It's unfortunate that 'The figurine' hasn't gotten a great deal of attention outside of Nigeria, as it's a worthy view - a drama and thriller, with supernatural elements, that keeps us watching from start to finish.
The film follows two friends, just setting out in life, who find an abandoned shrine and a totem inside that local legend says will grant seven years of good fortune. The catch is that legend says seven years of bad luck will follow.
I stumbled onto 'The figurine' while searching for something else, totally unaware of the accolades and high regard this film has garnered in Nigeria and beyond. That I'd never heard of it otherwise speaks to the rank politics of cinema in the US, where any feature produced outside North America or the United Kingdom is blandly pigeonholed as an "international feature" and barely gets any press, let alone release. As is often the case, this movie deserves more broad consideration.
This is more of a character study than anything else. There is drama, and suspense, and a mild sense of unease pervades the latter half of the film as tension ramps up. The cast all perform very well in their roles to bring the screenplay to life. Despite the prominence in the narrative of the noted figurine, the real focus is on the tangled webs of the relationships and interactions between characters. And it's very engaging, especially leading into the climax.
There are no specific faults that come to mind, yet personally I just find that 'The figurine' doesn't entirely connect. I can't put my finger on it, but I was somehow expecting something more. It's very enjoyable, but despite the tension and suspense in the story, it ultimately also feels understated at the finale, like something is missing. Maybe that's just me, though; in any case, putting aside that minor misgiving, I've no detractions to make.
Even a cursory glance at material about the making of 'The figurine' illustrates the hard work that went into producing the film, and I'm pleased to say it all paid off. Cinema industries all around the world deserve more attention from viewers, and we should endeavor to expand our purview - and 'The figurine' shows that there's a wealth of good movies to discover in Nollywood.
