ACT OF FAITH

TITLE: Act of Faith 1&2
DIRECTOR: Ikenna Emma. Aniekwe (d.g.n)
PRODUCER: Charles Offor
DATE OF RELEASE: 2008
CAST: Mercy Johnson, Mike Ezuruonye, Halima Abubakar, Patience Ozokwor, Ify Afuba, Ifeanyi Azodo, Chizzy Okiche.
REVIEWER: APAPA YETUNDE



A couple, Uche the pastor and Lesley the pastor’s husband are not able to bear children, and Uche is hounded by the Lesley’s mother for “refusing to produce grandchildren. One day armed robbers break into the home and Uche is raped. While at the hospital she is mute and not responding to anyone so the doctors suggest moving her to a psychiatric ward. Her mother is distraught and begs her to “pray herself out” of the situation. Even in the psychiatric ward the psychotherapist played by Halima whips out the bible when she is perturbed by the patient howling at her. She is then sent out of leslies house, and for she then gets destabilized. She then gets Uche’s mother to read bible verses to her until she calms down. In the end the baby turns out to be leslie,s and NOT the armed robber’s. We find this out when it is revealed that the baby has the same birthmark that David, his mother and all family members on that side of the family have. She is convinced that he will be convinced the baby is his and presents the baby to him. He is not willing to listen to anything she has to say and turns her away from the compound. Up until the doctor comes in and explains everything to him. The couple reunite back together and become one.
We pray, we fast, we believe, WE’RE CHRISTIANS, but when temptations come, then we know the true genuine christains. One stands, the other revert and does do real bad That’s the theme that runs through the movie, Act of Faith.
The film, Act of Faith, directed by Ikenna is one that typical exemplifies some struggles which Christian marriages go through. It is a film based on Christian practices that shows instance of intense test of faith. It takes the viewers in-depth knowledge of how to stand the test of time with faith and hope as one’s weapons as Christians.
Unlike other movies, this movie is unique with new context that viewers can be interested in because it sheds a whole new light and is based on a story line that is way different from the normal trend Nigerian films take which is either based on love or witchcraft, an epitome of lack of expertise always accredited to Nigerian films based on lack of relevant names which mostly come in something expressed with love: love is blind? Could this be love?, A kiss from love, unconditional love, for better or for worse and so on.
Most Nigerian movie titles, since the 80’s, are always displayed with low graphic design and atrocious application of colours. Surprisingly, even this film, which happens to be birthed in the new millennium century, fell victim of such application. The movie title design used was not even one shift away from the former trend which makes it unattractive even from the start of the movie.
The story revolves around the lives of Uche (Mercy Johnson) and Chidebelu/ Leslie (Mike Ezuronye) living as husband and wife. There were both Christians, with the wife as a pastor and the husband, a business man. The story revolves around circumstance that they faced, circumstance that really tested that faith and believes in God in very tactical and frustrating ways. From inability to give birth to rape, dejection, frustration and wickedness.
Flashback s a narrative technique was not really employed, except once when the husband on knowing the DNA results, thought of all the humiliation he put his wife through.
In production and photography, a satisfactory number of camera shots and angles were employed based on the standard of Nigerian movies
In the use of transitions, varieties were not adopted as fade-in and fadeout was predominantly used. The sound effects were appalling as underground noise was not filtered out.
In the story line also, some part of the scene tend to unrealistic. For instance, the scene where Uche and Chidebelu entered the house on getting back from the hospital, the T.V was on. From the onset, they didn’t have a maid, so the audience is left in practical oblivion of who actually switched the T.V on. Also, Uche, all through the movie was referred to as Pastor (Mrs), but we never so her church, not even to mention the congregation; references were only made that she was at church either doing this, or that. Furthermore, the Delivery scene was drastically unrealistic because the mother on request, just entered A THEATRE ROOM without any costume or facial mask and the flair of unnecessary emotion by Chidebelu was literarily uncalled for in the script.
Nevertheless, the film is an enjoyable one as suspense is used to sustain the attention of viewers who want to know the outcome. Although some defects are evident in the movie; they do not disrupt the theme of the movie which is quite sophisticated but still understandable and applicable.

BY APAPA YETUNDE 07BE05496