Daniel Oriahi‘s Get-Out-esque, Tribeca returnee, The Weekend, is the latest Neo-Nollywood horror submission. Written by Egbemawei Dimiyei Sammy, Vanessa Kanu, and Freddie O. Anyaegbunam Jr., The Weekend explores the vagaries of familial relationships. Family sticks together no matter what. And in this horror-thriller, it leads to devastating consequences.

The Weekend stars Uzoamaka Aniunoh (Nikya) opposite Bucci Franklin (Luke) as a dove-eyed, recently-engaged orphan longing for the warmth of her fiance’s family. Luke is estranged from his family, but he eventually caves under Nikya’s demands and additional pressure from home. And despite his initial reluctancy, everything seems normal at home. The parents, Meki (Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey) and Omicha (Gloria Anozie-Young), are affable, grateful that their self-exiled son has returned. The arrival of their daughter, Kama (Meg Otanwa) with her fiance, Zaidu (James Gardiner), is the perfect icing on the cake. 

As is the case with most horrors, you hear The Weekend more than you see it. The attention to the chilling score, assembled by Michael Ogunlade, amplifies the general feeling of dread that pervades the film, especially the second act. The lighting and cinematography are additional advantages. But it is Uzoamaka Aniunoh and the ease with which she segues her beats that one can hardly take the eyes off. She enters and leaves a number of her scenes nestling control under her arms. There is little doubt that her character is the star and victim of the impending horror. 

This film is similar to Get Out in various ways; plot premise and even character structuring. Beyond the obvious similar characters of Nikya and Daniel Kaluuya’s Chris Washington, there is James Gardiner’s Zaidu floundering at the other end of the acting spectrum, similar, in spirit, to Lakeith Stanfield’s Andre Logan King as the character whose suffering foretells the inevitable. 

Here, this character is disserviced by the writing, rumpled into a two-dimensional caricature of a dumb, abusive, and patriarchal sadist. He even has a catchphrase to go. Zaidu is set-up to be disliked and thus, deserving of whatever horrific fate that befalls him. It doesn’t maximise the moment of realisation about the nature of this family’s horror for us. We do not feel complete despise for, or fear of them because a part of us recognises with the punishment meted out to Zaidu. For a film that took its time, it maps out Zaidu unconvincingly. James Gardiner grasps fruitlessly at straws to add meat to his character. Pun intended, of course.

Horror relies intricately on pacing. The Weekend sometimes bordered on psychological horror, then switched to body horror, then back to jump scares. Predominantly, it stayed with body horror. All forms employed are extremely reliant on pacing, and it feels like The Weekend could have done better on that front. Particularly, from mid-second act downwards. 

Finally, one feels like the entire plot could have been resolved with basic communication on Luke’s part. It seems it would have been easier to communicate his reasons for staying away from home rather than take Nikya home for a practical display, especially when it is a reason that deadly. Some of his communication choices across the film are quite questionable. But his final decision throws his character choices up in the air. It reminds us that this is someone who has lived through some psychological damage, and sometimes, all it takes to destabilize such a person is a weekend gone wrong. 

The Weekend premiered at the cinemas August 30.

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 Side Musings

• The emotional climax between Nikya and Luke is questionable.
• There was no need for her to open the father’s box. Ben (Damilola Ogunsi) could have simply told her its contents. 
• Zaidu repeated “Man of substance” so many times I just might slap someone the next time I hear “substance”.