With a title like KM 17, which gives little or no context, and a strong cast, we were intrigued to see what Trino Motion Pictures’ latest offering on Prime Video was all about.
KM 17
Directed by: Lyndsey Efejeku
Written by: Oluchi Afurobi, Julie Ako
Genre: Thriller
Released on: July 26, 2024 (Prime Video)
Language: English
Plot
The synopsis reads: “A haunting tale of two sisters and a taxi driver’s deadly obsession with resurrection.” However, like the film’s name, it reveals very little, a common issue with Nollywood movie synopses. The plot takes too long to get to the story’s heart, and it struggles to hold our attention for a thriller.
Story
The film had potential with a creative story, due to its unique storyline but several elements didn’t add up. For instance, Cheeka confronting the cab driver without a plan, Ada failing to run after being let out of the car, and the unclear method Dorigho plans to use to resurrect his mother.
Performances
Casting Toni Tones (Cheeka) and Theresa Edem (Ada) as sisters was a brilliant choice, and both delivered decent performances. Blossom Chukwujekwu, playing Dorigho, brought a unique touch to his role, though his accent could have been improved. Though brief, Tonia Okojie’s portrayal of the girls’ mother was memorable.
Technical Aspects
The colour-grading effectively set a suspenseful tone, and the score reinforced it. The film was shot to draw attention to important details, like Cheeka’s discomfort upon realizing who the cab driver was. However, the blood in the scene after the officers were shot was poorly done. Furthermore, some of the car/taxi scenes is a bit off-putting. It seemed like a poorly executed green screen.
Final Thoughts
Cheeka’s realization of their mother’s death was too abrupt, detracting from the emotional impact of the scene. The plate number on the windows felt out of place, making us wonder if it was meant to be part of their fictional world. Since plate numbers aren’t usually engraved like that, it was too obvious.
The villain being an insane man with mummy issues was both crazy and believable, adding a layer of authenticity to his character. However, the final scene left us puzzled—why didn’t Cheeka shoot him immediately after getting the gun? Also, the film’s slow pace does more harm than good.
Verdict
Sadly, this movie didn’t leave a lasting impression, other than a sense of boredom once the credits rolled. There is not much to say about it, very underwhelming.
Rating: 2/5
About The Author
The most useless movie in 2024. I wasted my precious time watching it
Good observations. There were a lot of curious choices made by both female characters at different times for instance, since Cheeka had received the license plate of the abductor, why didn’t she immediately forward it to the car company or the police, especially since she received an obvious notification that the police was currently investigating a “blue cab company”.
Another being the continuity issues, the license plate kept switching between the I124QGIDI and the actual license plate of the real car…the editors didn’t pay close enough attention to detail in every scene…not a good look. Gidi is a fictional city, we can’t be having Lagos license plates all over the place, like he police car…it’s just a grave inconsistency that takes you out of the movie.