Co-written and produced by Nigerian filmmaker Richard Mofe Damijo, Revelations opened at the Nigerian cinemas on August 15, 2026. Following its world premiere at the Utah International Film Festival. It won Best International Film, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. Although it delivers a refreshing plot and excellent performances, it stumbles with the many branches it tries to execute.

A Story Built Around the Nigerian Japa Experience

Revelations follows the story of a Nigerian immigrant and his American wife as they struggle with infertility and past secrets that pose a threat to their marriage. It explores the themes of love, secrets, betrayal and sabotage.

Voke, played by RMD, finds himself in a difficult situation when his wife, Mellisa, begins raising questions about his past life in Nigeria before he moved to America. She grows increasingly concerned, especially as he maintains a calm, almost detached attitude toward their ten-year struggle with childbearing. Voke, however, insists that his past has no bearing on their present life and dismisses it as holding no memories worth revisiting.

Their lives take a sharp turn when Mellisa’s past resurfaces. Her ex-fiancé and childhood sweetheart files a lawsuit against a hospital for misdiagnosing a patient, and Mellisa, by association, is drawn into the case. What begins as a legal battle gradually reveals his ulterior motive—to win Mellisa back.

The situation worsens with the sudden return of Voke’s ex-wife, Carmen, who threatens him with blackmail. She claims that Voke had only married her years ago to secure his U.S. papers and now demands more money to keep silent. Aligning herself with the misdiagnosed patients, Carmen fuels even greater turmoil in Voke and Mellisa’s marriage. To complicate matters further, the shocking truth of Mellisa’s teenage pregnancy with her ex-fiancé comes to light.

Yet, the most devastating revelation arrives when Ese, Voke’s former fiancée whom he abandoned before leaving Nigeria 25 years earlier, reappears. She brings with her not only a child, Veejay, but also the heartbreaking news of her terminal illness. Before they can fully reconcile, Ese passes away, leaving Voke to shoulder the responsibility of building a new bond with Veejay.

In the end, Voke and Mellisa find a bittersweet sense of peace—coming together as parents, not through the children they longed for in their marriage, but through the children from their past lives.

Way Too Many Subplots Almost Ruin The Entire Story

Although the storyline is fresh and very different from the typical Nollywood story, it however stumbles greatly with its subplots. For one, this almost ruins the momentum built and leaves the audience confused. It takes a lot to stay on course which isn’t a great experience, with it being a cinematic screening, which has no pause or playbacks. And then it shows the lapses in the script written and directing.

First subplot is the issue with a black doctor feeling unseen and pushed aside at Voke’s hospital. The scene leans on the notion of the doctor eventually becoming an enemy. Or even conniving with the existing threats. But that never happens and that situation never gets addressed again or resolved.

Melissa’s estranged relationship with her mother is also an angle that just gets tossed around every now and then in the story. With no clear direction on the why’s that surround the mother’s attitude and her willingness to tire her relationships apart. Then the other unsettling part is Melissa’s teenage pregnancy. At first the story echoes that an abortion was done and then it shifts to her actually giving birth to the child but giving it up. And then her and Voke going to become parents to the child, with no clarity on how Mellisa finds the child and what the childs story had been all along.

Veejay’s story is one that is vaguely explored. Especially with the growing similarities he shared with a father he never knew about. Maybe a flash back into his early child hood and him acknowledging his father’s absence.

Excellent Performances If One Looks Past The Cringe

Key performances from RMD, Akpotha, Oghenetega, and Tanya Price stand out, each bringing depth to their roles. Oghenetega, in his first on-screen appearance, delivers an impressive performance that feels far from a debut, complemented by his remarkable synergy with Akpotha in their mother-son subplot. Akpotha, as always, gives a commendable performance, with her final scene powerfully anchoring her character’s pain and grief.

RMD’s charismatic yet subtle style lends a commanding presence, making his dialogue with non-Nollywood characters feel both natural and seamless. Alex Boye also delivers a very impressive performance, especially with the scenes he had to sing. However, the likes of Albert Simpson and Tara Berrett, who take on the villain role at some point, fail to settle into their characters, thereby giving performances that are visibly empty.

Thriving Technicalities That Aid The Story

One of Revelation’s standout elements is its cinematography, which skillfully supports the actors’ emotions and actions while also capturing external shots with impressive attention to detail. The film seamlessly blends US and Nigerian landscapes at key moments, enhancing its visual depth. More technical scenes, such as those set in the operating room, were also well executed, with meticulous attention paid to blood, surgical procedures, and other authentic details. Rather than glossing over these elements, the film presents them with striking realism and precision.

And then there is the fine blend of sound and music during the course of the movie. A highlight on music would be Kyle’s rendition for the cancer patients as the doctors simultaneously try to save a patient’s life. This gave that particular scene an emotional touch to the entire story.

Final Thoughts

One might struggle to enjoy the performances of the international acts. And that’s because both the accent and the actions give a less dramatic display than we are used to in Nollywood.

Revelations is definitely a movie fit for streaming platforms as opposed to the Nigerian cinemas. This is because it lacks the elements like a large star-studded cast that would usually attract the Nigerian audience. But who knows, maybe it could pull off high numbers at the Nigerian box office.

Verdict

With its fresh storyline and technical exploits, Revelations earns itself a 3 point rating.

Rating: 3/5