I was puzzled when I saw the title of this movie as I wondered why it would have that particular name. Then I began to realize that you could say “citation” in the way that implies an honorable act or achievement like doing something most are afraid to do: stand up for themselves. Netflix’s preview of the newly released film “Citation” came off as striking to me because of the strong dramatic energy that it gave off, and it gave me some idea of what to expect from this movie, but I kept an open mind as movies that tend to be more dramatic can take a turn in any direction at any point.

The story is based on true events, and it takes place at a Nigerian college campus and one of the two main characters Moremi (Temi Otedola) is a very bright student in her class just trying to succeed. Prof. Lucien N’Dyare (Jimmy Jean-Louis) is a top educator from all over the world. However, as soon Moremi introduces herself to him in front of the class, problems begin to arise.

At first, the story starts off with a meeting between her and her representative and the deans/council. Moremi has made an allegation against Prof. N’Dyare that he tries to sexually assault/rape her. Then, the movie shows a timeline of events that happened previously that lead up to that exact moment which makes watchers want to know what happens next as it doesn’t just directly dive into the whole situation which was something I liked because it keeps you wondering.

The whole plot of this movie represents something that so many female students unfortunately go through, and most don’t have the spirit to speak on their situation. It gives people who watch this the courage and boldness to stand up for situations regarding sexual assault which is what I like about the film.

Furthermore, this movie represents an environment where rape culture is normalized due to gender and sexuality inequalities that acts as a wake up call that extends well beyond Nigeria.

The main character Moremi (Temi Otedola) played her character very well. You got to see the story through not only her as a character but also through a victim’s perspective when they are dealing with sexual assault/rape. The background characters were good as well but Moremi stood out.

However, even though the “Citation” was a good movie from the time it starts until it ends, the movie is pretty lengthy. I don’t know about you, but I feel like many people watching would get bored after 2 hours and 30 minutes and they’d lose interest or a connection because of how long the movie is. 

The music/sound was okay. There was music that added a dramatic and suspenseful aspect to the movie which certainly made it more entertaining to watch. However, other than that, the music didn’t really have any “wow” factor.

The setting of the movie “Citation” is really nice. The scenery of the ocean, the different places that the movie shows like Cape Verde and the beach, for example, added a nice and  overall peaceful vibe to the movie.

At the end of the day, Netflix’s “Citation” is a powerful and good film to watch.