The Black Notebook breaks the rules of action thrillers and surprises, in a pleasant way, offering a cultural spectacle without precedent in the genre.
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Editi Effiong entered the world of feature films with a bang, bringing to the screen a perfect production for film lovers who enjoy the characteristic style of revenge thrillers. In her debut, the director offers a narrative framed in the cultural context of African countriesundoubtedly one of the key factors that define Nollywood cinema, the third largest film industry in the world, after Hollywood and Bollywood.
In this way, in The black notebook the approach of the story is executed from credibility, so generates empathy in the audience and allows them to feel identified with the plot. Although it was not part of the best Netflix movies in 2023, it has everything necessary to keep us captive from the first minute.
What is The Black Notebook about?
A revenge thriller that has nothing to envy of today’s blockbusters
While Martin Scorsese’s work gives us the best psychological thriller available on Netflix right now, Editi Effiong presents a revenge thriller that has been classified as the answer to John Wick and Revenge.
During 124 minutes of execution, the plot of The black notebook immerses us in the grief and despair that a deacon experiences after his son has been incriminated in a kidnapping case. It is here where the similarity with the characters played by Keanu Reeves and Liam Neeson appears, we witness the way in which a father decides to take justice into his own hands and undertake a fight to find the truth.
Getting your son acquitted will not be easy, first you will have to untangle a real web of corruption woven by a group of police officers. Likewise, he must face the influence and control maintained by a dangerous gang.
Under this premise, The black notebook boast of a plot that combines power, corruption, revenge and redemptionthe perfect formula not only to exploit religious elements, without falling into sermonism, but to export the quality of African action cinema outside its borders.
The most successful African movie on Netflix
It is not the first thriller that will come to mind, but it is worth seeing
Although it is a fictional story, the thriller exposes, explicitly and directly, the level of corruption that prevails in Nigeria. Although this is a global issue addressed by many other productions, Effiong’s proposal lacks discretion, especially when it comes to handling bribes.
In this sense, we can appreciate the lack of shame and morality of the security agentswho do not hesitate to accept money in exchange for their indifference, or worse yet, become direct accomplices in criminal acts, a practice quite common in many African countries, and which is usually protected by those who assume senior positions.
Considering that it is set in a nation that has had to face six coup attempts, The black notebook represents an access window to know the reality that society experiences as a consequence of the constant power struggles. Without taboos, the story explores the devastating dynamics that exist between those who hold power and authority,
Another point that arouses attention and makes the difference is that it does not succumb to the ease of using English as the original language. In her attempt to overcome the challenge faced by productions in multilingual societies, the director forgets about marketing and uses different languages depending on the scenesincluding some indigenous dialects.
Definitely, The black notebook shows the ease with which the Nigerian film industry manages to capture the attention of the audience and gain ground in the world of cinema. The director demonstrates the clear intention of taking advantage of the advantages offered by the cultural context and the setting, for the perfect approach to controversial topicsincluding acts of corruption and power struggles that Nigeria faces today, as well as its influence on society.
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