Movie Review: ‘Amidst Affliction’, Directed By Adeoye Omoniyi
Reviewed By Ajibare Abioye
Amidst Affliction is the latest episode, if you will, in the Officer Collins series – stories centred on a police officer with high moral standards. I always appreciate that he is not portrayed as infallible; rather, he goes through challenges similar to what every one of us faces, and is able to come through taking the high road each time. In this particular part, he encounters unforeseen circumstances as the balance of his life is threatened when his son comes down with a damning sickness.
The sincerity of Officer Collins is on display here as he tries every legal means possible to get the huge sum needed for his son’s treatment. One does feel pity for him and we can only wish him well as he goes through this tough time. He experiences disappointments in quarters where he had found and ought to find help and support respectively. Pushed to the wall then, he is left with what seems to be the only way out, just that it is not the path that would please his Master. What would he do? Watch Amidst Affliction and see for yourself a story that is very relatable, especially in our present national condition.
I have a couple of observations that I believe if worked on, would increase the production value of subsequent releases. Generally speaking, it is important for directors and producers to carefully go through final edits before the movie is put on the airwaves, when corrections may no longer be possible. I speak firstly with regard to the misspelling of the title in the opening credits. In a similar vein, it is important to note that subtitles do have a correctional angle they provide to spoken dialogue. However, this should be done as obscurely as possible. Subtitles should therefore not provide synonyms to words spoken where those words are actually correct. Furthermore, subtitles themselves then end up wrong in an attempt to rectify already-correct dialogue.
Also, there are few scenes I consider inconsequential and therefore, unnecessary. The game between Kemi and her son, the meeting between the DPO, Officer Collins and Sergeant Ojo, and Officer Collins thinking to himself were needless scenes and highlights the need for plots to be better sewn together to make a seamless whole.
As blessed as I was by Amidst Affliction, it has raised numerous questions in my mind. The “affliction” was actually a test, orchestrated by man, to the ‘benefit’ of the protagonist. While this scenario is credible, the fact is that it was built on lies – not surprising where unbelievers are involved: if the moral standing of the Minister, DPO, Doctor and Wale are uncertain, how about Collins’ wife, son and pastor? Because they were involved in the ploy, they all had to lie or deceive Collins for the plan to work. In essence, their prayers for healing and thanksgiving for help might be considered fake. How about all the negative utterances they had to make concerning Olaoluwa’s health? The devil could have capitalised on them and brought them to reality. What upset me the most is Kemi, his wife, pushing Collins further down the plank of desperation. Olorun ma je ka ridamu (May we not run into predicaments). www.gospelfilmnews.com
As the curtains closed on Amidst Affliction, it dawned on me that the actual message being passed was the same, only better conveyed, in The Accountant – a movie where the protagonist was tested like this at his place of work, while also needing to attend to domestic conflict. He was indeed afflicted and tempted to do evil because of circumstances he had little or no control over; yet, he came through at the end of the day and received an unprecedented promotion. Hence, filmmakers are encouraged to carefully examine their story concepts before scripting, so that the audience doesn’t end up with more questions than answers after viewing. Lastly in this vein, the choice of an uninspiring tune at the end made Amidst Affliction feel kind of anticlimactic, rather than soul lifting for me.
Conclusively, there are a number of things that stand out for me in Amidst Affliction. Toluwanimi Ibitoye’s Officer Momoh was a comical touch in the early minutes, while the movie is also quite enlightening. Is the police force really not on the approved list of personal bank loans? I wish we were told why, but I think someone needs to look into that policy. Impressively, there was a twist at the end, and it goes to show how, many times, the darkest part of the night is the closest time to the breaking of dawn. Therefore, we are encouraged to hold on to our faith and never give up, for our breakthrough is just around the corner.
Film Credits
AMIDST AFFLICTION
(August 16, 2024)
45 minutes
Hope in Christ Film Productions and Ogongo TV
Cast
Adeoye Omoniyi as Officer Collins
Kehinde Akinyombo as Kemi
Richard Omidiwura as Minister of Justice
Isaac Femi-Akintunde as DPO
Gbenga Ayoola as Wale
Tolu Israel Adegbo as Doctor
Crew
Director
Adeoye Omoniyi
Writer
–
Cinematographer
Awoleye Oluwaseyifunmi Gabriel
Editors
Emmanuel Oyolola (Emmy Visual) and Awoleye Oluwaseyifunmi Gabriel
Here’s link to watch: