Hycromax International Ltd, Presents: Tonto Dike (Eunice), Chinozie Atuanya (Stephen), Remmy Ohajiannya (Chief Fabian), Bambino Chukwudi Annachuna (John), Chioma Igwe (Mitchel), Jane Odili ( Jane). Screenplay, Nobert Ajaegbu; Editor, Kriss Kilechi Emerika; Producer, Hyginus Ndulue; Directors, Bond Emeruwa/Andy Amanechi. C2013
Chief Fabian (Remmy Ohajiannya) brings home a prostitute one night and has a tussle with her in his bedroom and the prostitute dies by accident. Chief Fabian’s daughter Jane (Jane Odili), who lives with him in the house witnesses the murder. He ordered two of his guards to dispose of the body but the guards fearing late night police gates, decide to keep the body until in the morning.
Stephen (Chinozie Atuanya), a long time house servant, heard some late night sound, not a quibble, but a sound and activities anyhow, outside his window, while he’s in bed with his wife, and decides to check on it. His pregnant wife Eunice (Tonto Dikeh), is against it but Stephen could not listen. He goes out and discovers the body of a girl who happens to be the daughter of a powerful politician, but then calls a neighbor friend, John, who goes out of his mind and calls the police.
Stephen is implicated and arrested for the murder of the prostitute and taken to prison. He has his first appearance and when all witnesses in the case, mainly Chief Fabian’s thugs, testify against him, it seems Stephen had no hope but to face the gallows. He is sent back to prison to await his next appearance when he mysteriously and unbelievably escapes from the truck. When he arrives unnoticed at Chief Fabian’s yard, he and his thugs were celebrating the upcoming verdict against Stephen.
Stephen goes on the prowl by disguising himself to investigate the real murderer. He enters Chief Fabian’s bedroom and steals his gun, same gun registered in his name. One by one, he cornered the witnesses against him at gunpoint, and they confess to him. He shot two of them who put on resistance. Chief Fabian and the police are on high alert as the murderer gets close to him. The only friend of Stephen is shot by the police taking him to be Stephen and when Eunice witnesses the killing she goes into labor and has the baby in the hospital….
I don’t quite know what theme I should place this story in a review. I believe “Prison Break”, should be one of those stories that deal with human dignity. A man’s refusal to take defeat, shame, guilt, fear or cowardice. It is about a man who summons a courage to face either society, institution or an individual when his liberty, freedom, and dignity are at stake. In his sense of individualism, the central character stands to overcome the formidable forces against him and he does it alone. Avenge theme can be an appropriate premise for this story.
Stephen in his Prison Break goes after the so-called friends who conspired against him for the murder of an Oshawo. Since all fingers point at him, he has to wage the individual war of finding the culprit, if not he’s going to be hanged for the murder. Stephen is so alone, even his wife Eunice believes he’s a murderer when she finds a gun in his pants pocket.
Stephen may win the fight against the group of witnesses who lied against him or he may not, but one element of such a story line is that the audience is already on his side and even wishes he kills or eventually finds out the killer, or gets exonerated. For such character, the audience has a high regard but at the same time, high expectation.
This is a story of external conflict. An external conflict could be the central character fighting against a monstrous weather or society, or the gods ( Figurine ), forces of nature or social system. It is a contest of human wills. A single man or woman standing against, for instance, the invasion of locusts in his or her farm. A fight between our central character and a crooked, murderer politician. The odds are stacked up against him but the will to seek justice keeps him going, which keeps us watching too, until he finds the real culprit, single-handedly.
A beautiful story with not so much beautiful ending. The reviewer’s mind checks out some elements of questionable applications in the story and waits for answers before the story ends. The use of gun propels this movie to believable heights. If only Stephen had planted the murder weapon on Chief Fabian, as I thought he could have done, and the police find it with him, he should have been arrested for the two thugs he Stephen killed. Chief Fabian needs an answer in the final trial in court for the murders, though.