MOVIE RUN By Shaibu Husseini

SHATTERED ILLUSION

Producer – Emem Isong, Rob Emeka Eze

Director  - John Uche

Actors – Jim Iyke, Dakore Egbuson, Ngozi Ezeonu, JT Tom West and others.

Dakore Egbuson, the actress of the Emotional Crack fame who lived the role of a lesbian with great aplomb and confidence returns to the screen as one of the lead actors in this touching piece that was told under the direction of John Uche. Dakore is Jumoke, the singer and daughter of Chief Falemi, a senatorial aspirant in this flick that starred the banned actor and the acclaimed ‘lover boy in every movie’ Jim Iyke.

Indeed most fans of the ‘movie lover boy’ would be more used to seeing him solving crime than committing one. But In this Emem Isong story which she safely called ‘Shattered Illusion’, Iyke who was before the reported ban placed on some top actors in Nollywood, the toast of urban based movie producers, find a role here as a poacher and serial killer

Abandoned as a tot and battered as he grew along, Joshua (Jim Iyke) turns a serial killer. His targets are women. He chose to get back at them for forcing him into the streets as such an early age.The police are on his trail and have sworn to track him down. At another divide, Chief Falemi (Justus Esiri) has difficulties taming the excesses of his returnee daughter Jumoke (Dakore Egbuson), a strong upholder of justice and equal right. She runs into Joshua at a pub and they both fall in love. The movie peaked when Joshua leaves a murder threat for Mrs. Falemi (Ngozi Ezeonu) on a wall soon after he discovered that Mrs. Falemi was his biological mother. The movie reached its climax when the police swoop on an attempt by Joshua to maim Jumoke. He comes face to face with Mrs. Falemi, his biological mother. He pulls the trigger at her and the police pull it on him too perhaps as a way of averting further loss of life.

This is well told. It’s tough going for the mind. But it’s a bit predictable and too contrived to be real. That a fellow was abandoned and battered as a child should not be enough motivation for serial killing particularly when targeted at the wrong people. Again the conclusion was disappointingly limp and too grating. One had thought that both Mrs. Falemi and Joshua should be given a chance to make amends unless the folks behind these are suggesting that all those who were abandoned by their mothers should seek them and kill them.

In any case this produced a breathless session of gripping theatre. The art and expression in Emem language also worked in favour of the flick. Dakore Egbuson, Jim Iyke and J.T Tom West combined so well to give this movie its credit. But John Uche who directed the flick takes full credit for some degree of compelling direction. He ensured that the artistes lived enough to contribute to the energy of the flick. This is likely to get his viewers glued firmly to their seats.

THE HEART OF MAN

Producer – Chilozie Okonkwo

Director – Andy Chukwu

Actors   - Maureen Solomon, Emeka Enyiocha, Pete Edochie, Kanayo Kanayo and others

Igwemba, King of Osumonu dies and the king makers meet to decide on who should succeed him. They resolve to move the traditional stool from the Igwemba family. De Ofoma (Pete Edochie), eldest son of the late King who had led two of his brothers to the meeting and who had nursed the ambition of succeeding his father stormed out of the meeting depressed. He blames his younger brother, Sam Nkoye, an engineer for not putting in a word in spite of his influence. Sensing mischief, De Ofoma moves to eliminate Nkoye. He does and turns a devious character from here. He dies later but sowed a seed of discord between his two surviving sons Ebube and Uzoma and his younger brother Ndudi whom he had earlier visited with just a fraction of senility when the later requested for a share of the family land. Ebube and Ofoma become very disrespectful from here. The movie peaks when Ebube takes on his Uncle Ndudi for insisting on claiming his rightful inheritance. The movie ends here but there is a sequel. Predictably, there will be no peace for the wicked.

This is good in spite of its very dull title. But is not particularly an athletic account. Not only is it stagy, it has little meat between the bones and this made it loose its charm. It has even nothing ground breaking to speak of. The coldness of the story and the manner at which the actors conceptualized their roles contributed in making it so. Indeed except for Kanayo Kanayo, none of the characters or plot generated enough of an arch to raise the roof.

But it’s worth a look on. It has a number of life lessons to teach and boast of a number of exciting moments even though the moments are far in between. Not sure if you would like to sit through a sequel since the major players like Pete Edochie have been written off the flick. 

MOVIE RUN By Shaibu Husseini

SHAKARA

Producer- Anayo Nwafor

Director- Mc Collins Chidebe

Actors- Victor Osuagwu, Uche Jombo, Ofiafuluagu Mbaka, Ricky Eze and others

The comic actor who is obviously ‘out of circulation’ (he has not featured in any movie lately and he is not on the list of the ‘banned’ actors) Victor Osuagwu aka ‘Man na Mumu’ and the actress of the Ibinabo and Adure fame Uche Jombo are the lead actors in this comic encounter that has one of those titles you flag on a movie when you have no good idea of what to call it. Shakara simply suggests that the movie would be a pretty simple take on how human nature changes over time.

The synopsis briefly:  Agnes (Uche Jombo) heads to the city on the invitation of her kinsman Hyginus (Victor Osuagwu). On her arrival in an imagined Lagos, Agnes who has never traveled out of her village is led into some form of prostitution. Hyginus got busy fixing her up with men. Months pass and a once timid Agnes break loose. She becomes a master of the game. The movie however taxies off at the point where the city dame Agnes is nabbed for trafficking.

This falls in the genre of ludicrous dramatic ideas. But it was plausibly acted and realized. Its real victory is in the sheer acting energies of the lead characters particularly that of Uche Jombo and Victor Osuagwu. But Osuagwu gushed his lines out in most cases uncontrollably so much that he gave the impression that the movie was unscripted. Someone mentioned once that it is always difficult to get both Osuagwu and his other half Nkem Owoh who is popular as Osoufia to abide to a script. This explains why in most cases they make a disaster of grammatical expressions and make it difficult for shots to be precise in the movies where they star as lead characters.

If you love Nollywood’s brand of occasional comic performance that doesn’t generate half the excitement that its making made us believe it has, you would appreciate this Collins Chidebe account even when the outcome is telegraphed from the start. But keep a straight face on this and just enjoy some of Osuagwu’s occasional scene stealing performance and Uche Jombo’s ‘runs’ in the movie.

AFTER THE FIGHT

Producer – Obinna Okeke

Director – Tchidi Chikere

Actors – Kanayo Kanayo, Stella Damasus, Eucharia Anunobi Ekwu and others

Amaka Okeleke, the video outlet attendant who recommended this said we would find it interesting. The only snag being that she does not think that so much thought went into the casting. When we saw the movie, we agreed and concluded that the fact that one is a recognizable face does not make the person a novel concept in a movie.

Let’s attempt a brief synopsis. Jenny (Stella Damasus Aboderin) is unable to cope with the depression of pregnancy. So she pounces regularly on her husband Dominic (Kanayo Kanayo) and her elder cousin Jessica (Eucharia Ekwu). This got Dominic falling out of love with Jenny. He thinks Jessica is domesticated enough so he settles for her so as to ward of frustration. The result? Jessica is pregnant and wants to keep it. But Dominic wants it aborted. She says the pregnancy must stay. The revelation that Jessica was pregnant for her husband was what later led to Jenny’s untimely death or so it seemed.

This excites. It is likely to keep you hanging out with it because there is plenty to enjoy just as there is much to trim off. In fact this didn’t have to run for about 140 minutes since it was a one plot story-a nagging wife and a cousin is to the rescue. Here we like to play scenes out even when just a mention of the event would have served the purpose.

But After The Fight was decently acted and the convincing performances by its competent cast led by the dependable Kanayo Kanayo and the watch able Stella Damasus makes some slip here like in cinematography and continuity easily forgivable.

Stella Damasus was likeable as Jenny but not Eucharia Anunobi Ekwu. She had a built for a role that made her appear a miscast. But for Stella’s staying power, Eucharia who more than exaggerates her actions would have dwarfed the widowed actress. May be it would have worked if the roles were reversed.

MOVIE RUN By Shaibu Husseini

MONICA (Lewinsky)

Producer-Temitope Duker

Director- Fidelis Duker

Actors- Zack Orji, Grace Evaly, Tony Akposheri, Felida Essi, Forster Ojeabaru, Obey Etuk and others.

Most people who got this off the shelf would have concluded that this, because of the title, represented a disguised telling of the famous Monica Lewinsky’s saga. But it didn’t come near that widely told story which would have undoubtedly made an engaging flick. This is why there is a suggestion that the folks behind this should be charged for deceptive titling.

The story that was Monica revolved around a lady about town- Monica (Grace Evaly) who is well married to one Gozie (Zack Orji). Gozie realizes way down his life that he was married to the wrong woman. Gozie would not believe the tale making the rounds that his wife was a whore until his close friend evidenced the fact. Gozie hands Monica a marching order and the movie walks off but not after the revelation that Monica’s long standing friend is HIV positive.

This has a solid message. But on the whole it represents a lame effort and walks off too as some fetish fantasies brought to life. It has a number of limitations which includes the fact that it is creepy, overdrawn, and unoriginal. Though it boasts of some cheap thrills but they are not enough to raise the roof. In fact this bare of any real human emotions. Besides, not much attention was paid to lighting. A few day time scenes played as if the crew lost light. Indeed Duker’s effort has never run so low.

But this gets thumb up for direction. The director did a commendable job of managing the movies flow especially in terms of the cast performance as evidenced in the impressive outing of some of the supporting players. The model and actress Grave Evaly got a role here. Not that she did anything particularly different with what is already known of her voice and body, but that her chirpiness was shaped into something expressive was the plus. Fidelis Duker who called the shots found a role here too. But shots were incoherent once he was on set. The bearded actor Zack Orji who is often cynically cited as ‘the one who plays the good husband in every movie’ returns to a role that is not markedly different from the others. He played the good husband here again.

ARROWS

Producer – Ugo Emmanuel& Alex Okeke

Director – Ekenna Udo Igwe

Actors   - Pete Edochie, Patience Ozokwo, Tony Umez, Benita Nzeribe and others.

One Mokeme (not sure whether he is a chief or an Nze) dies and Chief Okoye (Pete Edochie) leads a band of Mokeme’s surviving brothers-Atuegbu (Remy Ohiajianya) and Obinna (Stan Nnadi) to an asset-sharing meeting in the late Mokeme’s house. There, Mokeme’s wife Hellen (Patience Ozokwo) and only son Kingsley (Muna Obiekwe) are stripped off of their due inheritance. A courageous Kingsley puts up a resistance that left his sight impaired for the better part of the flick-the handiwork of Chief Okoye and Atuegbu who had earlier visited a sorcerer. Events just plod along from here until the law of retributive justice takes it toll on the devious characters. Anyway Kingsley got his sight restored. Mother and child reclaim their inheritance and the movie ends…. not a happy one though for the devious Chief Okoye; the polygamist Atuegbu; for the unfaithful Gloria (Kingsley’s fiancée) and Ken, Kingsley’s friend and confidant who somewhere in the movie coveted his fiancée.

This two-part account even though didn’t say anything new, goes down pleasantly well as you watch it. One of its plus is that it makes complete sense from start to finish but its greatest draw back is the fact it’s too drably an account for a movie. All that story of Arrows could have been told in a single outing. But no! The chaps here in an attempt to impress will add ‘salt’ to a meal even when the meal is already tasty. Ekenna Igwe who penned this and also took the credit for directing the movie could have saved us the agony of watching all those unnecessary details particularly those scenes with Atuegbu and his wives. It didn’t add up to the movie, which dealt primarily with the twin issue of harmful traditional norms and the quest for justice. So in trying to throw up a ‘loaded account’ Ekenna devoted precious time to details that does not add up to the main plot. When you have too much of something it becomes boring. That was almost the case with this movie with a long list of the sectors famous actors- Pete Edochie, Pete Ene, Benita Nzeribe and this fellow King Joe Okechukwu who fitted snugly into the role of Pastor James.

You may wish to see Arrows. The most interesting thing about the movie outside its didactic intent is the fact that it rewards the banking industry. That claim which ‘the xyz’ bank redeemed in the flick is likely to lure many people to ‘save’ against such eventualities. Really this is worth a look. It’s slow going but it keeps you engaged.

MOVIE RUN By Shaibu Husseini

RETURN FROM EUROPE

Producer – Oragwam Edwin

Director – Reginald Ebere

Actors   - Nkem Owoh, Tony Akposheri, Monica Sibjyle and others.

Hard as he tried, Eluwa (Tony Akposheri) could not convince his kinsmen that Thomas (Nkem Owoh) his elder brother, who is in far away Bosnia was hale and hearty. Eluwa has up to the Easter of that year to produce Thomas or confirm the allegation that he may have conspired to use Thomas for rituals. He calls up Thomas who finally agreed to return home ‘loaded’ with dollars. Days later, Thomas returns with a Bosnian wife but without the anticipated ‘dollars’ and ‘goods’ which he claims are on the high sea. Unlike most returnees, Thomas soon turns a dependant to the chagrin of members of his immediate family and the entire community some of whom had made plans around his ‘load of dollars’.

Most people who opted to see this movie with a laundry list of faults did because they thought that like ‘Osoufia In London’ and because it starred Nkem Owoh, the lead actor in ‘Osoufia in London’ they were going to find it fascinating. But it turned out a disappointment- the central problem being that it lacks originality and it’s lined with some tasteless jokes. The fact that it even engaged one of the sectors most sought after comic actors Nkem Owoh couldn’t save it from its drabness. It couldn’t even make for the movies technical and artistic limitation. Hard as Owoh tried, he couldn’t just transform this into something mildly better. There was nothing to hold on to not even a fantastic moment that would make a discernable viewer root for it.

Indeed it was obvious from the story that the folks behind this went on location when they discovered that some other movies with a similar thematic thrust ‘were selling like pure water’ as they say in Moviedom. This, apart from coming through as a failed disguised representation of the successful comic flick ‘Osoufia in London’, reeked of amateurism particularly in the screenplay, dialogue, acting and photography.

LAGOS BABES

Producer – Peter Obiefuna, Maduka Okechukwu

Director   - Chico Ejiro

Actors      - Ashley Nwosu, Peter Bruno, Eucharia Ekwu, Collins Onwuchei and others

Night. Poorly lit scene. Benita played by Stephnora Falana nee Okere runs into a necking session between her fiancé Roland (Ashley Nwosu) and her arch rival Lisa played by the weighty actress Eucharia Ekwu nee Anunobi. Benita spits fire but Lisa is unperturbed. She vows instead to covet more of Benita’s “assets” just as she had done during their lewd sojourn in Port Harcourt and Abuja. Benita a self confessed shrewd business woman who later denies one Amanda of the man in her life, retreats and lays out a revenge plan. Lisa is arrested but eventually released. Lisa falls in again when she snuffs life out of one Rose whom she tried to lure into prostitution. She is jailed and the movie ends…that’s all to this story that was stretched beyond limits.

Anyway this consciousness raising effort that is tinged with violence and profanity is one good entertainment that lands fairly well. It pulled a rich cast and the pictures stayed bright and shining. But the movie, which carelessly leaped over plot holes, failed to make it to the lofty perch largely because it was stagy (and that’s because it’s a movie with so many storyline) and uneven. Sub-plots are broached and later disregarded – the problem with most movies here.

It is good. You might only be bothered if you thought very highly of it at first. The producers intended this as a moralistic campaign against prostitution. But this somewhat gratified it-the way it was resolved.

MOVIE RUN By Shaibu Husseini

DEADLY MISSION

Producer – Zeb Ejiro

Director – Andy Amanechi

Actor – Kate Henshaw Nuttall, Robert Peters, Benjamin Joseph, Bruno Iwouha, Tony Aleg, Gogo Ombo Gogo and others.

Whoever saw a female detective of Nigerian extraction demobilize a hunky male suspect in a manner only a Bruce Lee can? Here comes Rocky, the only lady in a team of three detectives sent on a mission to track down a notorious assassin. The Efik Princess on the movie run way Kate Henshaw Nuttal plays Rocky. She is in a lead performance in this racy (by industry standards) dramatic offering, which smacks off suspiciously as a remake of some of these cheesy American detective flicks with action sequences.

Here is the plot. A minister of an unidentified republic was reportedly assassinated and the police are after the assassin. They come close to tracking down the prime suspect but an unknown person shoots him in the process and he dies instantly. But later on in the flick, a bearded fellow walks off shot after laughing heartily suggesting that he may be behind the whole crime. The movie ends suggesting too that there would be a sequel to this political drama from the stable of Zeb Ejiro and movie land productions.

This loose but gorgeously looking Nigerian retelling is a joy to watch and the pure joy in this movie is in the lead characters-Kate Nuttall (Rocky), Robert Peters (Meche) and Benjamin Joseph (Dotun) who showed that they were not a bad pick for their individual roles. But it was Joseph as Dotun who held the movie together. He bursted into most frames sounding confident at every point.

This has a fair share of remarkable assets and a staying power that is likely to place the audience in a mood of heightened expectations. But it is marred by a number of improbable scenarios and poor lighting too. That fight scene between Rocky and a fellow in one of the scenes where a lady was nearly murdered is likely to leave viewers torn between irritation and anger. It nearly stained the credulity so well established by Henshaw’s earlier accurate performance. Indeed future film students would find that scene a case study of how not to sequence a fight scene. Find ‘Deadly Mission’. It’s a satisfying fare.

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IMPATIENCE 

Producer – Theodore Anyaji

Director  - Theodore Anyaji

Actors - Georgina Onouha, Bob Manuel Udokwu, Amaechi Muanagor, Emeka Onyiocha

Izu (Bob Manuel Udokwu) heads to the city in search of greener pastures. He has his mother Mama Izu (Chinwe Owoh) and a village beauty Abigail (Chidi Ihezie) his fiancée to cater for. Predictably providence brings Izu before a ‘money miss road’ ala an elder Jennifer played by the fast rising actress Georgina Onouha. In “Impatience” Jennifer is portrayed as a desperate whore who is in search of a chap with Izu’s description. Well Jennifer says she is simply “a liberated woman” and her understanding of liberation is to flaunt wealth at a stranger and force him into a relationship? Though tales abound on such occurrences but this was cheaply interpreted. Anyway from here one thing leads to another and they are soon in love. Izu now comfortable cuts off all forms of communication with his mother and Abigail. He returns to the village much later with a shocker for Abigail who though stunned like most members of Izu’s family accept her faith. The end of the road for Izu was when he discovers later after they have been joined in holy matrimony with Jennifer that she was a wolf in sheep clothing.

This looks so much like a story that has been over flogged. There are a number of movies with this tale about people heading to Lagos and jettisoning their vows. There are still a dozen others that make real the popular saying that  “all that glitters is not gold”. So the movie “Impatience” is not new at all. But there is an Anaemeke Okoro who is laying claim to the story when the major difference between this version and its predecessors is the treatment. In fact what Theodore Anyaji and his sponsors have merely done is to rehash and re-title one of those accounts, this time relying on a splendid cast that include Emeka Anyiocha (Osita) and the ageless actress Franca Brown (Mrs Ibekwe) of the Behind of the Clouds fame.

Those who have not seen a movie of like theme would find this a joy to watch. Theodore’s interpretation was refreshing but he was “Impatient” so played blind to some details, which left some of the scenarios illogical and fabulous. The acting was plausible save for this skinny fellow whom Anyaji always throws up to provide some form of comic relief. The lady who had a cameo as Dull Baby (she was not listed on the credit lines) provided an ‘annoying relief’ instead of the intended “comic relief”.

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MOVIE RUN By Shaibu Husseini

PERSONAL ASSIGNMENT

Producer- John Chukwu Ani

Director- Ndubuisi Okoh

Actors- Francis Duru, Bruno Iwouha, Chinwetalu Agu, Larry Koldsweath, Rita Tony Edochie and others

Morning. The gong wailed and the benevolent Nwafor is confirmed dead. It was obvious from side talks that Nwafor’s kinsmen, among them Egbo (Larry Koldsweath), Ani Obodo (Chinwetalu Agu) and Adaoga (Rita Edochie) were responsible for his death. Someone confirmed it when he declared at the venue of the final burial rites that some people ‘kill and cry’.  Weeks later, Melunwu (Francis Duru), Nwafor’s son is killed ostensibly to pave way for his uncle and aunt to descend effortlessly on Nwafor’s wealth. But Agbonma (Kelechi Koko), Nwafor’s only surviving child takes on the murderers from here through to the land of the living dead. She triumphs and the movie ends

 This is good. It is not particularly a breezy account but it has a fair share of remarkable asset. One of his strong points is the variety of imagery and then the quality of acting. The lights worked too. It helped in mood setting and in creating a story telling ambience at the start and why not? The lighting here has the signature of one of Nigeria’s significant lighting designers Molinta Elendu. The ace lighting designer pulled off something substantial here, as if to show some of his junior colleagues on the turf how this is done. Kelechi Koko who played Agbonma had a good run here even though her outing does not make her a stunning actor. But Duru was believable same for Chinwetalu Agu who has proven over time that he can be relied upon. He drops off something new in every performance.

But ‘Personal Assignment’ lost it structurally from the point where the cross to take on the ‘murderers’ was passed to Agbonma to bear. The battle especially when the tradition from where the story was adapted from or situated is to be considered would have been left to Melonwu and not his sister Agbonma. So what we would have had was a situation where it would have been Melonwu and not Agbonma that would have made the long trip to the groove. There is an assertion that women from that environment hardly take on such battles and even when they do, they are never left unhurt.

LIVING DEAD

Producer – Ugo Emmanuel and Alex Okeke

Director  - Ekenna Udo Igwe

Actors – Kanayo Kanayo, Edith Jayne Azuh, Robert Peters, Franca Brown, Chinwetalu Agu and others.

Chris (Kanayo Kanayo) a notorious drunk is jobless. Adaobi (Franca Brown) his elder sister holds strongly that Patricia (Edith Jayne Ayologu) Chris’s dutiful wife is responsible for her brothers low state. Somewhere in the story Chris disappears after one of his usual drinking runs. He is declared missing. The Police acting on an earlier description of Chris, found a headless body on the street and declared even though unprofessionally that it was the remains of the wanted Chris. Patricia heads to the village for the burial rites. There she is accused of ritual murder and forced to undergo some very awry pre-burial rites. But for the Police she would have been stoned to death ‘as custom demanded’. Anyway Chris stages a dramatic comeback later. His tale was that he was picked up by the Police for wandering. Adaobi is arrested for what the improperly dressed police officer said was ‘inciting to commit murder’ while Ikuku (Chinwetalu Agu), the false messenger of the gods who had pronounced Patricia guilty ‘as charged’ was picked up for ‘false information’. Pat returns to the city and ‘Living Dead’ as Chris was later called returns to make amends.

This is well told and Ekenna Igwe takes credit for helming the show together. It may not be an athletic account but it’s a thoughtful exploration about how not to be cruel and an expose on some harmful traditional practices. It has some intensely crafted seriousness and some intriguing shot and dramatic moments that kept the suspense level slightly high. However the movie is likely to try the patience of its viewers because it was too much of everything. It is this habit of having everything play out in a single diet that may have informed Ekenna’s decision not to eliminate that shot where the camera revealed a safety pin that helmed the bra of his lead actress.

But this is good. Viewers would likely find themselves discussing the movie days after it taxies off. Here performance particularly that of the make up person and some of the lead actors measured up all round. But it was Kanayo Kanayo and Edith Ayologu who stole the show. They gave an engaging performance, which is likely to get a few people sobbing even when they didn’t ask for it.

Go get Living Dead. It’s a good attempt. You really don’t get to see a movie that is this engaging here all the time.

MOVIE RUN By Shaibu Husseini

DANGEROUS BABE

Producer – Kingsley Ogoro

Director  - Chico Ejiro

Actors – Regina Askia Williams, Charles Okafor, Ayo Adesanya Hassan, Paul Obazele

The producer’s first choice for a movie cop Ayo Emmanuel returns in Dangerous Babe and for the umpteenth time Ayo finds himself playing a cop as if that is all he is good at. But the story is not about the gangling and ebony black “screen cop”. Somehow the plot zeroed in on Janet Obahon (Regina Askia-Williams) who walks into a conspiracy and earns a jail term. Rita (Ayo Adesanya Hassan) her friend who was responsible for the death of her husband Steve (Paul Obazele) and who planned it all takes on Emeka (Charles Okafor), the family lawyer. She insists on having an affair with Emeka (who has his eyes though on her friend Rita) and also wants her husbands ‘will’ altered. Janet soon gets out of jail and predictably she falls in love with Emeka. Not pleased, Rita frustrates the relationship. But by some stroke of luck, Emeka steps on a revelation that finally nails Rita. The movie rolls to its climax when Emeka eventually weds Janet.

Ogoro and Chico’s got something gripping here even though it was obvious that realism was sacrificed for aesthetics. It was evident too that the crew took so many things for granted and so details became second place. There were a few drawbacks aside the unpardonable synch problem with the songs Janet mimed to and wrong institutional representation like where a suspect was hounded into jail without proper investigation. In the flick, Regina Askia was introduced as Janet Obahon. This leaves her as someone from the Edo/Delta axis. But when she soliloquized at some point, she did it in Efik? Also there was something not just right with some of the costumes. The warders in the flick were presented as if they were private guards. It seemed as though there was no costume and make-up artist on set? Well a good costume and make-up artiste would have properly made up and costumed Janet if for nothing to justify time lapse after she got out of jail.

But see this.  Aside the drawbacks, this movie with the signature of the self proclaimed Mr Prolific of the Movie- Chico Ejiro, makes for an interesting viewing and has a number of life lessons to teach. Great soundtrack and spectacular performances especially by Charles Okafor, Ayo Adesanya Hassan and Paul Obazele.

WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER

Producer – Gabriel and Damian Moses

Director   - Ifeanyi Azodo

Actors      - Patience Ozokwo, Ini Edo, Tony Umez, Steph Nora Falana and others

Here is one of those efforts with a suggestive title. It falls in the category of the “title say it all stuff”. There is just nothing more left to see in this flick when from the title alone, the producers have suggested that there is no stopping what God has destined. That was the synopsis the title suggested but this didn’t play out like that though. Rather than allow Ada played by Ini Edo and Harry played by the stiff actor Tony Umez to remain man and wife despite the mounting odds, the producers choose to end the movie gratingly for Umez and on a happy note for Ini who survived the devious antics of her in-laws.

The story. Harry married to Ada, secures a visa to travel abroad. Henry assures that he will keep in touch and provide for her upkeep. He does even against the wish of members of his immediate family. Irked by Harry’s over abundant expression of love to Ada, Harry’s mum and younger sister Janet (Patience Ozokwo) and Sandra (Steph Nora Falana) descend on a helpless Ada. Harry returns and he is cowed into divorcing Ada. He sends her packing and allows himself to be forced into another marriage that turns out a disaster. With counseling from a priest Ada picks up again, re-marries and repudiates all attempts to settle her scores with Harry. We are told via a postscript that Harry was eventually forgiven while Ada and her new love lived happily ever after.

On the whole, this is involving and it entertains too even though some of the scene didn’t enjoy the right amount of light. It made some of the scenarios to appear improbable. A few of us didn’t even find probable those shots that were intended as “offshore shots”. Those locations don’t look a bit like Europe. We found incomprehensible, the attempt to re-create Europe just by asking someone to pose outside a building with those winter dresses.

See it. One plausible aspect of the flick aside its didactic content is the fact that the movie with a collection of some of the sectors famous faces, threw up an actress who if given the right push will go places. Here again is Ini Edo. Ini was believably in character. She didn’t allow herself to be dwarfed at all by the older hands in the flick. Her steady characterization and Ifeanyi Azodo’s directorial effort gave this movie its credit.