Gbomo Gbomo Express director, Walt Banger is back with another banger. Or, is it?
The crime thriller from the stables of Waltbanger 101 stars OC Ukeje, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Beverly Naya, Alexx Ekubo, Gbenro Ajibade, Kiki Omeili, Omowunmi Dada, Wofai Fada and Tope Tedela.
According to the synopsis, when an ambitious career woman is found murdered on her wedding anniversary her husband becomes the prime suspect. However, a police investigation unearths others in her life who may also have a strong motive.
After watching the trailer several times, these are the few things we learnt.
1. We will have to prepare our minds for a lot of unnecessary close-up shots and details.
The trailer lasted about two minutes but one couldn’t help but notice the conscious attempt by the cinematographer to show us some of the tricks and skills they have acquired from filmmaking courses. It was distracting. The shot from the inside of the cigarette case was beautiful.
2. OC Ukeje is a brilliant actor, no doubt
But he is conniving with Nollywood directors to make us get tired of seeing his face. We keep seeing OC in everything he appears.
Whether it’s The Arbitration or North East, it is the same hairstyle, moustache shape and so on and so forth. There is hardly an attempt to suspend the audience’s disbelief. Apart from a half-hearted grey patch in his beard, Catch.er presents us with that same OC Ukeje.
Tope Tedela is also willingly allowing himself get dragged through the same laziness mud pointed out above. He is also a fantastic actor and a great guy all around. But he needs to choose his appearances wisely.
3. There’s something about this trailer of a thriller which fails to thrill even after watching it several times.
It is slow and doesn’t say much. Hopefully, this is just a case of Walt and co not being pros at cutting a trailer. If the film is as unexciting as this trailer, that’s very bad news.
4. Personally, I have not exactly enjoyed watching Alexx Ekubo.
The feeling is that Catch.er will not be different. For me, he ranks up there with Uti Nwachukwu and IK Ogbonna as one of the worst popular actors in the industry. Will he surprise in Catch.er? May the gods make it so.
5. Hopefully, this film doesn’t turn out to be a 120+ minute argument of how Nollywood is getting better with technicals but poorer with awesome storytelling.
Walt Banger is swimming in a genre not many have successfully navigated in recent Nollywood history. Will this be an exception?
This post first appeared in TNS.