Shanty Town

I didn't expect this series to be so good. In terms of production, visuals, plot, script, acting has improved massively from the old days of BEN channels. Nollywood is like Bollywood to be a force to be reckoned to Hollywood. However, I was thoroughly entertained with unexpected plots and suspense. The harsh reality on how power can corrupt absolutely from the political arena, which can correlate to real life situation. The A-class cast from The King of Boys such as Sola Sobowale really smashed it. The series does provide a unique twist, with the underground black market, and forced prostitution which correlates on how there are more slaves in the world than transatlantic slavery with political involvement in the continent of Africa. However, it shows the other dark side of prostitution, which is different to sex workers who really enjoy their trade with individual choice to make a living.

First of, it has an exaggerated cast of an all inclusive all stars.

By the way, what in the name of acting did Peter Okoye do?? And why are there so many veteran actors??

Secondly, the storyline is beautiful as it reflects the typical lifestyle of current day polluted politicians whose ill-wealth is generated from sex workers, human trafficking, corruption, organized crimes, drugs and other illegal activities.

Applaudable also, is the use of ibibio language (finally the use of another language asides Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba).

However, for a six episode story, the movie lacked suspense and the ending??? It was rather shabby Anyways, by Nollywood standard, it may be a masterpiece.

Some of the worst writing I've seen in a Nigerian production. Aside from the Scar guy, there was nothing interesting about ShantyTown. Terrible acting, terrible dialogue, a well shot movie in places, with a story that confuses you and leaves you wondering just how far out of touch with reality the producers, directors and writers of this must be to think that it was a good idea to make this.

The movie reminded me of those old terrible Asaba made action movies where you know the producers are huge fans of foreign actions movies with no idea how to go about making one.

All in a truly terrible movie not worth the money it was made for or the time of anyone looking for something to watch.

This series opens with a fast and dark sequence of action scenes, giving a semblance of a promising start, but instead of building on this start, Shanty Town delves into a laden exposition that masks as the crux of the plot. This series never regains the thrill and urgency that the opening scene has.

Shanty Town is all about the male gaze, and is shameless in its portrayal. Female characters are degraded and objectified, and the excuse of it being a true attempt at showing the lives of sex workers is flimsy at best.

Shanty Town also employs gore and violence, but this isn't done to promote the plot, but is provided for shock factor. It's almost as if the creators decided to shoe in as much violence as they could fit in.

The plot of Shanty Town is a shabby patchwork of various stories and subplots that only help propel the runtime but not the story. Shanty Town trails to a very unsatisfactory end, with copious plotholes.

The only saving grace of Shanty Town is in its brilliant cast. Chidi Mokeme, Ini Edo, Nse Ikpe Etim, Richard Mofe Damijo, Nancy Isime, Shaffy Bello, and others try their best with the poorly developed story they were given to work with.

Shanty Town can best be described as a meal ruined by having too many cooks, the cooks in this instance are the towering subplots and themes that were incorporated.

Shanty town helps to offer an insight into the lives of the corrupt, with a plot that gives it a strong base. Filled with impeccable acting and nerve wracking moments. Shanty Town is a must see. It starts off fiery but is perfectly paced, as the show goes on you see that.

Each character has a reason for doing what they do and their personal goals and vendetta all collide. Episode one gives us a teaser of what is to come and the further episodes help to build on that in as much as the gore or nude scenes may not be too everyone's liking it is certainly a key component of the show as it helps us understand the world of Shanty Town.