Movie Review: ‘Melita’, Directed By Kola David Okeowo

Reviewed By Ajibare Abioye

My review of “Melita” is unique because on one end, it does something PRIOR to its release that I believe should be the model for gospel movie releases on YouTube. Hence, this article is a preview and review rolled into one.

Generally speaking, if not otherwise stated, I expect gospel movies released on YouTube to be feature-length. So, whenever they have turned out to be shorts, episodes, parts, or worse still, seemingly having no identity, I’ve momentarily been disheartened. This has been the case on some occasions over the past few years. I’ll be quick to acknowledge the fact that due to the fast pace of our present world, audience retention has become more imperative on YouTube. This includes nailing viewer-engagement as well as the right duration. These have birthed the splitting of Christian movies into two or more parts – an effective method.

The thing about this system though is its threat to the conventional meaning of a sequel. To keep things orderly, I hereby propose that feature movies split should have ‘Part’ attached to them. For instance, a film titled “Bent” will be labelled “Bent Part 1”, “Bent Part 2” and so on. This would be different from “Bent” and “Bent 2” which would represent the original movie and its sequel respectively. “Melita” does just that – it was announced BEFORE release as a four-part film. I regard this as being respectful to viewers’ expectations. Imagine this wasn’t done, and you got to the end of the first part, only to be asked the question you weren’t meant to answer: “What next?” I often feel gobsmacked anytime that happens.

From the outset, “Melita” was billed to be a big production. The large and varied cast, expanse of location, media coverage, publicity and theatrical release corroborate this assertion. I therefore wasn’t surprised by its total runtime. I don’t mind the duration of a feature film much, as long as it’s engaging enough. “Melita” however utilizesmelita a loose storytelling structure which inevitably had sequences of the motion picture that dragged.

For me, the movie’s grandness stands out most in its digital settings which were thoughtfully executed. Another highlight of “Melita” was the tremendous amount of classical pieces rendered, making it some kind of musical.

The message of “Melita” is simply JESUS, the One whom no appellations could suffice to describe. A prominent aspect portrayed in the movie is the cost of being His disciple. Though the price might seem high, of greater glory is the beauty of His plans, which unfold as we obey Him every step of the way. When we eventually see what He had in mind all along, we cannot help but stand in awe of this God whose name is Wonderful.

The links to the movie are https://youtu.be/uL6_TDnQgRI https://youtu.be/BfMiyF4mrGI https://youtu.be/pz436-zkFXQ https://youtu.be/KeV915uA9-8