Midnight in Shangisha, directed by Ben Chiadika and Sola Osofisan, wants to be a slick, suspense-filled action comedy. But while it delivers laughs here and there, it can’t quite keep a steady grip on its tone or stakes. It opens with the kind of premise that invites tension and unpredictability: a jobless man with too much pressure and too little direction ends up tangled in a murder-for-hire plot because he picked up the wrong phone. It’s the type of story that could have delivered a sharp, culturally grounded action comedy.

Instead, it chases humour at the expense of suspense, veering into tonal confusion and theatrical performances that undercut its own stakes.

Comic Stakes and Shaky Ground

Yori (Baaj Adebule) is broke, jobless, and cornered by life. His only constant is Trinity (Martha Ehinome), his supportive girlfriend, and a shady friend Spider (Adediwura Lanre) who hands him a burner phone. A message hits: “You’ve been recommended for a job.” Desperate, Yori follows through, unaware he’s stepping into a hitman’s shoes. Soon, a bag of cash and a target photo appear.

Plot Without Grip

That first act carries the rhythm of a street-level thriller. The film plays with realism: characters move with everyday awkwardness, “waka pass” actors engaging with the main characters, and the camera sometimes lingers just long enough to create a mood. There’s one scene where the camera stays behind after Yori exits, and it communicates unease better than any line of dialogue could. But just as this tension begins to build, the film undercuts itself.

There’s a moment when Yori’s girlfriend is literally held hostage, and instead of urgency, we watch the characters prance around, cook meals, and argue about how killers “don’t kill women.” The writing flirts with chaos but never lets it spiral with conviction. Scenes like these reduce what could have been a taut narrative into fragmented sketches of misfired humour.

Where Tension Should Be, There’s Talk

The deeper Yori goes into the mistaken-identity plot, the more the film leans on drawn-out conversations and misplaced jokes. There’s little urgency even when Trinity is being held hostage. Instead of strategising or reacting, characters meander. Trinity cooks for her captor. Yori and Spider argue about whether killers actually harm women. When they go to report to the police, (featuring Funky Malam as Inspector Samuel) the killer’s voice is faked with a falsetto, and the police believe it. Then they go clubbing (well, not really).

Moments that should deepen the suspense either get drowned in melodrama or stretched so thin they lose their shape. The killer, Stone (Bryan Okoye), is especially inconsistent. One minute he’s meant to be threatening, the next he’s cracking weak jokes. Instead of adding unpredictability, this shift makes him cartoonish, more punchline than predator.

There is a well-placed clue involving Madam Soyoyo (Tina Mba). As a seasoned viewer might notice, the camera briefly lingers on her during Yori’s explanation to Spider about the woman who handed him the job. She doesn’t engage directly, but the framing suggests she’s behind the stolen money. It’s one of the few subtle filmmaking choices that rewards attention. Unfortunately, it’s surrounded by chaos.

Characters or Caricatures?

Baaj Adebule gives Yori a relatable vulnerability in the beginning, but as the scenes grow more absurd, his character loses emotional footing. The frustration feels real early on, but by the time he’s delivering monologues in a nightclub while his girlfriend is being held captive, it’s difficult to take him seriously. Martha Ehinome tries to anchor the story as Trinity, but she’s given too little to work with. Her passivity while in danger — especially scenes where she’s teased by her captor and she feigns frustration — strips the film of tension.

Bryan Okoye as Stone begins with menace, but the character quickly becomes an exaggerated version of a Nollywood villain. His lines, reactions, and expressions feel forced, and his switch between killer and clown makes it hard to believe any scene he’s in. Adediwura Lanre as Spider injects energy, but most of it goes into shouting matches and jokes that feel out of place.

Style That Starts Strong Then Slips

Here, Midnight in Shangisha has interesting choices: lingering shots, minimalist camera movement, and deliberate framing that sometimes hold tension or suggest unease. One clever moment involves the camera holding on a blank wall after Yori leaves, subtly hinting at surveillance or presence. Those early decisions to follow Yori through quiet chaos hint at a film with perspective. But as the story loses focus, so does the style. The sound design is generally poor, and the lighting especially for the night scenes is too theatrical.

The engagement with minor background characters adds realism initially, but the repeated use eventually becomes distracting. This touch of realism, initially charming, becomes overused. The sound design is inconsistent, with flat audio that undermines emotional weight. The soundtrack is present but never amplifies or sharpens scenes. Editing could have leaned into rhythm or urgency, but it feels mechanical.

Final Thoughts

Midnight in Shangisha had all the raw material to be a clever, streetwise action comedy. The set-up was strong, and the cultural specificity gave it a clear voice. But it loses itself trying to balance crime, satire, and farce without enough control over its tone. Characters make choices that don’t track. Tension never lasts. And the humour, though present, rarely lands. In trying to be serious and unserious at once, the film ends up saying very little at all.

Verdict

A story that could have been urgent, sharp, and darkly funny ends up feeling overacted, underwritten, and ultimately unsure of what it wants to be. You might chuckle, you might roll your eyes, but you’re unlikely to feel much else. Watchable, but far from memorable.

Rating: 2/5