Obi Melonye’s 2022 film Black Mail recently debuted on Prime Video, and with O.C. Ukeje’s long absence from our screens, we couldn’t pass up the chance to watch what promised to be a thrilling adventure.

Plot

‘Black Mail’ follows Ray Chinda, an actor and family man, as he scrambles to prevent a private video of himself from being leaked online, a threat that could destroy his professional and personal life.

However, the plot leaves much to be desired regarding relevance and pacing. The marital issues between Ray and his wife seem significant initially, only to be magically resolved once he explains what’s happening. The Igor scam network and the dynamic between Igor and Ivana form the crux of the conflict, but it’s a long and slow journey to reach that resolution.

Story

The film’s premise—someone being blackmailed online—is very relatable, especially in today’s digital age. But the believability fades when you consider that at this point, most people, especially someone seemingly high profile, would know better than to fall for phishing schemes. It’s hard to understand why Ray waited so long to tell his wife about the blackmail, making it feel like a plot device to extend the story artificially.

Ruben’s parallel blackmail subplot also seems unnecessary, adding little to the overall narrative. His reluctance to confide in Ray about his situation feels underdeveloped and unconvincing.

Performances

O.C. Ukeje delivers a good performance as Ray Chinda, but Julia Holden as Nikki doesn’t quite match his energy, leaving some scenes feeling unbalanced. Petra’s (Jelena Borovskaya) early emotional breakdown upon hearing about Ivana also falls flat, as her reaction felt premature and lacked authenticity. The climactic fight scene, which should have been the high point of the film, ends up being underwhelming.

Overall, no performance in the film truly stands out.

Technical Aspects

The film’s use of music was one of its stronger points. The soundtrack effectively heightens tension and underscores key moments, but it stands out as one of the few highlights in an otherwise slow-paced narrative. The film’s look suits the tone save for some. distracting harsh blue lights in some indoor scenes. The location and set design are also believable.

Final Thoughts

‘Black Mail’ raises an intriguing question: how far would you go to hide your private life? However, Ray doesn’t take the extreme measures the film’s tagline seems to promise leaving us with a slow-burn drama instead of the high-octane action we anticipated.

Additionally, certain plot elements feel disconnected. For instance, How career-damaging would the supposed video of Ray masturbating be in this day and age? especially as there is no form of nudity in the video? Furthermore, Ray recklessly chooses to masturbate while being blackmailed, even though his porn habits are the very thing being used against him, making his decision feel nonsensical. Moreover, the police had most of the relevant information early on, so why it took them so long to show up at the scene is a mystery.

Verdict

‘Black Mail’ offers a fresh premise compared to the typical Nollywood fare, but its sluggish pace and missed opportunities for stronger storytelling prevent it from truly shining. Overall, it makes for an enjoyable watch, if you are patient enough to see it through.

Rating: 3/5