Aarcflick

 Male hierarchies within prison walls are familiar ground, from "Brute Force" and "Birdman of Alcatraz" to "Papillon," "Midnight Express" and "The Shawshank Redemption." But rarely is an entry as visually rousing as West African filmmaker Philippe Lacôte's "The Night of the Kings," which takes place within the bowels of the infamous La MACA prison in Abidjan, a city on the southern side of the Costa de Ivory. While the film, both written and directed by Lacôte, draws on oral traditions that may seem exotic to some viewers, the film is really about the universal power of storytelling, regardless of language, and how it can be used as a way of survive. Though hampered by some shaky third-act visual effects, "Night of the Kings" is a heady and immersive viewing experience, even when it plays out almost like a filmed play. When a young man is introduced to La MACA, he finds himself drawn into a dangerous and complica...