FILM NAME: RELOADED PART 1 AND PART 2
DIRECTOR: LANCELOT ODUWA IMASUEN AND IKECHUKWU ONYEKA
PRODUCED BY DESMOND ELLIOT AND EMEM ISONG
RELEASE DATE: 2008.
GENRE: TRAGI-COMEDY
REVIEWER: NZE MIRACLE a.k.a myra
LENGTH OF MOVIE: 2:16:60
VIEWING: 18+
PLOT: A Presenter, Chelsea (Rita Dominic) introduces the film, “RELOADED” which is a continuation of the movie “Games men play”, the movie, is essentially a reality TV show centring on the lives of four friends: Weyinmi(Stephanie Okereke), Tayo(Ini Edo), Chelsea (Rita Dominic),Omoze (Nse Ikpe-Etim), and their various relationships.
Weyinmi is in a relationship with Bugbe(Van Vicker) for seven years and has undergone six abortions for him and suddenly finds out that another woman is pregnant for him and he is planning to get married to this woman. Tayo is married to Osita(Desmond Elliot) and he maltreats her and treats her like he does not care. Chelsea who is carrying out this research thinks her relationship is sent from heaven is shocked to find her boyfriend, Edwin (Eyinna Nwigwe) in bed with a man. Omoze (Nse Ikpe-Etim) is married to Femi (Ramsey Noah) who is a pervert as she constantly harasses his numerous girlfriends until eventually they decide to get a divorce.
Weyinmi decides to pay Bugbe in his own coin by kidnapping him on his wedding day; she holds him hostage and tortures him for three days, forces him to eat cake and wears a wedding dress as she is highly depressed. Tayo is fed up with Osita’s constant maltreatment and decides to set him up with her cousin, Mira (Mbong Amata) who goes to his office to work as an IT student, and succeeds in making him lose his job. Chelsea is distraught when she finds out Edwin is bi-sexual. Omoze divorces Femi after getting him suspended from his office and sells off their matrimonial home. In the end, the show is anchored by Tracy (Uche Jumbo) and these five friends are invited as they have gotten over their losses and have decided to move on with their various lives.
Theme: Betrayal and Mis-placed Trust.
Main Casts: Van Vicker, Rita Dominic, Desmond Elliot, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Stephanie Okereke, Ini Edo, Mbong Amata, and Ramsey Noah.
Setting: Nigeria
Language: English
Shots: Most of the major shots were used in the movie but I noticed a preference for medium shots but Extreme close up shot was used in the scene where Mira was in the car with Osita where she was convincing him that she could not let him take her home, the EX CU was used when she placed her hand on his crotch region. This means that the focus was on where her hand was placed which was meant to ease and reduce his annoyance.
Angle: Medium angle was exceptionally dominant in the movie although other angles were used. For instance, low angle was used in the scene where Tracy was presenting the show with the four friends present. The camera was placed in such a way that we were looking up at the presenter and this effect is to create a sense of superiority. The presenter is the anchor and in charge of the show so we, the audience are expected to look up at her.
Camera Movements: Pan was frequently used in the movie including pan left and pan right, pan left was also often used for discovery in the movie “RELOADED”. The camera moved essentially to suit the movement of the actors and actresses.
Make Up: All the characters in “RELOADED” wore simple make up, there was extra-ordinary effect of make up on any of the characters as it was not necessary.
Costume: Day to day dressing is used, no heavy or extravagant dressing was used in the movie “RELOADED”. Thought provocating costumes were worn by some of the actresses in the movie. For example, Tayo in the scene where she was telling Osita that she was going to the spa.
Finale: The movie ended in a very unique way which is indeed peculiar than all regular Nigerian movies we see on a daily basis as all the friends whom were affected are invited to the talk show to share their experiences with the audience and what they learnt from these experiences. The major casts also danced to an interesting song which could be seen as a perfect sign that they actually got over their heartbreaks.
In conclusion, the movie ends with all the women learning from each other’s mistakes as they now realise that there is no such thing as a perfect man and the movie, “RELOADED” is one of the best to have been released yet by a Nigerian producer at least in the year 2008.
Reviewer’s comment: The movie, “Reloaded” is one in a million and a must watch for every youth intending to have a life partner, it is indeed a movie embodied with lots of lessons for singles.