Despite being a missed opportunity to start off the year with a bang, The Trade is one of the few Nollywood films that pays close attention to details.
Movie Title: The Trade
Release date: 13th January, 2023
Cast: Blossom Chukwujekwu, Stan Nze, Rita Dominic, Ali Nuhu, Nengi Adoki, Waje, Chiwetalu Agu, Uru Eke, Gideon Okeke, Denola Grey, Charles Inojie, Mercy Aigbe, Abayomi Alvin, Dr. Sid, Francis Odega, Chimezie Imo, Kelechi Udegbe, Yemi Solade, Francis Onwochei, Angel Unigwe, Emeka Nwagbaraocha, Stephanie Isuma (Calabar Chic), and Shawn Faqua
Run-time: 2 hours plus
Across films written by talented screenwriter Jade Osiberu, one can easily point out a common feature: they explore social vices affecting our society. In other words, the stories and characters are a mirror of what we see on a local TV station, hear about on the streets, and read in the newspapers.
With hit movies like Gangs of Lagos and Brotherhood, projects affiliated with Jade Osiberu bear promises of high stakes and thrilling action. However, after watching The Trade, which was recently released on Prime Video, one cannot help but feel the sharp pain of disappointment as it was a letdown.
While it's quite understandable that a story such as The Trade relies more on storytelling than action scenes, the 2023 movie had several other shortcomings that were not easy to ignore. In addition to its inability to incite several emotions in the hearts of viewers, the storyline lacked complexities and downplayed the potential of many characters.
Acclaimed for being based on a true story, The Trade tells the story of a notorious kidnapper whose crimes have ravaged certain parts of Nigeria. The film tells us more about who he is, what his motivations are, and provides a roadmap to the events leading to his arrest.
Despite being a missed opportunity to start off the year with a bang, The Trade is one of the few Nollywood films that pays close attention to details, includes a somewhat authentic representation of indigenous language, and optimises the skills of its actors.
Plot
In the opening scene, we see a man getting kidnapped. Unknown to the kidnappers, he has a strong relationship with their boss and is actually the mysterious criminal, whose identity has remained a mystery to the police. After a phone call, he was released and went to his hideout, where he asked a relative of his victim for a ransom.
During a meeting with his accountant, his accountant proposes kidnapping a rich customer at his bank. Intrigued at the wealth status of the lady, Eric agrees to it and begins to make preparations for the ambush.
The plan goes smoothly, and they are able to kidnap. Unfortunately, one of Eric's gang members betrays him and lets the lady go.
Meanwhile, a newly assigned police officer and his boss work tirelessly to uncover the mysteries surrounding the kidnappings. Although things seem to be at a dead end, the police come across a clue and begin to track down and interrogate anyone who is perceived to be working with Eric.
Eric becomes fully aware of the investigation and makes a bold move to flee the country. Before doing this, he decides to meet up with his side chick, who, prior to his calling, had been threatened by the police.
Long story short, the hands of the law eventually catch up with him and he is arrested.
The Good
The cast delivers excellent performances. Talents such as Stan Nze, Blossom Chukwujekwu, and Shawn Faqua stand out as they brought their A-game and were able to fully embody their characters, including the accents.
Kudos to the crew also, as the cinematography was on point, including the special effects. The locations used felt realistic and not exaggerated as we see in most movies. A favourite and ambitious scene in this film definitely has to be when Eric's car flips over. Simply genius.
The producers also paid close attention to the details. For a brief moment, one might easily conclude that the police would suddenly be portrayed to know the identity of Eric, but the writer built up the incidents to the scene. There is also the use of police equipment. It's lovely to see that there wasn't an exaggeration in the manner in which the Nigerian police operate.
Lastly, the exploration of certain themes and the strong messaging in this film make it worth watching. At the crux of The Trade are moral lessons on greed and betrayal, among many others.
The Bad
First, the movie was dragged out. There were quite a number of scenes that contributed little to no development to the plot.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
For a film that at the beginning seems to portray a smart and powerful kidnapper, the road to catching him felt cliche and simple. All it took was talking to witnesses, who literally pointed the police in the right direction.
Honestly, there was a longing for several "show, don't tell" moments. It would have been great if there were subtle hints in each scene and the witnesses chose not to say anything or were killed. This would actually shed more light on the detectives and how they would use their wits to apprehend him. Simply put, more suspense elements!
Characters were also downplayed a lot. There was so much more that could have been done for Charles other than killing him. Eric could have been positioned in a more ruthless manner. A surprise twist could have shown that the boss, Bukar, was working with Eric, and at the ending, we could have had one of the gang members escape, teasing a sequel.
The storyline also felt predictable, and one could easily decipher the outcome of a particular scene.
Final Verdict
7/10. The storyline seems married but offers good moral lessons.
The Trade is now streaming on Netflix.
