Title: IYORE – THE RETURN (Full Story) 

Starring: Rita Dominic, Joseph Benjamin, Okawa Shaznay, Yemi Blaq, Bukky Wright, Paul Obazele

Synopsis:

A young maiden lost her life when she defied the throne but she miraculously lived on through reincarnation.

Review:

The story began in the past when the Benin Kingdom was flourishing. The community was blessed with the riches of life and the King had three wives. He was also blessed with three virgins whose only plight in life was to live and die for the throne. 

One of the virgins, Amenze (Okawa Shaznay), broke the law and lost her virginity to a prince. When she discovered she was pregnant she attempted to flee the land with the prince in fear of being killed. She got away but unfortunately, the prince was killed. Months later she gave birth to a little girl but died during labor. 

The movie jumped to the future where Osarugwe (Rita Dominic) was married to Ovie (Yemi Blaq). She was a schoolteacher and well versed in history. She had an affair of the heart with Prince Azuwa (Joseph Benjamin) and although the two never touched each other, her husband believed they were lovers. 

Osarugwe’s husband threw her out of the house in a jealous fit and she naturally fell into the arms of Azuwa. They later married and when Osarugwe was seven months pregnant, her ex-husband reappeared to once again accuse her of infidelity. The two fought and Osarugwe accidentally killed him and Azuwa made a bold movie and took the blame for it. 

Azuwa’s time in prison actually a blessing in disguise because it saved his life. As Osarugwe continued her study of history she discovered an eerie connection to her ancestors of the Benin Kingdom. It turned out that history was actually repeating itself and Osarugwe set out to change its course. 

Let’s Talk. This is an epic tale about life after life or better yet reincarnation. It’s brimming with culture, tradition, war, and mystery. The story originates in the past but ultimately connects the past to the present. 

In essence, the characters of the present were reincarnations of their ancestors. Not only did the ancestors live on for generations but negativity carried on its own life as well.  

Life is a cycle that repeats itself whether we realize it or not. The idea that a past life has the power to manipulate the legacy of another is chilling yet unlikely. There’s no scientific proof of reincarnation but it’s weird when some humans, related or not, are the spitting image of another, as demonstrated in the movie. 

“Iyore-The Return” was at the core about love. Azuwa (Joseph Benjamin) went to prison to pay for his wife’s actions but she in turn took steps to save his life. This wasn’t a typical love story and that’s why it shined. 

The major fault was the story structure. It was often confusing and jumped around too much without explanation as it awkwardly flipped between the past and present. One minute Okawa Shaznay’s character was dead but in the next scene she was seen alive. It called for a lot of rewinding and it was too much of an effort to follow the story. 

Maybe the filmmakers should have shot the scenes that took place in the past in black and white. That would have made the era and flashbacks clearer to the audience. Also, there should have been more character distinctions for the roles that Okawa played. A change of hairstyle didn’t suffice. 

The truth is that when you have to watch a movie again for clarity it’s a waste of time. I should only repeat a movie because I couldn’t get enough of it. At the end of the day a filmmaker’s talent lies in his ability to accurately convey a story. 

Performances? This is where the movie excelled. Overall, the characters were credible and the movie boasts a star-studded cast with Rita Dominic, Joseph Benjamin, and Yemi Blaq. As I watched Okawa Shaznay I had flashbacks of Jackie Appiah. Don’t they sort of look alike? Speaking of reincarnation, maybe they were sisters in another life. Hmm…. 🙂 

The production was hype. Costumes, make-up, and locations promoted the films’ authenticity. Sound and video quality were also decent. The movie was really beautiful and pleasing to the eye despite a few hiccups. 

Director, Frank Rajah Arase has entertained us for years and his efforts here should be applauded. Although direction, narration and story layout were not the best, “Iyore” beckons to be seen. RECOMMEND