Facing Ridicule, Is ‘Chief Daddy 2’ the Awakening Nollywood Needed?
The curse of the sophomore is what the entire EbonyLife Group suffered upon the release of ‘Chief Daddy 2:Going for Broke’. It failed to meet the expectations of the original.
Termed a ‘cash cow’ by internet denizens, the flick earned a meagre rating of 3.2 (a downgrade from the originals 4.8) on the international movie recommendation website IMDb, further limiting its penetration into the international market.
To be sure, ‘Chief Daddy 2’ isn’t the worst film to come out of Nollywood. However, the reach the internet provides has become its bane. Well known for its record-breaking streak for films that do well at the cinemas, further amplified the collective disappointment of fans and film critics.
Two weeks after its release, Mo Abudu who helms EbonyLife Group uploaded a video to her personal Instagram page. She, in a calm tone, addressed the feelings and reactions of fans and critics and went on to share prospects.
While she seemed gracious in demeanour, she was quick to assert the consequences of any further harassment.
“Please share your feedback
respectfully otherwise we will have to restrict entry to you on our pages,” she cautioned.
Although the comment feature was disabled on the post, hundreds of accounts where the video was shared revealed negative reactions to the last bit of her almost 3-minute speech.
With all that has happened, it’s no gainsaying the far-reaching effect the internet has in delivering real-time criticism. It almost felt like a petition to withdraw the film from streaming giant Netflix. This reaction mechanism now changes everything in Nollywood.
It warns filmmakers of the ridicule they are likely to face should they perform below expectations. And depending on how well or badly it is managed, may or may not lead to their doom in the industry.
Luckily, Mo has an army for a team, and a platform to help her express herself, thus owning the narrative. This may not be the case for some independent filmmakers. Two things could be involved: it either may lead to improved output in Nollywood or effect frustration on filmmakers who are barely funded.
Whether it is just fans trolling for the fun of it, or film enthusiasts amplifying the creative lapses that the industry direly needs to address, these spaces are proving that the devil is in the devil, and that just about anyone has access to the microphone.