When EbonyLife Studios premiered Chief Daddy 2: Going for Broke on January 1, 2022, we, like most Nigerians, were worried that all the progress that had been made in Nollywood had just been undone. What with the disjointed story line and lacklustre acting that characterised the movie. But with the just-released limited series, Blood Sisters, the film production company may have just redeemed itself.
Starring Ini Dima-Okojie, Nancy Isime, Deyemi Okanlawon, Daniel Etim Effiong, Kate Henshaw, Keppy Ekpenyong Bassey, Uche Jombo, Genoveva Umeh, Toyin Abraham, Joke Silva, Tope Tedela, Ramsey Nouah, Kehinde Bankole, Gabriel Afolayan, Segun Arinze, Zack Orji, Wale Ojo, Toke Makinwa and more, Blood Sisters is a four-episode Netflix Original series directed by Biyi Bandele.
It was supposed to be Kola (Deyemi Okanlawon) and Sarah’s (Ini Dima-Okojie) wedding weekend and things were progressing well. A family dinner had been held and the engagement party was in full swing. Until Kola gets killed unintentionally by Kemi (Nancy Isime) and Sarah, best friends turned sisters, and a search for the groom began. Things quickly escalated from here and the ladies had to go on the run for their lives.
Hits
Story – Blood Sisters is a fast-paced crime thriller with no boring moments in-between. One minute Sarah and Kola were preparing to walk down the aisle, the next, Kola was dead, and Sarah and Kemi were on the run for their lives, the next, they were being pursued by the police and a private bodyguard, and the next they were fleeing from an organ harvester posing as a doctor. In all these, different themes were addressed, from gender-based violence to drug abuse to sibling rivalry to family dysfunction. All with an infusion of Nigerian culture and tradition.
Costume – EbonyLife Studios does not spare anything in ensuring its actors are dressed appropriately for their roles and they were just as amazing with Blood Sisters. Uduak’s (Kate Henshaw) outfits, in particular, were a hit back-to-back, same as Olayinka’s (Kehinde Bankole).
Cinematography – Similar to costume, crisp, perfect cinematography is another hallmark of EbonyLife Studios, and they did not disappoint in Blood Sisters.
Casting – This is a star-studded movie that involved casts from old and new Nollywood who all blended seamlessly to make for an entertaining series. Genoveva Umeh was the breakout star in Blood Sisters, but you wouldn’t know from watching her.
Acting – When the big wigs of Nollywood come together in a series, you can only expect brilliant acting. This was the case for Blood Sisters.
Misses
Backstory – As good as Blood Sisters is, it would have been even better if it had included backstories for the main characters. How did the Ademolas (Kola’s family) evolve to the point where the mother hates two of her three children, the elder brother hires a hit man to take out his younger brother, and the last child is a drug addict and ends up killing her older brother and his wife? What is Kemi’s story too? How come she’s the one with all the ideas about killing and getting rid of bodies? Why did Sarah continue dating Kola and wait till the wedding day before developing cold feet? If Akin (Daniel Etim Effiong) was indeed Kola’s best friend, how could he have missed the signs of Kola being an abuser? These and many more beg for answers and could have added depth to the story. Unless there’s going to be a second season of the series, which is not feasible, seeing it is a limited series.
Casting – there were some cameo appearances that did not add up. Examples: Joke Silva as Kemi’s grandmother, Toyin Abraham as the kind villager, Zack Orji as Kola’s father and even Ramsey Nouah as Uncle B, the almost mute bodyguard.
Overall, Blood Sisters is good, has the potential to be more, and shows that hope is not lost for Nollywood.
