeur of the production. The lines, costuming (particularly for females), set design, cinematography and editing make it a visual feast. Drama ministers from different generations put their hands on deck to make it an excellent one. Even Daddy G.O, as he is fondly called, was said to have seen the movie three times to ensure historical accuracy. Some names in the end credits with the tag “First Shoot” indicates that a good number of scenes shot were not eventually in the final movie, as you might have noticed from its two trailers.
This is the first Christian movie to have two official trailers online in the week of its release (Gbemi 2: The Waiting Room had hers months apart). These signify the sheer level of effort invested in this motion picture.
I appreciate the plotting of Enoch very much. On a general note, I like protagonist-driven stories, and a plot that is all over the place usually disorients my structure-based film mind. We see a cause-effect depiction of Adejare’s story that denotes a chronological sequence of his life; hence, the “chapterisation” greatly helps the viewer to keep track of key details in the multitude of events that must have happened in his life. This is not to say that there cannot be elements to spice it up here and there but the basics have to be done right.
Inevitably, there are many heart-warming moments in the biopic, such as his father’s sacrifice to fund his education. I think genuine filmic instances have the power to make indelible impressions on viewers’ minds and Enoch delivers some for us.
The median chapter “Meeting Foluke”, I suspect, is one many would have been very interested in seeing. Though Enoch never really agrees with his friends as being a ladies’ man, and the movie doesn’t give any real visual detail to support that information, the seriousness of his intentions for Foluke cannot be denied. Chapter 4 “Way Out” personally ministered to me as I’d always “wished” I’d known Jesus before I did, in the university. While it’s good to know the Lord early, of more importance is what we do afterwards. Daddy G.O. came to God after he had been married with children, in his thirties, and see just how much the Lord has used him to impact the world! That’s very encouraging for me, and the concluding “Test of Faith” projects Enoch’s simple obedience to God’s instructions and sincere desire to know Him. If we all, who claim to be children of the Most High, likewise yield to Him, He’ll make us a city set on a hill, which cannot be hidden.
Much more than I’ve seen the entire movie are power-filled sequences I’ve severally re-watched, such as the ‘Prayer Rumble’ scene in Tulsa and what is surely going to be one of the best closing scenes from 2023 movies – where the film translates into real-life, with Daddy G.O. getting up from his seat in tandem with the score “Dide” (Rise up), and the voice of Daddy Akindayomi declaring prophecies in the background. What a moment! That just about sums it all up, folks! Zechariah 8:13b (NLT) says that God will make us both a symbol and a source of blessing; if we surrender our lives to the One who created us and loves us (and we’re blessed to have an example in our times in Enoch Adejare Adeboye), that will be our portion, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you’ve seen Enoch, please share with me the blessings you received from it in the comments section below. The links to the movie are
https://youtu.be/jMequZsq-AA
Till the next article, stay blessed!
The movie ENOCH is a blessing to our generation. It tells more of celebrating our legends of faith while still alive . This is one thing I like . God bless the producer and the directors .