Red Line is an interesting Nollywood drama that provides insight into the complexities of sex-for-grades scandals in Nigerian universities. Directed by Teco Benson, the movie follows a desperate battle between truth and lies, shrouded within a tale of ambition, despair, and institutional rot.
The film is about Professor Obaseki (Sam Dede), a strict but principled lecturer, who is victimized by a false sexual harassment allegation. Adenike (Adunni Ade), a struggling student, makes the allegation against him. She will do anything to pass his course. When bribery fails, she employs kidnapping before finally accusing the lecturer of sexual assault.
The next is a thrilling investigation by Dr. Adeleke (Shaffy Bello), a women’s rights activist and University Head of Department. As Adeleke fights for justice, she unwittingly finds herself used by a larger conspiracy, uncovering the extent of corruption at the university. Obaseki, on the other hand, struggles with clearing his name, fighting public opinion, administrative politics, and the personal cost of the scandal.
Adunni Ade’s acting as Adenike is among the film’s biggest missteps. She’s too old to be able to convincingly play a university student, and it’s hard to believe her desperation. Ade has given good performances in films like Soole and Tokunbo, but here, her performance is strained, lacking depth for such a manipulative and cunning character. Her appearance might have helped her screen presence, but that was not enough to render the character’s deceit credible.
Sam Dede as Professor Obaseki also appears an odd choice. Dede is famous for playing authoritative and powerful roles, but he is not the best fit for an innocent man wrongly accused in this scenario. His forceful presence on screen means it is difficult to accept that he is a victim, and at times he appears to be guilty even when the plot is telling us that he is not. Norbert Young would have been a better selection, perhaps, with his diffident and intellectual presence on screen.
Shaffy Bello is as convincing as Dr. Adeleke, though. She brings passion and conviction to the role, acting the role of a fiery feminist who is determined to call out men—guilty or not. Bello’s presence and sharp delivery of lines make her character one of the most engaging elements of the film. Her performance lends the film an extra level of tension as it remains unclear to the viewer whether she is pursuing justice or just hell-bent on destroying Obaseki.
Cinematography and Direction
Teco Benson, a veteran of action and crime dramas, adopts a more dramatic approach with Red Line. The cinematography is satisfactory but uninspired. The campus environment is well captured, and the tension is also visually delivered through dimly lit offices, tense courtroom moments, and emotionally charged confrontations. But there are moments when the pace drags, and some scenes are dragged out longer than necessary.
One of the movie’s strongest points is its storytelling. The film does not take the simplistic path of presenting either gender as completely good or bad. It presents a balanced argument on how false accusations can ruin lives as well as exposing the real issue of sexual harassment in Nigerian universities. However, the film could have done a better job at developing its characters, especially Adenike, whose motivations sometimes appear exaggerated.
Red Line is worth watching in spite of its flaws due to its philosophical narrative and the high-level debates that it engenders. If you enjoy legal dramas and college scandals, this is a film that will keep you engaged, even if you are sometimes infuriated. Rating: 6.5/10.
