At Ease: A Powerful Look at PTSD in Soldiers that Fails to Engage

“At Ease”, written by Stephanie Dadet and directed by Seun Richards, is another heartfelt drama from the First Feature projects. This year has seen several First Feature projects from Natives Filmworks and Michelangelo Productions—”Kill Boro“, “It Blooms in June“, and “A Father’s Love.” We enjoyed those films overall, and now we turn to “At Ease”, the latest in the lineup, directed by Seun Richards. Here’s our take on it.

Plot

“At Ease” follows the story of Major Agbo, a 35-year-old Nigerian Army veteran, as he battles severe PTSD after surviving a bomb blast in Northern Nigeria, leading to a downward spiral of nightmares, hallucinations, and personal loss. As he hits rock bottom, Agbo finds solace in therapy and the unwavering support of his loved ones, embarking on a transformative journey of redemption and healing.

Story

The concept is intriguing, shedding light on the PTSD soldiers face and its impact on families—something rarely depicted in Nigerian cinema. It’s refreshing to see a film tackle mental health, especially since it’s often overlooked in our society. The story is fairly straightforward, but like other First Feature projects, it wraps up a little too easily after a two-hour journey that could have been more gripping.

Performances

Anee Icha as Lara was a bright spot, delivering a compelling performance, especially in moments of emotional tension. However, Samuel Asa’ah’s portrayal of Ifeanyi was somewhat lackluster. His performance made it hard to connect with Ifeanyi’s struggles, which might have been intentional, as PTSD is often hard to fully grasp. That said, it made for a more distant experience as a viewer.

The scene where Ifeanyi reacts to a loud fan noise—a key moment for PTSD representation—was underwhelming, with Samuel Asa’ah’s acting missing the mark. On the other hand, Anee Icha shines in her confrontation scene when she finds out about Ifeanyi’s plan to return to active duty. Their breakfast-in-bed scene, where they open up to each other, was the first time Ifeanyi felt more human, creating a brief but much-needed emotional connection.

Technical Aspects

Some technical inconsistencies detracted from the overall experience, notably the continuity issues with a scar on Ifeanyi’s face. In some scenes, it was very prominent, while in others, it was barely noticeable. It may seem minor, but details like these impact immersion and should have been handled better.

Final Thoughts

A couple of mistakes stood out like Anee Icha mistakenly calling their son Ifeanyi instead of Nnamdi—a simple yet glaring error. Major Agbo as the sole survivor of the blast appears miraculous, it would have been more realistic if he was far from the range of the blast. We did appreciate the clever double meaning of the title, “At Ease”, which works both as a military command and as a metaphor for Ifeanyi’s emotional state.

However, many moments felt like they were included just for the sake of it, like the bar fight and the altercation at Nnamdi’s school. These scenes didn’t seem to deepen the story, and part of that might come from the lack of a strong emotional connection with Ifeanyi’s character. Asa’ah’s performance could have done more to bridge that gap.

Verdict

While “At Ease” is an interesting film with a relevant theme, it falls short of being truly engaging. For what promised to be a heartfelt drama, there was no catharsis in the third act. The emotional impact the filmmakers were aiming for doesn’t fully land, and at times the pacing felt unnecessarily stretched. Overall, it’s a decent film but one that struggles to hold attention throughout especially with its long runtime.

Rating: 2.5/5

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Uju Okosieme

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