Agbara Nla: The Return Sparks Bible Debate Despite Praise for Acting, Visuals

Mike Bamiloye’s latest Christian movie, Agbara Nla: The Return, has sparked a fresh debate among viewers over its portrayal of demon possession, speaking in tongues and spiritual experiences, even as critics praise the production for its acting, costumes and visual effects.

The controversy follows a new review of the movie, which describes the production as an entertaining and visually ambitious remake of the popular 1990s film, while questioning whether some of its spiritual themes align with the reviewer’s interpretation of biblical teachings.

Directed by Damilola Mike-Bamiloye and Joshua Bamiloye, Agbara Nla: The Return features Mike Bamiloye, Philip Olubakin, Damilola Mike-Bamiloye, Aanu Kolade-Abiodun, Yemi Adepoju and other actors.

Set in the village of Muwonleru, the movie centres on two believers, Olaboye and Olatomi, who leave their city lives to confront spiritual darkness threatening the community under the influence of the herbalist, Isawuru.

Three biblical issues put under spotlight

At the heart of the review are three theological questions.

The reviewer takes issue with the portrayal of a Christian woman becoming demon-possessed, citing 1 John 4:4 to argue that a believer indwelt by the Holy Spirit cannot be possessed by a demon.

The film’s depiction of speaking in tongues also comes under scrutiny, with the reviewer referencing Acts 2:1–13 and arguing that the biblical account describes identifiable languages.

A third concern centres on Olaboye hearing strange voices, which the reviewer connects to 2 Timothy 1:7, a passage concerning fear, power, love and a sound mind.

The interpretations are the reviewer’s own assessment of the film and the cited biblical passages.

Acting, costumes steal the spotlight

Despite the theological questions, the review gives considerable praise to the movie’s production quality.

Mike Bamiloye’s portrayal of Isawuru emerges as one of the highlights, with the reviewer noting that his delivery and dialogue repeatedly drew laughter from cinema audiences.

The actor who played Engineer was also commended for his performance despite the character’s limited screen time.

The costumes used for Isawuru, the Aro Meta witches and the forest witches were praised for enhancing the film’s supernatural atmosphere.

The coven scenes also attracted attention for their set design and lighting, while the special effects — including the palace fire, hospital prayer sequence and Isawuru’s supernatural journeys — were described as a significant step forward.

Reviewer gives movie 8/10

Despite the concerns raised over its biblical themes, the review concludes that Agbara Nla: The Return succeeds as an entertaining production with strong performances and impressive technical execution.

The reviewer ultimately gave the movie 8/10, highlighting its acting, costumes, production design and visual effects.