When a new drug, “Matrix”, a mixture of US-imported Fentanyl with local substances, hits the streets of Nigeria, new avenues of distribution means new gangs and fresh outbursts of violence. When one such act of violence claims the life of a basically innocent woman, our hero Zion sets out to find and kill those responsible before the law gets to them, or to him, in this blood-soaked, American-style Nollywood revenge thriller.
UK actor – and writer – Razaaq Adoti stars as Zion, a Nigerian-born American paratrooper turned grim revenger (his accent wandering all the while between West Africa, the British Isles and the States), but as often happens, it’s the villain who draws your interest. Specifically, Taye Arimoro as a thoroughly nasty, yet magnificent, enforcer for the true baddie, a Big Pharma type named Dr. Baptiste. Also, in an echo of Man on Fire or Commando, Zion is given a little-girl sidekick to look after; she’s a true scene-stealer and I would welcome seeing her in further Nigerian productions, or British or US productions if it comes to it.
Over 95% of Son of the Soil‘s dialogue is in English, but subtitles are nonetheless provided in case you’re worried about your ability to parse strong African accents, and in fairness there is a very small smattering of words and phrases in what I assume is Igbo, but I could well be wrong since Nigeria has over 300 languages.
Nollywood films – the cinema of Nigeria – rarely make much cultural impact outside their home country, and there is a not-undeserved reputation for cheapness and rushedness. Son of the Soil is cheap, too, but it’s just as competent, as tough and brutal as certain US thrillers in the vein of Taken* or Man on Fire – except for the distinctly un-Hollywood suggestion that blame for the root causes of drug problems can ultimately be given to the United States. The budget may be evidently small, but it’s made to go far with efficient direction and larger-than-life acting; the main budget-related frustration is the evident lack of working firearms, with muzzle flares and bangs added in post, but this is now standard for low-budget productions globally, and in fairness it is a lot safer this way.
*Which I’m aware comes from a French creative team.