Zero Hour… The Dilemma of Family Business
A Whitestone Pictures production directed by Robert Peters is an action thrill that exposes the dangers involved in family business and empires. Dim Oba takes us through a captivating Nigerian movie.
Plot
After his father passes away, the heir to a retail empire returns to take over the family business but faces a controversy involving laundering and murder.
Zamani (Alexx Ekubo) is trained abroad on his return, he joins forces with Zee (Rahama Sadau) to uncover the many controversies involving laundering and murder.
Film credit
This action thriller is produced by Rogers Ofime and Ali Nuhu which starring the best of the Nollywood industry, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Alexx Ekubo, Ene Oloja, Eucharia Anunobi, Ayoola and Apel Paul.
A brilliant sound design by Tom Koroluk with Chijioke Ononiwu and Uba Franklin produced the script as screenplay.
Review
The Nollywood industry is gradually moving into intriguing and highly sensitive storylines moving away from the usual epic stories of land dispute, kingship and love. Zero Hour is such a story when the antagonist losses times over his nefarious activities against the protagonist in such a classical stylistic acting, production design and plot development.
Robert Peters directorial ingenuity is further brought to the fore with eyes on details especially the characterization and mannerisms of the actors to depict the cultural setting of the movie. The beautiful scenery of the Abuja topography is a stimulant for a brilliant production that will brighten the mood of the viewers.
Although, there are few points that were missed out in the movie. One will not blame it on production budget because from the go, the cast of the movie tells us that the producers have set their minds to produce a movie in a new dimensions. Now, these are few questions, despite the wealth of Zamani’s family, we didn’t find any maid with his mother during the attack? She is left helpless only to struggle to call her son.
Why will a single lady, Zee be staying alone?
Besides these flaws, the movie is interesting and the suspense is an unusual dramatic story of a Nigerian movie. The interpretation of character against the cultural setting is well defined. However, one thinks that the modernization of the culture in a modern city of international status is cutting off ethnic coloration and biases yet so evident.
From the onset, the cultural disposition of the film is clear, the family rivalry between brothers and cousins in same business empire is something that is less expected. The script moves the story from the traditional location to a worldview thus raising questions. While we enjoy the scenery and location but film critics are not comfortable.
Verdict
Despite several thumbs down for this 2019 blockbuster Nollywood action thriller, there are many encouraging sides of the movie. The message of money laundering and assassination is deeply rooted in Nigeria where most times investigation into these cases are done in secrecy.
Let’s thumbs up for Robert Peters’ crew and cast for giving us such a suspense wetted ‘Zero Hour’ for our homes.
