Sizzling hot, unconventional, captivating and out of the ordinary, are some of the words that could be used to describe the sensational limited series Shanty Town, directed by Dimeji Ajibola.
Set in the murky greys of the Lagos underworld, the star-studded cast in this six-part-show-roller-coaster-thriller, a group of concubines plot to escape the chokehold of an infamous kingpin but political corruption and family ties make freedom, and breaking away from this crime kingpin, near-impossible.
Can we all agree that acting was top-notch in this series? I mean, Chidi Mokeme as Scar was nothing short of amazing. Richard Mofe Damijo as Chief Dacosta Oluyomi Fernandez? Absolutely superb. Nse Ikpe Etim has always killed her roles in every scene. And Shaffy Bello? Stellar (at least, her outfits are, lol). It is really the acting that put the A in Amazing on this one.
Compared to many Nigerian movies, the action scenes are executed satisfactorily. It is nice to see our director not shy away from fist fights, gun battles and explosions! Which were particularly exciting to see because, well, not a lot of that gets to be seen in Nollywood. It is super entertaining to see all the attention that was put into the gory detail.
On a technical level, cinematography is appealing. Lights and camera are pleasing, sound is crisp and clear, the words do not get mumbled and the issues of music being louder than voice does not really surface, editing is smooth and near seamless and sound tracking is great on this one, special effects were also quite impressive. It is pleasing to see neo-nollywood steadily get better at this sound tracking biz.
Also, viewers need to take a hot moment to appreciate the ability of the actors to seamlessly switch between languages, Yoruba, Igbo, Ibibio and Pidgin. The word “smooth” is not appropriate to explain just how well it all blends. Having Ini Edo and Nse Ikpe Etim speak Ibibio was an interestingly nice addition to the entire mix. Probably because it is not a language that is showcased often on screen.
The series is situated in the not-so-beautiful parts of Lagos but it is equally as aesthetically pleasing as the highbrow areas in a way that cannot be explained until it is seen. Watching the supposed ugly parts being portrayed in its full glory surely has a scintillating sensation.
There are a few things that don’t quite add up, though. One of which is the general plot. It feels a bit rigid, not well fleshed-out and too streamlined. And although the actors somehow make it work, there is also the issue of way too many clichés. The blood covenant, the twin sister story and the notorious kingpin, to name a few.
Honestly, there should be a trigger warning for nudity. Although it may have added a certain flavour to the entire screenplay, there were scenes where it was completely unnecessary. It seemed a bit overdone.
The crime drama has some unexplained plot twists and generally disjointed events that could have been better played out.
Shanty Town may come off as glum but it straight-up addresses issues such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, organised crime and corruption while entertaining its viewers.
Looking for something captivating to binge watch? Check out Shanty Town on Netflix.
Didi Dan-Asisah is an art enthusiast and critic. She lives in Lagos.
Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.
