Who Killed Captain Alex? is a 2010 Ugandan action-comedy film written, produced, and directed by Nabwana IGG, in Wakaliwood, an ultra low-budget studio in Kampala, Uganda. It has gained viral notoriety for being a no-budget action film, produced on a reported budget of under $200. A trailer for the film was uploaded to YouTube in January 2010, and has been viewed over 3.2 million times as of November 2018. The original version of the film was lost due to power outages and "strained conditions", while the surviving version of Who Killed Captain Alex? released online includes an English "Video Joker" commentary that adds in running gags about the characters.'
Plot[]
Captain Alex, one of the most decorated officers in the Uganda People's Defense Force, is sent out to destroy the evil Richard and his Tiger Mafia, a crime organization that controls the city of Kampala from the shadows. After Captain Alex captures Richard's brother during a commando mission in Wakaliga, losing countless men in the process, Richard sets out for revenge. He sends a female spy to the military camp and seduce Captain Alex for the Tiger Mafia to capture him. Later that night, a scream is heard from the tent, Captain Alex is found dead — but nobody is sure who killed him. Captain Alex's brother, a Ugandan Shaolin Monk a.k.a. Bruce U (as he is known for his exceptional kung fu skills), arrives in Kampala in search of the murderer. After getting into a fight with nearby temple martial artists, he meets the temple's master. Bruce U desperately begs the master to help him on his mission for vengeance, but the master refuses, saying that martial arts should not be used for vengeance and rage, but instead for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Bruce U leaves in frustration, with the master giving him a reminder to bring cake in their next meeting. After spending the night in a tree, Bruce U wakes up and begins his training routine. After starting up a fire to cook some fish, he finds a woman in the grass. The woman is apparently named Ritah, one of Richard's wives who has lost her memory after being shot by Richard (Richard has so many wives they are expendable).
The UPDF, now deprived of a leader as magnificent as Alex, struggles to formulate a capture plan for Richard. However, after analyzing a map of Uganda, they find a jungle area that links to the suspected warehouse that Richard is currently hiding in. Meanwhile, Richard tells Puffs, his subordinate from Russia, to steal a helicopter from the military and bomb Kampala. As Puffs wreaks havoc on Kampala with the helicopter, Bruce U is captured by the Tiger Mafia. Now in the warehouse, Bruce U finds himself face to face with Richard, who commands Puffs' assassins to attack Bruce U and fight him one on one. Bruce U however, challenges all of them at once until he is overwhelmed by one of the assassins' kickboxing style. Just in the nick of time however, the military closes in on the warehouse and forces the Tiger mafia to evacuate. After the Ugandan military tracks down Richard, an action sequence ensues including a number of helicopters, myriad explosions, and an immense body count. Following an extended ambush, a chain reaction kills Puffs and overwhelms Richard to the point where he is wounded and taken into custody, while swearing revenge in the sequel. In the end, however, as the government places Uganda under martial law, no one knows who actually killed Captain Alex.
Production[]
The film was produced on an estimated US$200 budget. Production began in late 2009 in the ghettos of Nateete. Filmmaker Isaac Godfrey Geoffrey Nabwana (nicknamed Nabwana IGG) was inspired by his love of Hollywood action movies and martial arts films from childhood. The helicopter scenes in the film were based on Nabwana's experiences during the Ugandan Bush War where he and his brother were chased by a helicopter.
Nabwana shot the film in January 2010 and edited it using a computer he assembled from old parts. The film's props and camera equipment were fabricated from scrap metal at a machine shop next to Nabwana's house. The actors supplied their own costumes; one of them was given a mask so he could play two different roles in the same scene. Squibs used to simulate gunshot wounds were made from condoms filled with red food coloring and tied to fishing lines before being taped to the actors' chests; Nabwana previously used cow blood, but was forced to discontinue it after one of his actors developed tetanus.
Throughout the film, a panpipes cover of the Seal song "Kiss from a Rose" can be heard.
Reception[]
Who Killed Captain Alex? has sold over 10,000 copies in DVD sales in Uganda; pirated copies of the film have sold approximately 10 times of that amount.
The official trailer of the film uploaded to YouTube on January 30, 2010 quickly developed a cult following and currently has over 3 million views. The film itself was uploaded on Wakaliwood's YouTube channel on March 1, 2015; it currently has over 2.6 million views.
Who Killed Captain Alex? was generally received well by critics and audiences alike, who saw it as an endearing "so bad it's good" experience, despite its limitations. A quote from the film was later used in an internet meme.
Sequel[]
Nabwana IGG had completed work on the 2010 sequel Tebaatusasula (Luganda: "Those Who Were Screwed Over") when a massive power surge in Wakaliga destroyed the hard drive that contained the film footage, resulting in it being a lost film.
On March 2, 2015, Wakaliwood set up a Kickstarter campaign to raise US$160 for the film Tebaatusasula: Ebola. The studio was able to receive over US$13,000 from 374 backers by April 1. Tebaatusasula: Ebola serves as the direct sequel to Who Killed Captain Alex?and a remake of the lost Tebaatusasula film.
External Links[]
- Who Killed Captain Alex? on IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1813757/
- Who Killed Captain Alex? original trailer on YouTube https://youtu.be/BymeLkZ7GqM
- Who Killed Captain Alex? full movie on YouTube https://youtu.be/KEoGrbKAyKE