A Song from the Dark

Ogo has truly outdone himself with this visually stunning, Nigerian British Horror film. Gore, story, genre and excellent performances from Vanessa. A song from the dark is an anthology passing through generations of time. Episodic in its delivery, I hope it becomes a series! The graphics and cinematography help make a visually stunning spectacle. African religion and witchcraft is difficult to tackle, especially from an Igbo perspective so it is commendable to see the director/ writer take on Biafra folklore with so much cinematic vim. My only critique is that the horror genre requires more "Boo" scary moments, which the film didn't offer as much as I'd hoped but all in, it is a a phenomenal movie and I'm looking forward to seeing more from Ogo.

The film was beautifully shot and the story was deep & captivating. I think this film is the first of its kind, with the combination of, elements of the horror and supernatural genres.

It also pays homage to African spirituality, set in Britain, with predominantly black British actors.

Another thing that I liked about the film, is that it lightly touched on some societal issues. Although the issues were potentially contentious topics, I thought that was done as tastefully as possible.

If I write too much, I may include some spoilers out of excitement, so just watch it because you truly won't regret it.

I very much loved watching "A Song from the Dark." I think I may have watched it over 4x since the release on Prime. What stands out for me in the film is its rich blend of supernatural elements, drama, and intense horror, all portrayed through authentic African characters. The compelling performances add depth and authenticity to the narrative. The director's direction and vision bring a fresh perspective to the horror genre, highlighting African folklore and mysticism in a respectful and innovative way while also touching modern day slavery. It's superb.

Overall, "A Song from the Dark" is a thrilling and thought-provoking film that effectively bridges the gap between traditional African storytelling and modern horror cinema especially when telling African stories outside of Africa. It is a significant contribution to the genre and a testament to the talent and creativity of its director and cast.

I like that the idea of the film is based on an evil spirit, but that is all I liked. The cast, filming, locations, script and effects were all beyond rubbish. I was expecting so much more from a film with 4.5/5 reviews, and I was sadly disappointed. The film looks like it was done on a budget of very little, and the lack of acting abilities from the cast proved it. I don't even want to talk about the appalling special effects, so I wont.

I am getting sick to the back teeth of these films coming up on my thread, with seemingly good reviews. They are independent films, and should be advertised as such instead of mixing them in with mainstream, that way people wouldn't waste their time watching them in the first place if they realized they weren't going to be cinematically great.

At the time I'm writing this, the film currently has four 10 Star written reviews and an overall rating of 2.4 Stars. While, IMO, the 10 Star reviews are being overly generous, I do not think that the film is being fairly judged by the 2.4 Star overall rating.

The film has an interesting concept and the main themes deal with spirits, possession, cursed marks, sigils and shamanism that are derived from Nigerian beliefs. You're given a limited, basic understanding of these beliefs and they are just enough to sorta guide you through the film.

The actors weren't overly impressive but they weren't bad either. After the first five minutes or so, the film has a rough, slow start to it but picks up towards the end and becomes a bit more interesting and engaging. Some of the special effects were decent and others were mediocre CGI.

I'm not gonna say it was awful because it held my interest but I cannot deny that I wanted it to give more than it did. It is lacking something special but I can't pinpoint what it needs.

I would say that if you're a fan of films about spirits and possession, you might find something different and interesting by watching this. However, if you are looking for something that guarantees you will have chills and thrills you might be a bit disappointed. If you plan on watching it, watch it for the concept not the horror aspect.