Chelsea
Nadia Buari, Majid Michel, John Dumelo, Artus Frank, Brenor Bonsu, Dan Tei Mensa
Sly's (Majid Michel) premonitions and dreams are ever recurring, a pre-occupation that goads his desire. The expression of unconditional love by Katty his lifelong admirer remains a mere illusion. In a contrasting world of Marlows (John Dumelo) empire, a rich business tycoon who begets what he wishes in snap, love is just a mirage, and engagements between two souls leave just for the spur of the moment. But would Chelsea (Nadia Buari) change his perceptions? Would Sly finally get to meet his fairy princess? The Armageddon beckons
Chelsea Part 1, 2 and 3.
Moses Inwang
Abdul Salam Mumuni
2010
-Story: [3 out of 5] I think it’s an interesting story that just, quite unfortunately, happened to get lost somewhere along the line. The 3rd part of this movie would have to be the most disappointing sequel to a potentially good African movie, that can ever be made. Of course, if you are watching the movie with your brain and checking off every scenario on a ‘realistic’ scale, you will not get past the first part. So… if you are going to watch this movie… leave your brain behind. The first part of this movie is ridiculously slow, tension rises in the second and the third part is anticlimactic.
-Originality: [0 out of 5] So I search and I search and I search and I can not find a movie from which this was stolen (I have zero faith in Abdul Salam’s creativity, in case you haven’t noticed)… BUT! There is good news (or bad, depending on how you look at it). I did find a Bollywood movie with traces of this storyline within it. Granted! It goes in a different direction, regardless, it is still the same motif. And if I were to put the Bollywood movie aside, I could still find ties between this movie and Majid and Jackie’s work in “Who Loves Me?”. The whole painter/dream sequence seemed reminiscent of the 2009 Bollywood movie, “Raaz – The Mystery Continues” starring Kangna Ranaut and Emraan Hashmi. However, on second thought, the movie “Yvonne’s Tears” would be a closer copy of “Raaz 2” than Chelsea could ever be.
UPDATE: Ha! I found it (I know! I sound like a crazed lunatic)… it took me all of six months (I wasn’t searching all six months oh! I just stumbled upon it) but I finally found the movie from which this was stolen. The movie Chelsea is apparently a rip of the 2008 bollywood movie “Mehbooba” starring Ajay Devgn (in Majid’s character), Manisha Koirala (as Nadia Buari) and Sanjay Dutt (as John Dumelo).
-Predictability: [1 out of 5] Yes! Some things were a given within this movie but every now and then a character would up and do something extremely ridiculous (i.e like Nadia’s character, Chelsea, deciding to fall for her boss, Marlon) that no one could have seen coming.
-Directing/Editing: [3 out of 5] In case it isn’t blatantly obvious (or you haven’t read my review for “Private Enemy“), I’m a huge fan of Moses Inwang. I don’t think there is another African director who can do Psychological-almost-thrillers like him (and if Nollywood was ever to progress to the level of making actual Psychological thrillers, I have a feeling Mr. Inwang would be the one to take us there).
-Acting quality: [3 out of 5] I think Majid did an outstanding job (but when does he ever not do an amazing job?) He has this ability to make every other look absolutely stupid in their mediocrity. Nadia pulled off her role quite well in my opinion. John Dumelo fit perfectly into the role of the bad boy conniving rich boss but then again he has acted this same role a million and one times and if he doesn’t do it well then who else will do it well? Practice makes Perfect. Impressive and surprising, two words I’d use to describe Brenor Bonsu. Extras were horrendous but even more horrendous than the extras, was the guy who played Nadia’s father.
-Setting: [3 out of 5] I loved the setting, Roger Quartey did an amazing job with locations. Was able to use that Shirley Frimpong technique of highlighting the beauty of Ghanaian landscape (I, for one, definitely learned something from it… i.e that Ghana doesn’t begin in Kumasi and end in Accra)
-Costume/Make-Up: [3 out of 5] No problem with costume except that all of John Dumelo’s staff looked like they were air hostesses.
-Props and Graphics: [3 out of 5] On Point especially with all the paintings. My one qualm is that that painting of Nadia looked nothing like Nadia to me.
-Video Quality: [3 out of 5] Ok
-Audio Quality [3 out of 5] Ok
-Soundtrack: [3 out of 5] Good
-Musical Score: [4 out of 5] Amazing use of music to build tension.
Sisters at War
Bloody Night
