High-stakes, espionage, illegal weapons arms deals and an international spy agency ready and waiting in the wings to swoop in and save the day sounds like the plot of the newest James Bond flick, right? Wrong. These elements make up what is supposed to be Nollywood’s most exciting flick this year, Chinaza Onuzo’s The Set Up 2. If you have seen the 2019 prequel to the film (if you haven’t, you should) you’d already be familiar with some of the characters. What the first part lacked in a cohesive plot line riddled with gaping holes, it made up for in the sheer amount of set ups the filmmakers managed to pack into the plot in one runtime. Perhaps, some of the twists and turns made no logical sense but they were twists and turns nonetheless. Does the second part hold a candle? Let’s dive in and find out.
The Set Up 2 follows most of the same characters in the first part. Chike (Adesua Etomi) is now an international agent working for the US Government in conjunction with the Department of Security of Nigeria to take down an illegal arms dealer Mayowa Kuku. While she’s in Nigeria, her adopted sister Grace’s (Kehinde Bankole) daughter is kidnapped by the terrorist organisation Ultio headed by Usi (Nancy Isime), one of Madam’s (Tina Mba) former henchwomen. Madam herself is in prison after the events of The Set Up part one. The plan is to blackmail Chike into helping Ultio’s nefarious plans. Chike teams up with Grace, Obiora (Stan Nze) and Edem (Jim Iyke) to bring Usi and Ultio down.
The Set Up 2 is very plot-driven. The writer, Chinaza Onuzo, set out from the very beginning to wow the audience. There’s spy gadgets galore – night vision goggles, body armour, surveillance, all that is missing one of those ridiculous spy gadgets like a lipstick that doubles as a laser or a knife that’s also a gun. There is a lot of nonstop action, long after the plot stops making sense it is still thrilling to watch and keeps the audience entertained.
The acting, when there’s no fighting, is actually quite good. Adesua Etomi is great, if a bit wooden. Kehinde Bankole is always a joy to watch onscreen. Stan Nze is actually a nice addition to the cast, the easy banter he shares with Etomi’s character starts the movie on a light note that makes the slide into the more serious aspects of the film an easier adjustment.
Credit: Youtube | Inkblot Productions
But, because there’s always buts, this film is plot holes galore. The entire premise of the film rests on Chike being forced to work for Ultio because of the kidnapping of Grace’s child but Ultio could have just as well used a thousand different other easier ways to force compliance? Then there is the fact that Grace and her husband immediately know that Chike was why their child is kidnapped. No explanation necessary. The pacing of the plot is a bit all over the place, to the point that it is easy to forget what started it all in the first place.
Some of the newer characters, with the exception of Usi and Igwe Mackintosh (Blossom Chukwujekwu), a money launderer for the rich and powerful, seem to have no backstories. The writer seems to hinge their characters on their appearance in the first part but they weren’t in the first film?
Then there’s the fight sequences. Nollywood has given us some of the worst fight sequences (looking at you Merry Men) and while The Set Up 2 isn’t the worst, it isn’t much better. The fight scenes are not choreographed at all, it ended up looking awkward and lazy. If we are going to get a movie heavy on fight scenes, can we get some actual fighters as stunt doubles? Perhaps, a fight choreographer teaching the actors the moves, rather than just have them mimic what looks and feels like children play fighting on the playground.
The Set Up 2 does have its high moments and the low ones are amusing, even though they aren’t meant to be. All in all, it is a really entertaining film. You can watch it in cinemas nationwide.
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.
