by Joseph Davis, Contributing Writer
So let’s say you’re walking in the woods when you suddenly come across a pouch filled with uncut diamonds. You don’t know where they came from, let alone how they got there, but you know they have quite a bit of value. This is where we find ourselves in this month’s Out of Market with the film Ijogbon, a film from Nigeria that is currently playing on Netflix. The premise alone I found interesting, but as I delved into the story, I found it worthwhile to bring forward here.
The first thing I want to discuss is the setting and main plot. Obviously, it’s an impoverished town where finding a pouch of diamonds is a life-changing sum, but also one where it can be difficult to hide. So, of course, when a group of people who are not native to the village looking for the diamonds arrive, there’s almost immediate tension as you know exactly why they are there, even as there is a cover story provided for their presence. Anything that one of the kids who are the main focal point do could easily make it clear where the MacGuffin of the film is at, and makes the tension all the more pronounced. An attempt to get some clout can immediately undermine everything they have been trying to hide, and just the knowledge of said diamonds can end up causing conflict in multiple areas of their lives, not just between the main cast.
Another part of this film that appeals to me, and is why I do this series, is because of the fact that once again we get to see a cultural difference that is not something we tend to remember in the States. Each of the main characters, when talking with each other, swap between English and Yoruba, often times during the same sentences and not just different conversations. In a way, each one also attends different religious activities, have varying backgrounds, and are trying to find a way to a better life. We immediately get a reason to root for our characters, while also giving them depth and allowing us to see something that often might not be seen in films in the states. Sure, we might see people speak in multiple languages, but usually it’s so that our hero can show that yes they are listening, and yes, they know what the other group is saying about them. It’s different in a very unique and interesting way to see where it just flows naturally between languages in a conversation where no context or understanding is lost between the cast. This also goes into an area where you can give the feeling of local folklore into the story, as oral tradition is used into the plot as well. All in all, it truly gives a lot of depth to the story that it is far better for.
The last thing I want to talk about is the one negative I have about the film. Especially early on, the editing makes the plot feel a bit disjointed from scene to scene. For example, in a moment where the villains are establishing their cover with the leaders of the village, we constantly cut back to our protagonists, who are celebrating their good fortune. Editing like this can work, and it does in other scenes, but there are also moments where it just cuts down on the tension. If you can give one long scene establishing one thing, another scene establishing the villain can come later without us needing to be reminded of our protagonists. Overall, it doesn’t hurt the film too much, but it does at times make it a bit cumbersome to watch.
I definitely found Ijogbon to be very interesting and tense from beginning to the end. It’s a story where you have people who you want to root for in a position where even something life-changing can immediately cause strife, and draw an eye that you may not want focused on you. It has a few bumps that you have to get past, but its payoff is well worth it.
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