Raji and the Beast is a Nollywood adventure directed by Darasen Richards. It takes viewers into the murky waters of desperation, discovery, and danger. It tells the story of a sand miner named Raji whose life dramatically changes after he stumbles upon a relic found in an old box inside a river where he was working. The discovery leads him down a journey full of moral dilemmas and supernatural consequences.
Raji and the Beast delve into the themes of greed, loyalty, and the price of pursuing wealth in a society that compels individuals to make difficult decisions. It strikes a balance between cultural resonance and supernatural intrigue. The storyline is a bit engaging and appears fresh to Nollywood.
The film stars Akin Lewis, Femi Branch, Lateef Adedimeji, Odunlade Onakoya, Omowunmi Dada, and Rajiv Sharma.
Lateef Dimeji stars as Raji, delivering a performance that effectively conveys the character’s vulnerabilities in a relatable manner. Odunlade Adekola, who starred as Akpos, was a standout in the movie, particularly due to his chemistry with Raji. The other characters didn’t strike any chord with me. Omowunmi Dada’s character was poorly written. I wonder why the directors made her stop running just because she suffered a little injury in the scene that led to her capture. The directors ought to have found a stronger reason than the injury. The movie falls short because of its poor scripting. The dialogue wasn’t engaging. Some parts of the film had monologues that felt unnecessary. At some point, I didn’t even know whether to find solace in pressing my phone or continue straining my eyes with the content on the big screen. I got pissed when, all of a sudden, a plot twist was introduced. It felt as if that was put together to make up for the time they made viewers waste.
At the beginning of the movie, I was moved by the concept, especially the discovery of the box and how the directors ensured it was wrapped in a kind of mystery that kept us viewers in anticipation of what fortune or misfortune it came with. But later on, some unnecessary plots and character introductions almost gave the movie no direction. The movie lost its element of surprise shortly after the discovery of the box, leaving viewers with scenes that dragged on for too long. To me, the writers missed an opportunity to tell a good story.
The shooting scene in this movie was poorly choreographed, which added to the artificiality of the action. I’m even surprised real guns were used, though with no bullets, of course. However, the shooting scene where Raji and friends were running inside a ghetto seemed real because of how dust splashed from the walls when hit by bullets. I commend the filmmakers for that effect. I like the costumes in the epic scene. They looked like what Hollywood would put together. The effect in that scene was cool, but it seemed fake. However, it shows that Nollywood is not afraid to take on projects regardless of the budget.
Raji and the Beast gets a 6/10. It would have been better if the writers had developed a more effective script. I would recommend the movie, but not when there is better content available.
