If you are looking for a movie with entertainment value to enjoy this weekend, “Dark October” is not for you. The images in this tearjerker are gory and haunting but “Dark October” is an important story worth telling, and Linda Ikeji did a decent job. It is a plea that there should be no room for violence and mob justice in our world.
The film is sadly inspired by an October 2012 horrifying event now known as the ALUU 4 Lynching. The fictional “Dark October” tells the story of four Nigerian university students who were falsely accused of robbery in the Aku community when they went in search of a debtor who owed one of them. The Aku community had been under terror – valuables stolen and women raped – for some time so the community raised a vigilante to curb the menace. Unfortunately for the four young men, arriving at the Aku community in the wee hours of the morning and in the company of an armed cultist made them easy targets.
When the film kicks off, you may not be instantly blown away. The duo, Tizzy and L, are rappers so you may find them wanting in that area. The acting is mediocre but if you’re patient enough to sit through the first thirty minutes of “Dark October,” you will not regret it.
Ms Ikeji who serves as producer and writer might have faced the temptation to water down the story in “Dark October” but she does not. Instead, she gave director Toka Mcbaror a story that is authentic and he treats it competently. Likewise the locations and setting. Nigerian university hotels are not pretty. They are dilapidated and in truth, some kids from well-to-do families choose to stay in those hostels because they value their friendships. The producer also do not whitewash and these decisions add to the authenticity of the story. In addition, the makeup artiste also does a phenomenal job and the music helps to advance the story.
After over a decade as Nigeria’s biggest blogger, Ikeji announced the launch of Linda Ikeji TV and later, an app offering video-on-demand general entertainment shows such as “Laura’s Kitchen.” If one overlooks the continuity issues and acting, “Dark October” is a good start for Ikeji as a feature film producer. We can only wish her many more successes in future.
“Dark October” is streaming on Netflix and showing in cinemas.
