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 (John 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 scuffle and activities outside his window while he lays by his pregnant wife, and decides to check it out. His pregnant wife Eunice (Tonto Dikeh), is against it but Stephen could not listen. He goes out and discover the body but then calls a neighbor friend, John, who goes out of his mind and calls the police.
Stephen is 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 way out of the case. He is sent back to prison to await his next appearance when Stephen mysteriously and unbelievable escapes from the truck. When he arrives unnoticed at Chief Fabian’s yard, they 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. One by one, Stephen confronts the witnesses against 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 since Eunice witnesses the killing she goes into labor and has the baby in the hospital.
Jane meets her father sandwiched between two chicks. Chief Fabian loves street chicks. She calls her dad and asks to talk to him privately. Reluctantly, he let the broads excuse him. Jane tells him to come clean about the accident that led to the killing of the girl, and not to punish an innocent man for something he didn’t do.
I don’t quite know the theme I should place this story in a review, but I believe Prison Break, should be one of those themes that deal with human dignity, like Harrison Ford, in The Fugitive, and Jack Nicholson, in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and College War, when Van Viker has to clear his name in the murder of a college friend. A man’s refusal to take defeat, shame, guilt, fear or cowardice. It is about a man who summons the courage to face either society, institution or an individual when their liberty, freedom, and dignity are at stake. In his sense of individualism, the central character in Prison Break stands to overcome the formidable forces against him, and he has to do it alone.
In Prison Break, the central character is fighting external forces, forces who want him hang for the murder of a prostitute which he has no idea about. Being poor and therefore helpless, all fingers, friends, and neighbors point fingers at him. It is in the face of such mounting difficulties, he has to stand for himself. In stories of this nature we are not banking on him losing or winning, but we take every step with him in his fight against those forces and accord him respect for standing for his own course.
Stephen in his prison break goes after the so called friends who conspired against him and planted the murder of an ashawo on him. Since all fingers point at him, he has to wage personal war, the only way of finding the culprit, if not he’s going to hang for the murder. Stephen is so alone, even his wife Eunice believes he’s a murderer when she finds a gun in his pocket. He has limited choices. He disguises himself as an old woman, as a doctor, a sniper, and even snuck into his ex-boss’ bedroom and stole his gun.
A beautiful story with not so much dramatic ending. The reviewer’s mind checks out some elements of provisional 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 and the police find it with him. They will arrest him for the two thugs he Stephen kills. Chief Fabian needs an answer in the final trial in court for the murders.
Jane witnesses her father killing the girl and on one or two occasions in the film; she attempts snitching even as we see her talking with the defense lawyer. Her presence in the story didn’t throw any weight on the relevant information she shares. Since the movie ends with the absence of logical conclusions on most plot lines, Prison Break is like an unfinished symphony. Chief Fabian is arrested and to appear in court for the murder, but it will be a grander scene as the moment of truth in the story.