Who Killed Captain Alex? (2010)
★ — Who Killed Captain Alex? (2010)
Shot in the Wakaliga slum of Kampala on a reported budget of around $85 (yes, eighty-five US dollars), Who Killed Captain Alex? was made by Isaac Godfrey Geoffrey Nabwana, a self-taught filmmaker who built his own editing computer from salvaged parts and taught himself visual effects from online tutorials. Released in 2010 through his own Ramon Film Productions outfit (operating under the Wakaliwood banner), the film is widely cited as Uganda's first action movie and became an unlikely global phenomenon after video essayist Alan Partridge superfan channel Nairobi Lounge, and then wider YouTube audiences, discovered it around 2013. Nabwana has since continued making low-budget genre films in Wakaliga, building a small but devoted international following for the studio's distinctive homegrown style.
A-Z World Movie Tour Uganda https://youtu.be/KEoGrbKAyKE?si=xgfPoaF8u5INHniW Who Killed Captain Alex? is less of a film and more of a cinematic tornado, shot on a budget so small it barely exists, with lighting that defies physics, sound design that feels like it was recorded in a tin can, and fight scenes... It’s famously known as “Uganda’s first action movie,” and honestly, it earns that title through sheer audacity. There’s no polish, no rules, just passion, chaos, and a man named Nabwana I.G.G. who somehow made this happen out of nothing. And yes, it is funny. Hilariously so. But not because it’s good. The dialogue is delivered like a weather report, the green screens are non-existent, and the “special effects” include stock footage of explosions pasted over everything. The narrator (the legendary VJ Emmie) talks you through every scene in real time, “Captain Alex is now fighting!”, like he’s commentating a live match, which only adds to the surreal charm. It’s become a cult classic for one reason: it’s so wildly, passionately bad that it loops back around to being entertaining. But let’s be clear, this is an awful movie. No coherent plot, no acting, no technical competence whatsoever. It’s raw, messy, and often painful to watch if you’re not laughing at it. It's unforgettable in its own mad, DIY way, it’s still fundamentally broken on almost every level. A triumph of spirit over skill, best watched with friends, popcorn, and zero expectations.
Rating: ★ | Year: 2010 | Watched: 2025-09-15
Where to watch (UK)
Physical: Amazon UK
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More from the 2010s: Wonder (2017) · Beautiful Boy (2018) · The Witch (2015) · What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)
More comedy: The Eagle (1925) · The General (1926) · Americana (2023) · The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
