I was fortunate to get my hands on the official Half of a Yellow Sun movie on Monday and i was all itchy to watch it, considering what I'd heard about it. Well, I watched roughly 45 minutes of the almost 2hr long video and i lost my appetite with what i saw. I'm not a video critic, God knows. I've read the book, but the film appears to me too stripped down; so much was half-baked and some of the most savoury parts (in my opinion) were missing. e.g. Colonel Madu, Ugwu daydreams, Olanna's gracefulness (Thandie Newton was woeful IMHO) etc. These are a few of the caveats i noticed.
Please do let me have your comments.

P.S I've not finished watching the film till date.

Haven't watched it yet. From your view, the movie would be a nice lullaby.

Was unimpressed, reading the book is way better than watching it IMO.

Just saw the movie today, I kind of liked it a little, but won't watch it the second time.

To me the movie's storyline is something you can relate with, the character's too, the ending part I believed is suppose to have an emotional feel, but I didn't quite catch that feel (I believe the novel might be just the opposite).

What I don't like about the movie were the famous Nollywood Acts used in teasing Nigerian audience via poster like O.C Ukeje and Genevieve were left to play only but few scenes, O.C had a cameo appearance, Genevieve had like four scenes. And in the other hand, I thought the movie will be about biafra 'cause of the 'Half of a yellow sun' (as in biafra flag) title, I didn't expect it to be more of a romance movie.

I love the production designing, Ugwu and Odenigbo's character, brief acting of Genevieve too as miss adebayo.

In all, Biyi Bandele tried.

To be honest the film really dipict's... How the civil war in nigeria#1966, led by then njokwu...which led to homelessnes,death,blood shed,and unjustly killing's of loved one's ...okay...before I forget it also talked about how the ibo's wanted the government so bad and they were so overwhelmed with the thinking..that even when they have sarcrifice themselve's they started recruiting underage boy's to fight...men..u are gonna love this film..owing to the fact's of the hd quality,setting's and the environment that was used .the film show's the begining of the scattering of a once united tribemen.in conclusion the film taught no lesson @ all....but it's quite interesting to we #political scientist.

Tazmode: Haven't watched it yet. From your view, the movie would be a nice lullaby.

A lullaby and much more is what it is. IMO, the book is much better.
I still can't bring myself to watch the rest of the film.

tonyayo1: Just saw the movie today, I kind of liked it a little, but won't watch it the second time.

To me the movie's storyline is something you can relate with, the character's too, the ending part I believed is suppose to have an emotional feel, but I didn't quite catch that feel (I believe the novel might be just the opposite).

What I don't like about the movie were the famous Nollywood Acts used in teasing Nigerian audience via poster like O.C Ukeje and Genevieve were left to play only but few scenes, O.C had a cameo appearance, Genevieve had like four scenes. And in the other hand, I thought the movie will be about biafra 'cause of the 'Half of a yellow sun' (as in biafra flag) title, I didn't expect it to be more of a romance movie.

I love the production designing, Ugwu and Odenigbo's character, brief acting of Genevieve too as miss adebayo.

In all, Biyi Bandele tried.

I do agree with you on quite some things, like the production designing, the teasing performances by Nigerian actors and the supposed emotional feel of the end. However, I don't think the storyline is anything close to relatable. when i asked a friend who hadn't read the book to see it, he blandly commented afterwards that asides the quality of the film, few other things were commendable.
I perceive that although Chimamanda wrote the book, she really did not have a say in the movie production.

diamondpaul: To be honest the film really dipict's... How the civil war in nigeria#1966, led by then njokwu...which led to homelessnes,death,blood shed,and unjustly killing's of loved one's ...okay...before I forget it also talked about how the ibo's wanted the government so bad and they were so overwhelmed with the thinking..that even when they have sarcrifice themselve's they started recruiting underage boy's to fight...men..u are gonna love this film..owing to the fact's of the hd quality,setting's and the environment that was used .the film show's the begining of the scattering of a once united tribemen.in conclusion the film taught no lesson @ all....but it's quite interesting to we #political scientist.

...the film taught no lesson @ all...

Hydronium:
A lullaby and much more is what it is. IMO, the book is much better.
I still can't bring myself to watch the rest of the film.

The book will always be better, I have not in my entire life seen a novel adaptation movies(local and foreign) that is believed to better than its novel, the reason is: while one is reading the novel he/she create his own personal imagination/view of the novel of how it'll be in real life. If thousands of people should read one novel they'll have thousands different kind of views of the novel, I've never loved a novel over its adapted movie 'cause I don't read novels.

The movie are screenwriter and director's own personal imagination of the novel put together, trust me, the movie is not exactly chiamanda's expectation or own view.

tonyayo1:
The book will always be better, I have not in my entire life seen a novel adaptation movies(local and foreign) that is believed to better than its novel, the reason is: while one is reading the novel he/she create his own personal imagination/view of the novel of how it'll be in real life. If thousands of people should read one novel they'll have thousands different kind of views of the novel, I've never loved a novel over its adapted movie 'cause I don't read novels.

The movie are screenwriter and director's own personal imagination of the novel put together, trust me, the movie is not exactly chiamanda's expectation or own view.

I agree. But why the author is not usually allowed a say in the screen adaptation, especially when the storyline is dampened is still a puzzle to me...

See you...u knw where re differen't d thing's u watch might be different from what I watch in film...I expect film to challenge..my mode,way of thinking etc but unfortunately d film just told a story of the civil war and they display their act's of survival in btw #what's it to gain in that...just my openion tho.

Hydronium:

I agree. But why the author is not usually allowed a say in the screen adaptation, especially when the storyline is dampened is still a puzzle to me...

Frankly speaking: A movie is a movie, a novel is a novel, a movie has its own goal, same as a novel. The author getting involve on screen will take away the entertaining feel of the movie making it to be stiff only 'cause he/she want to achieve the novel's feel into the movie, but they can be listened to in a way during casting stage by suggesting an actor that might suit the character in the novel, like the author of 'the golden compass' did in asking the producers to cast nicole kidman as the movie villain.

Yeah, I feel Genevieve Nnaji would have acted the 'Olanna' part better. Thandie Newton was slightly stiff, and far less original than the character portrayed in the book. Imagine her americanising the name 'Amala'...
The books says the girls grew up in Nigeria till after High school education. Now, a few years in 'Jand' shouldn't make one to completely lose their mother tongue... Should it?

Hydronium: Yeah, I feel Genevieve Nnaji would have acted the 'Olanna' part better. Thandie Newton was slightly stiff, and far less original than the character portrayed in the book. Imagine her americanising the name 'Amala'...
The books says the girls grew up in Nigeria till after High school education. Now, a few years in 'Jand' shouldn't make one to completely lose their mother tongue... Should it?

I totally disagree with the bolded sir. Maybe you need a rewatch.

And Genevieve and 'stiff' could be synonyms when she's not on top of her game. Nse Ikpe Etim would be a better suggestion, but Thandie Newton played the part VERY WELL (with what she was given to work with), apart from the accent stuff which she tried IMO. Chiwetel was the one that mastered the Nigerian accent with a sort-of-less performance.

Art is subjective sha.