A movie shot on a budget of $15,000 or less cannot show many of the elements that it takes to make a film a commercial success. It could be graded more on essence; but filmmakers don’t usually achieve their purpose when such elements are either absent or compromised in films.
Desmond Elliot pulls a fine performance here as Eva in this cultic flick. His limping and confident smooth talking makes him all the more believable. He costars with Emeka Ike who portrays Maurice, a Saul Bellow like character of want-want-want! Not too good a performance, though.
In the film, a rich girl’s father is out to get Maurice. His mother is detained as a pawn. Thus, Maurice becomes homeless, banned by the thugs from his own home. He ends up driving a raggedy VW Beetle as a taxi only to be burnt again by the rich man’s thugs. Upon escaping from the scene, he runs into an evangelical pastor (I guess they’re everywhere in Nigeria) by the wayside, who hires Maurice to kill his bible-quoting mother because she stands between him and his desires. Maurice is initiated in the Great Ambassadors, a satanic cult, by his best friend Eva. I guess joining the Great Ambassadors gives Maurice’s character an identity.
Storytelling, unlike fine arts, must not puzzle the viewer. Films are not poems though they may be poetic. The story must be clear even if the theme is open for interpretation. Also, inaudible and verbose dialogue irritates viewers and creates confusion. Warriors of Satan becomes maddeningly confusing from the point Maurice joins the Great Ambassadors. I keep asking myself who is the star of this film? Eva (Desmond Elliot) and Maurice (Emeka Ike) combat for the lead role. Eva has more scenes than Maurice and is the only actor we see in the last scene of Part 2. However, the cover of this dark flick proclaims: “They wanted him at all cost but the mother was the only obstacle, so the only way was to kill her. Did Maurice succeed with the cult?” I have to wonder if Maurice even deserved the top billing in the movie!
Warriors of Satan 3 may have the answer but don’t be surprised if it morphs into “THE GREAT AMBASSADORS.”
Ali Baylay, Publisher/USA