By: Arc
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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I stalled on writing this review because I couldn’t figure how to write it without dropping spoilers. La Femme Anjola is an entertaining movie with interesting characters. A lot about the movie was top notch, the extraordinary performance by the lady called Dominic, the shooting scene with the delightful watermelons and the free ad of Amala extra. Uncle Femi Jacob as usual added onscreen seasoning and Nonso Bassey did great as the male lead. The story was super and without blemish up until a point and the screen cacophony that followed after ensures this movie scores 3.5/10 on NazRev.
Everything wrong with La Femme Anjola
- Title: Most movie watchers are familiar with the phrase Femme Fatale. Throwing Femme into the title of the movie is begging your audience to see right through the plot of the movie. “Anjola” as title or even “The Woman Anjola” would not have given anything away. They weren’t satisfied with leaving it at the title, they found a way to say “La Femme Anjola” at least four times in the movie.
- Feeding Dejare lines: Speaking of giving things away. Anjola volunteered way too many details to Dejare making it impossible for the audience to think anything besides “she is using him.” It made the big reveal really pointless though in their defence, scenes after the point showed they concerned themselves with other unnecessary big reveals, the one that carried the movie didn’t matter at all.
- Lip Syncing: Dominic’s character is an amazing singer so there had to be singing eh (can vouch for Lady Rita’s acting; don’t know much about her singing prowess). The lip syncing in the first practice scene was a disaster but she totally killed it on the next try; you know what they say about first impressions eh.
After The Point
I did say the movie was impeccable up until a point. I enjoyed every bit before that point; I was so engrossed and had not made a single movie critic note on my Writer app. The gates of hell then prevailed on this beautiful story. In another world, Dejare finds out he has been scammed by Anjola, he has lost 4.8 billion naira on the stock market and his fiancé whilst facing time in prison- THE END. The danger of cheating on your intended is highlighted and men are reminded to run from the damsel in distress. Mr. Tunde Babalola let his pen or is it his fingers take over and cause irreparable damage to the story. It happens to the best of us, see what David Beinoff and Dan Weiss did to Game of Thrones eh. Is the perfect story possible? YES it is. Have you seen Joba? How about God Calling, Living In Bondage: Breaking Free, Eagle Wings? Even others written by the same writer have reached perfection- October 1st & Citation. These movies scored A1 for story.
From the not so big reveal, everything that followed had the audience scratching their heads
- If Odera was in on the plan to fake a death, why did Anjola require a 3rd party accomplice to kill Oscar (Browny Igboegwu cast for the specific reason that he looks like Chris Iheuwa)? The two of them could have gone about their business without fuss and still pin it on the other gangsta.
- How in the name of the just risen one did the policeman take the fingerprint from the glass of water?
- Policeman bribe, SA shot, Use of Mailbox, Car accident stunt et al had us shouting REALLY? Special shout out to the lovely Millennial ladies sat behind me @Filmhouse Port Harcourt who joined in poking holes in the movie’s plot. They had plenty jokes (yabbed the tailoring @ shoulder pad) and really made the experience wonderful.
- Obsession with plot twist: Ever since Lord Eddard Stark’s head was cut off at Baelor’s Great Sept, every screen writer is challenged to factor a shocker into their stories. This is a healthy development, only most of us are throwing in at least three and they border on ambitious, ridiculous or bizarre. At the end of the movie, I was left thinking about another movie that annihilated the term plot twist—The Set Up. It was all so unnecessary, they carried us from believing it was all Anjola to it was Anjola & Oscar and then to it was Anjola & Odera. In heaven’s name, why did Dejare stay back to confront Anjola after he had carted millions of dollars, another good place to end the movie. He gets away, pays the policeman man, Odera strangles Anjola.
My Re-Write
First off, the movie would simply be called Anjola. Anjola starts hitting on Dejare after she spots him with his Naval officer brother- Kolapo. He fits the profile she needs for her game, brother to a Marine should be tough and he can steal his brother’s firearm (In Tunde’s version, Kolapo isn’t super important or relevant to the story). Dejare falls in love with Anjola and is the one questioning her about her life, she tries her best not to tell him anything but he insists and she reluctantly divulges that Odera is a thorn in her flesh. Dejare asks “Would you come with me if Odera was not in the picture?” Frightened Anjola says “Yes.” Dejare makes his decision and executes Odera with Kolapo’s gun, Anjola bails with the dollars and 2 million naira of Dejare’s own money. Dejare finds out he has been played, movie ends with him leaving Tayo’s place after listening to his story. I can throw in one or two scenes foreshadowing Anjola’s romance with Oscar, Odera’s club manager.
All in all, these are MY opinions. Everyone should be allowed to form theirs, go see La Femme Anjola and if it finally drops on Netflix, stream it too. I assure you, IT IS ENTERTAINING.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...
