“The Salt” movie review by Ajibare Abioye
“The Salt” has the feel of a socio-political movie and is actually one. In fact, I would say that this is an ideal that should be followed. The movie touches different aspects of our society – government, medicine, education, and the economy.
Despite its social elements, it is a Christian movie in every sense of the word. It perhaps corrects the notion that a Christian movie is about the church; it’s not. This movie shows that the church is not the totality of the life of the Christian. 90 percent of what Christians do as humans happens outside the church and that is where we show what our real identity is.
The 2019 movie is from the stables of Praise in Zion Ministries Productions and was written by Nike Akande who also headed the music department. The director was Olasunkanmi Solomon.
The way the screenplay was written is commendable because though certain details are excluded from many scenes, subsequent scenes fill up every gap created, to the effect that each scene propels the plot and earns its place in the movie as a whole. Hence, hardly at any point in time did the movie drag or feel arid or boring. In fact, on second viewing, it’s more pleasurable because many of the movie’s elements make more sense to the audience then. The way the main plot and subplots are linked together is artistically done.
The scenery of “The Salt” is rather beautiful, most prominent of which is the tranquil hilltop compound where Chief Agbabiaka, played by Moses Korede Are (Haunted, Kembe Isonu), meets with his goons. Ironically, the matters discussed in that scene are contrary to what Jesus said about a city set on a hill. He produces a top-notch performance as a political godfather, considering the fact that most times, he plays the “good guy”. In that scene, he also delivers a line that would shock the audience – a line that portrays the depth of the ruthlessness of unscrupulous politicians.
The movie uses a variety of music appropriately and uses silence where necessary. The dialogue was also well-scripted; it was expository when it needed to be, and inspirational at the right places. Some nice editing produced a few good simultaneous sequences of action.
“The Salt” quite brilliantly portrays the realities of present-day Nigeria. We see certain ironies when two “thieves” – one behind bars and the other walking free – engage in a conversation about who has wrecked more havoc; corruption has become a competition. The movie also reflects the mentality that many have today, where integrity is seen as weakness. Also impressive is the symbolic use of the number ‘4’ to raise a question – whether the four cups of rice politicians give people to get their support is enough reason to select a leader who would rule for four years, rice that cannot last more than four weeks.
However, there was a discrepancy in the name of a political party: “Righteous” is used in one place while “Upright” is used in another scene regarding that same party. Also, I don’t think it is possible, or at least professional, that a nurse would tell a just-delivered mother that she has lost her babies. Perhaps, this is just to show how some people can be insensitive. Nonetheless, the things “The Salt” has done very well are too many for the words of a review to express.
After being blessed at the end of this movie, I wondered how great it might have been for Nigerians to have watched this movie before the elections held earlier this year; I however saw something significant about it being released on October 1, a historic day in the nation. So, maybe with the knowledge and wisdom gardened from “The Salt”, we can begin to prepare years ahead for the next elections – we are a country known for late planning and shoddy eventual preparations, but perhaps now, we have the opportunity to begin to change our mindsets early enough; we have the chance to begin to pray that the Lord will give us the kind of leaders we need; we have the privilege to rediscover our saltiness in every sphere of life; we have the chance to put things right; we have the chance to be the light of the world, we have the chance to be the change we want to see. It begins now; it begins with us.
So, for the next four years, can we prepare to make decisions that will determine the development of our beloved country? The ball is in our courts.
To watch the movie, click the link below https://youtu.be/2f3JwxuEEK0
