Movie Title: Yahoo+
Release Date: 21 July 2023
Director: Ebuka Njoku
Runtime: 1 hour 21 minutes
Cast: Ken Erics, Somadina Adinma, Lorenzo Menakaya, Echelon Mbadiwe, Ifeoma Obinwa, and Keezyto
With the increasing number of internet crimes in Nigeria, it seems fitting that Nollywood producers create movies that enlighten viewers on desisting from performing such fraudulent acts.
Unfortunately, while creating such a movie, the message gets lost in translation. It can be attributed to the “noise” embedded in the film. And by noise, we refer to elements like poor cinematography, lackluster acting, and mediocre scripting.
Yahoo Plus tries to reorient viewers, particularly youths, on the need to work hard and not depend on Yahoo (Advance Fee Fraud) as a means to succeed. Despite its vital message, Yahoo + makes sitting through an hour and some minutes slightly unbearable. It reminds viewers of the many Nollywood movies with good concepts that are poorly executed.
This 2022 movie can easily describe what happens when Yahoo, Money rituals, Organ trafficking, and prostitution meet at a messy crossroads.
Positively, the film optimises its budget and has several scenes that appear to be well thought out and unforgettable.
The Plot
A young lady, Kamso, in a bid to send funds to her boyfriend, requests to borrow money from her friend. She is given a condition by her friend, who is a prostitute, to escort her to business that night. Initially refusing, she agrees.
The ladies set out for the location. Upon arriving, Kamso realises that her boyfriend, Abacha, is one of the two boys. Heartbroken, she locks herself in the room.
Meanwhile, we see Abacha and his friend, Ose, interact. We are informed that they intended to use prostitutes for rituals to sponsor their trip to Hong Kong. Due to the new development, Abacha refuses but receives a call from their boss, Mansa, who threatens his family.
Abacha informs Kamso about their true intentions before drugging her. In a twist of events, she wakes up and hits him. Unfortunately, she is soon caught and bound with her friend, who is already asleep.
As the boys discuss their plans, Abacha pleads for them to release the girls. Hours pass, and Abacha summons the courage to attack Ose, which backfires. He later gets tied up.
A man arrives and tells Ose he is here to take the ladies’ body parts for the rituals. OSE is confused at this because he assumed they were going to carry them to a shrine. He is shocked after being told that it wasn’t for rituals but that his boss is an organ trafficker.
Abacha manages to overpower both men and kill the doctor. He escapes with Kamso. Their victory is cut short when Ose shows up with a gun pointing in their faces.
The Good
The characters’ backgrounds are relatable as they mirror the country’s current situation. Ose and Abacha strike a chord as examples of Nigerian youths facing unemployment challenges and failed dreams. We also see the dynamics: while one still wants to keep pushing, the other is bent on taking a more illegal route.
The movie was low-budget but executed with a certain level of professionalism. For example, there was a scene where the doctor harvested Kamso’s friend’s organs, but we were not shown. However, an illusion plays out through the intelligent use of camera angles.
The use of upcoming actors and indigenous languages in Yahoo Plus adds to its accolades. It was fun to see a cast, although a small number featured new talents.
The Bad
Let’s start with the acting. It would be safe to say that it wasn’t the best the actors offered. The line deliveries were just cringeworthy and had no impact in terms of tone. A character who claims to be angry spoke in a tone void of spiteful emotions.
“Show, don’t tell” dominated the screen as characters always tried to extensively explain an action or what led to it through dialogue. It would have been great to have proper scenes that led up to such activities.
The cinematography was great but failed to convey the desired thriller effect. The sound was unprofessional; it sounded like there was barely any editing done, as viewers could hear crackling sounds beneath it.
Finally, the scripting – the whole film doesn’t add up. There was no logical reason to back up why many of the events happened. One moment we see Ose trying to help Abacha against their boss; the next, he points a gun at his face.
Final Verdict
3/10. If you have enough time, feel free to watch Yahoo +.
Yahoo + is now streaming on Netflix.
END
Be the first to comment