My verdict: 3 out of 5
2015 | Drama | 4parts | 259minutes 37secs | Watch here
I liked this movie but what I could not stand was the use of both Howard Shore’s work in Lord Of The Rings as well as James Newton Howard’s work in Blood Diamond. Although they made very good use of Howard Shore’s music, that still doesn’t not cancel out their unauthorised use of his work which if it had been done to them, they would not have found it funny. If you want to incorporate academic music into your movie, then I suggest you employ the services of Prof Lazarus Ekwueme. Yes, besides being an actor, he is also composer and he was amongst the few Nigerian composers I was taught about in secondary school.
Village Fighter exhibits a fine story-line and intense drama that will keep you at the edge.
Having been endowed with vigorous strength, Nwabu (Queen Nwokoye) is a one man squad. A festival of war has just been declared in her family following her uncleโs desperate move to take away their properties and she is defiant to fight to the end.
Although I agree with the synopsis above, I do want to add my two kobo into it. I think the movie was beyond Nwabu. Yes, Nwabu was the primary protagonist because she is the person who things happened to but to me, the movie was about a family’s fight for their inheritance. Why I say this is because Nwabu’s uncle, Obiano (Gabriel Onwudiwe), was hell bent on making sure he inherited both his and that of Nwabu’s father since Nwabu’s father had no son and according to tradition, the eldest surviving male becomes the custodian of the family’s properties. Further down the line we get to find out that there is more to Obiano’s story.
One thing I really liked about this movie was how it did not deviate from its theme and everything that happened throughout the course of the movie was relevant to the plot. I was particularly impressed by Ebele Okaro. You know I cannot stop singing her praises. That woman was born to act, she was very convincing as an old woman. She was flawless and she surpassed her costars by miles. Prince Nwafor on the other hand was way too boisterous as usual. Dude, you need to bring it down a notch with the shouting but I will say he had good chemistry with his Nkechi Nnaji. They were convincing as siblings.
As stated in the beginning they made use of Howard Shore and James Newton Howard’s work. However, they made a terrible use of James Netwon Howard’s composition. In fact it was a distraction the whole time it was playing because one, it did not fit with the scene and second, it was just too loud.
Another issue with the movie was its epileptic translations which on its own shows poor editing. I will commend the editor for trying but as you already know; nearly cannot kill a bird.
I also want to add that I liked how it ended. It ended on a very happy note. Furthermore, the movie showed an important part of the Igbo tradition which many may have forgotten. Thanks for that education.
Well done to the crew.
Cast
Queen Nwokoye as Nwabu
Ebele Okaro Onyiuke as Ijenna
Gabriel Onwudiwe as Obiano
Prince Nwafor as Ikenna
Walter Anga as Nelson
Chita Agwu Johnson as Oluchi
Isaac Otutu as Nweke
Nkechi Nnaji as Olachi
Iyafokhai Rosabelle as Adaugo
Directed by / Written by / Screenplay by
Obinna Ukaeze
Produced by
Anthony Okechukwu Nwatu
Do you agree with me?