“COLLISION Course,” Bolanle Austen-Peters Productions’ (BAP) latest film finally arrived the global streaming platform, Netflix on Friday, September 2, to popular and critical acclaim.
A much-anticipated film, ‘Collision Course’ has been described by critics as a great flick with potential to rule the heart and soul of film patrons.
According to the director-producer, Austen-Peters, Collision Course, conceived and written by James Amuta, has already won “5 awards and 11 nominations and 5 international film festivals.”
“This is my most powerful piece of art. Everyone should watch it on Netflix. It is about the loss of our conscience,” stated Austen-Peters whose other signatures include “Bling Lagosians” and “Man of God.”
https://www.netflix.com/ng/title/81592484?trkid=13747225&s=i&vlang=en&clip=81592520
An earlier review by the actor, producer, Chris Iheuwa, reads:
I HAD registered for the 10th anniversary edition of the African International Film Festival (AFRIFF), and was glad to receive a ‘Special Invitation’ to see the closing film, ‘Collision Course,’ directed by lawyer-turned-theatre and movie director, Bolanle Austen-Peters, and produced by Joseph Umoibom and James Amuta – at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos state.
BAP, as the director of the film is fondly called, decked in a red dress and well-groomed hairstyle, gave a rundown of what to expect and kindly advised the audience to relax and enjoy ourselves on the unexpected.
I have to admit that I am a little biased about the film, ‘Collision Course,’ because it touched on two nerves in me that caused me to become really agitated.
First, I am a professionally trained actor/director, as well as a trained Supernumerary Police Officer. So the presentation was anticipated, but in all honesty, it was the anticipation of what our sister lawyer- turned-movie director had to offer. No pun intended.
Collision Course was inspired by the near-two-week #Endsars demonstration of 2020, which climaxed tragically with the killings of some protesters on Tuesday, October 20. Staged mostly by Nigerian youths across several cities of the country, the protest was to draw attention of authorities to the perceived heinous crimes, including undue harassment of youths, and sometimes extrajudicial killings, perpetrated by members of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian Police in charge of detecting, investigating, stopping, and stamping out armed robbery and related crimes.
The movie has a main plot and several subplots that intertwine to give us a potpourri or variants of life. The rich and the poor, the “Government Reserved and Respected Area”, and the “Government Rejected Area”, conflict of privileged parents and the perpetual war with their misunderstood children, the perennial conflict between government and the governed, and of course, the Police and the civilian populace as personified by Corporal Magnus, and Mide Johnson, played by Daniel Etim Effiong, who played the role of the overseas-trained-lawyer turned struggling musician and his insecure wife wannabe pregnant girlfriend, Hannah, played by Big Brothers’ Bamike ‘BamBam’ Adenibuyon.
Temi had an encounter with TARS men (for the purposes of the film, SARS was renamed TARS) that left a perpetual scar on him and affect his respect for the men in black. He had seen firsthand how extrajudicial killings are carried out and how innocent individuals are literally wasted for failing to pay their way out of the clutches of TARS troops, who had tasted blood.
This occurrence served as a preface to the film, and it is from this prelude that the rest of the plot takes shape.
The film begins with the beautiful Chioma Akpotha, who plays Corporal Magnus’ wife, played by Kelechi Udegbe (in case you didn’t know, Udegbe means “sound of a gun” in Igbo) scolding her husband for not taking care of the family and threatening to leave her matrimonial home with her children for her father’s. He assures her that he would join TARS and make money, but his wife mocks him, claiming that he is lilly-livered and incapable of killing a cockroach.
Now, what I like about the opening sequence, which was relatively captured by the writer James Amuta, and executed by the director, is the reality that stares us in the face, and just like the actors portrayed, the Police, who are grossly underfunded and poorly cared for, their remuneration is not in the least commensurate with the reality on the ground. I’ll leave what I don’t like for now till later.
Corporal Magnus rides to work on a bike that was seized and was in the possession of a colleague who, as another rank police officer, is also dealing with challenges. They bemoan the occupational hazards they face, and their conversation leads to Magnus deciding to visit the TARS Commander, played by Greg Ojefua.
The Commander, or Boss, as he prefers to be referred, is a quintessential example of a bad apple in any organisation, be it police, military, or civil service, not to mention the private sector. A case of utilising what you have to get what you need, no matter whose ox is gored. The Boss informs him that his application to be transferred to TARS is complete, but that in order to demonstrate his commitment to the system, his (Magnus) wife must come to collect the transfer signal from the Boss. Of course, that gesture will have far-reaching repercussions for everyone involved.
While at work, Corporal Magnus receives a call from his wife informing him that she has carried out her threat of moving out of their matrimonial home and into her parents’ home. This piece of news has a negative impact on Corporal Magnus as he begins to forcefully collect stipends from motorists, an act that, prior to receiving the phone call, was a case of the motorists not being cooperative or generous in his opinion.
One of the few cars he stopped for the ‘usual’ was sadly driven by Johnson, who was already upset over being cheated by a club manager who didn’t think he had what it took to be a trendy and youth-centric dance-floor musical artist, his father for not understanding his passion lies in music and not law practice, and of course, the ever reoccurring image of the executed civilians by the lagoon by TARS team members.
The double-nuzzled shotgun was sure to go off, shattering the delicate and glass-like stillness in numerous directions.
Refusing to pay the ‘bribe,’ Johnson asks his girlfriend and their friend to drive him home in a hired taxi while he is held hostage on a drive. It is during this forced drive that the Policeman and Civilian realise that they are both victims of bad society, one in which the upper echelon of society cares less about the less-fortunate ones; a society where a Policeman has no insurance and must pay to treat his own injuries.
It is spent before it reaches the beneficiary’s account, resulting in a disastrous society in which 10% of the population controls 90% of the Commonwealth of a people. The relative serenity and some worth friendly resolution are shattered by the thunderous sound of a recoiled chamber and the wayward life arm that has left its now revolving shell casing into Johnson’s torso.
In panic, Corporal Magnus calls The Boss, who sets up an armed robbery with a gun-gone-the-wrong scenario, while Bambam, who is pregnant, reports to the DPO, played by Norbert Young, with her friend Nneka, played by Ade Laoye. The DPO dispatches his officers to the crime scene, where Corporal Magnus is caught.
Without a doubt, this is a sad tale, but it is a glance into the ever-revolving black door that exposes and reveals the unfortunate situations and occurrrnces that abound in our society and beyond.
A year or so ago, George Floyd was murdered in America primarily because of the colour of his skin; an Indian Hindu family was apprehended in England for masterminding the gruesome murder of their only daughter because she wanted to marry someone who was not acceptable to their family; and xenophobic attacks in South Africa are still fresh in our minds. Unfortunately, it is the culture in which we live, and every society has its peculiarities.
I MUST applaud Austen-Peters for broadening the scope of the topic of police brutality. Several shows and films would linger on how the police did this or that without delving into the causes of such acts, yet we cannot state that under-funding is an excuse for such behaviour.
We can’t stress the importance of police welfare enough. These men and women have needs, as well as families and homes to care for. The government must ensure that an enabling environment and tools of service are readily available and not out of reach of non-gazetted personnel; and those non-commissioned officers are not forced to sit and watch junior colleagues with similar attributes, qualifications, and pieces of training climb the promotion ladder at their expense.
I admire and applaud the casting. Kelechi Udegbe’s portrayal of the role was right on, and it’s no surprise that he carted home the festival’s (AFRIFF) most coveted prize, ‘Best Male Actor.’ Aside from the casting, accolades should also be given to the location manager, technical team, and set and property crew.
Bimbo Manuel, Kenneth Okonkwo, and other actors who demonstrated competences in their roles must be mentioned and commended.
Even though the sound wasn’t emanating from there, I didn’t have to squint or get close to the cyclorama to hear the voices. The camera work was likewise excellent, and I must pay respect to BAP for these aspects. My concern, on the other hand, is with two units: the Costume and Continuity departments. When commencing on a project of this magnitude, it is necessary that each unit conducts a thorough study in their respective departments.
The police uniforms were woefully insufficient in terms of form, presentation, and appearance. If we had chosen to wear any adornment instead of the eagle, elephant, and two crossed batons, I could have missed the severe error. But, despite the fact that this is a creative process, as Aristotle stated, “Art is a collaborative process,” the elephant, eagle, and two crossed batons are the symbol of the Nigerian Police.
The DPO’s uniform, worn by Norbert Young, should have been tucked in because it lacked the two bottom pockets. Magnus should have only two buttons on his shirt as a Corporal, and his name and file number should be plainly written on his clothing. All military and paramilitary crests or cap badges are worn to the left in Nigeria, with the cap twisted to the right. Any non-civilian personnel seeing Corporal Magnus wearing the cap bent to the left will have a fit, just like I did. I suppose the message is clear: his handling of the firearm, indeed the handling of the rifle by all those involved reeked of ignorance.
BamBam’s seatbelt was frequently off and on during their journey from the Island to the Mainland, which the script supervisor/editor should have seen. This should be double-checked because such a glaring continuity issue in such a big movie was embarrassing.
Yes, before I forget, newly deceased bodies tend to sink and only rise once rigour mortis sets in and the major stage of internal organ and tissue breakdown begins. Police officers and medical pathologists should be contacted before proceeding with any police-related endeavour; I didn’t even see a Nigerian flag.
Thank you, BAP, for a worthwhile piece of work; I greatly enjoyed myself and look forward to knocking on your door again in future to see another masterpiece.
Collision Course will premiere on Netflix on Friday September 2, 2022.
*Iheuwa, an actor-director & supernumerary police officer, writes from Lagos.
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