Movie Review: Banana Island Ghost | By: Jerry Chiemeke

Movie Title: BANANA ISLAND GHOST
Genre:  Comedy
Year of Release: 2017
Cast: Chigul, Patrick Diabuah, Bimbo Manuel, Damilola Adegbite, Saheed Balogun, Ali Nuhu, Tina Mba
Director: BB Sasore

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“Banana Island Ghost” is about a young man named Patrick (Diabuah) who dies, but is scared to step into Heaven because he does not have a soulmate. He is given three days by God (Bimbo Manuel) to find a lady and get her to love him. Patrick has the luxury of being unseen or unheard by anyone except the lady he chooses, and he requests for a lady who lives in Banana Island. He ends up waking next to Ijeoma (Chigul), a plus-size lady who is about to lose her father’s house unless she can raise 18 million naira in three days. She takes to combining her 9-5 with a gig as a mascot and pilfering of gadgets, amidst the looming purchase of the house by a certain Mr. King (Nuhu) and her self-esteem issues.

One lovely thing about the movie is the choice of music put to use. Viewers would have their ears treated to Bez’s “Over You”, the lovely Ruby Gyang’s “Kale Ni”, Ill Bliss’ “Bank Alert”, amongst others. If this movie were to have an O. S. T, I would definitely go on to buy it.

The movie also scores high in mischief value. In Banana Island Ghost, we see Patrick, the male lead, use his ghostly nature to his advantage, from freely changing his wardrobe at The Palms, spiking the drink of Ijeoma’s cheating boyfriend with laxatives, scaring a lady by “scooping her Coldstone mid-air”, and spraying fire extinguisher on the hair of Ijeoma’s mean colleagues. He also assists Ijeoma in giving the impression that her car is A. I – operated at a charity event.

ALSO READ: Isoken Movie Review

However, that’s all there is to this movie. From her acting, it is clear that Chigul is better off with her comedy skits. She has no place in feature films, with her forced and mechanical acting, and her tendency to change accents with every other scene. Her attempts at humour were pretty much 50-50, and this performance is anything but memorable.

Bimbo Manuel may not exactly be a Morgan Freeman, but he pulled off his omniscient character, even indulging in some mischief as he blurred Adegbite’s full nakedness from Patrick’s view. The same cannot be said for Saheed Balogun and Ali Nuhu; both darlings in their respective indigenous movie circles, the two actors did next to nothing here, and were a waste of screen time. It would be laughable to add this movie to their videographies, if you ask me.

Much is made about Nollywood’s improved cinematography, but a number of scenes left much to be desired. The bus scene where Patrick flings a passenger’s phone out of the window as a ghost culminates in the most artificial bus scuffle I have ever seen, and in the scene where Ijeoma sings at a charity event, there is just something plastic about the guests in attendance.

The script falls short too. At the end, Ijeoma has the chance to win 20 million naira by participating in a poker tournament…organised by the very man who wants to buy her father’s house! How cliché can we get? The part involving the policemen is dragged on for too long as well, to the point that the humour wears off and the jokes becomes annoying. The point of self-realization on Ijeoma’s part, and Patrick finally being able to love, is a bit cheesy too.

Banana Island Ghost is a movie that cinema lovers are not advised to go for with high hopes. It has its good points, but it is ultimately another disappointing “boutique” movie. I want a refund of the money for my ticket, and the ticket purchased for my date.

Rating: 5/10


Jerry Chiemeke is a lawyer and freelance writer who lives in Lagos. An amateur photographer and sports enthusiast as well, Jerry’s works have appeared on Blanck Digital, Elsieisy, Oshodi.tv, The Kalahari Review and Brittle Paper. He is the author of ‘The Colours In These Leaves’. Get the book Here 

You can follow him on Twitter @J_Chiemeke, and also check out his craft on his blog at pensofchi.com

WATCH THE TRAILER OF KUNLE AFOLAYAN'S OCTOBER 1 MOVIE

THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED TRAILER OF NIGERIAN FILMMAKER AND ACTOR, KUNLE AFOLAYAN WAS RELEASED FEW DAYS BACK.

Featuring Deola Sagoe, Sadiq Daba, Demola Adedoyin, Kehinde Bankole, Kayode Aderupoko, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Bimbo Manuel, Ibrahim Chatta, Femi Adebayo, Kunle Afolayan, David Bailie, Nick Rhys, Colin David Reese, Lawrence Stubbings and Ifayemi Elebuibon.
SYNOPSIS
It’s September 1960, and with Nigeria on the verge of independence from British colonial rule, a northern Nigerian Police Detective, DAN WAZIRI, is urgently dispatched by the Colonial Government to the trading post town of Akote in the Western Region of Nigeria to solve a series of female murders that have struck horror in the hearts and minds of the local community.

 On getting to Akote, more murders are committed, and with local tension high and volatile, Waziri has a race on his hands to solve the case before even more local women are killed.
Set against the backdrop of the national celebratory mood of the impending independence, Waziri is pulled into a game of cat and mouse as he and the killer try to outwit each other… leading to the climatic end in which the life of a popular local female teacher and village belle, Tawa, is held in the balance. Waziri has to race against the clock to capture the killer, save Tawa and solve the crime before the British flag is lowered and the Nigerian flag raised on Independence Day… October 1.

PHOTOS: KUNLE AFOLAYAN, DEOLA SAGOE, SADIQ BABA, ADERUPOKO ON THE SET OF OCTOBER 1

As you all know, October 1 is seasoned actor Kunle Afolayan's new project. The award-winning filmmaker during an interview with us revealed that his next movie will be the biggest. Well, going by the few pictures I've set my eyes on, this is certainly going to be another master-piece.

Featured in the film are some known and unknown actors. Deola Sagoe, a foremost fashion designer who made her acting debut in the new flick will be playing the role of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Sadiq Daba a veteran broadcaster and producer, is no stranger to the motion pictures industry.

These are some of the behind the scene pictures featuring Deola Sagoe, Kunle Afolayan, Sadiq Baba and Aderupoko. I learnt Kunle Afolayan has tribal marks on his cheeks. Interesting!!!

Read Kunle Afolayan's interview here:

My next film will be the biggest

http://loladeville.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/interview-my-next-film-will-be-biggest.html?m=1

PHOTOS: ON THE SET OF JENIFA&OSOUFIA

Few months back, I wrote about Nkem Owoh and Funke Akindele shooting a movie together, 'Osoufia and Jenifa'. Here are some behind-the-scene pictures.

Going by these pictures, I think Funke Akindele will be more troublesome in the flick, and Osoufia a big coward. And their marriage is going to be one hell of a journey. We can only guess. Get ready to have your ribs cracked!

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