“Iyanu: The Age of Wonders” Review: An Illuminating and Impactful Prequel

Prequel movie Iyanu: The Age of Wonders tells the origins of Iyanu and the curse that she must one day save the world from.

I was provided with a free review screener of Iyanu: The Age of Wonders. The opinions I have shared are my own.

After a successful first season, fans can learn more able the world of Iyanu with the prequel movie Iyanu: The Age of Wonders. Though billed as a movie, the special feels like an extended episode. Despite its short length, the movie provides lots of insight into both Iyanu (Serah Johnson) and the fall of Yorubaland, with some fun and emotional moments throughout.

The movie grounds its narrative with the present-day framing device of Olori (Adesua Etomi-Wellington) telling the story to Iyanu, Biyi (Okey Jude), Toye (Samuel Kugbiyi), and Ekun sometime after the final battle of the season finale. Though the scenes don’t have many interesting moments, Iyanu’s enthusiasm for hearing the story makes the sequences enjoyable.

Set five hundred years in the past, the narrative opens with Iyanu’s parents, Dara (Sisan Victor-Woko) and Ishe (Ike Ononye), successfully trapping Meje, an embodiment of the seven deadly sins, with the help of the god-like Divine Ones. Despite Meje being merely contained rather than destroyed, it’s surprising how flippant Dara and Ishe are about the possibility of the threat returning.

Unlike the present day, the thriving world in the “Age of Wonders” is free of corruption but still has the different factions of humanity at odds with each other, which causes growing tension between the overall benevolent Divine Ones. The conflict provides an interesting dilemma on how involved the gods should be in human affairs, which will likely be explored further in future installments.

Dara soon discovers that she is pregnant, and she and her husband leave their duties behind to raise Iyanu. Both baby and toddler Iyanu are just as cute as the present-day version, and the cute moments of Iyanu growing up and meeting Ekun for the first time provide much-needed levity to the seriousness of the rest of the story.

Ultimately, tragedy strikes as The Fallen One and the surrounding world fall into their cursed states. Though it’s frustrating that the tragedy could have easily been prevented, it doesn’t lessen the emotional impact of the moment. Iyanu’s last moments with her parents as the world falls apart are particularly heartbreaking. The present day successfully ties the story to a close, as Iyanu uses the knowledge gained to help deepen her understanding of herself and her abilities.

While Iyanu: The Age of Wonders doesn’t have any particularly shocking revelations, it does provide more vital details about the world, the curse, and Iyanu herself. With Iyanu returning for a second season and another movie, it will be exciting to see how Iyanu uses her newfound knowledge and abilities to face the next wave of threats in Yorubaland.

Iyanu: The Age of Wonders will debut on Cartoon Network on August 30 and the next day on HBO Max.

Author: Jessica Wolff

Jessica Wolff is a graduate of Drexel University with a BS in Film/Video. She has a passion for entertainment and representation in entertainment. She currently resides outside of Washington, DC.

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