MOVIE REVIEW — The Herd: A Brutal Reminder of Nigeria’s Kidnapping Crisis
Storyline
Gosi (Daniel Etim Effiong) is already dealing with his wife’s recurring cancer scare. While trying to stay strong for her, he joins friends Derin and Fola to celebrate their wedding. But on their way back to the hotel after the ceremony, the joy turns to terror when gunmen disguised as herdsmen ambush them and drag them into the forest.
The cast features: Daniel Etim Effiong, Deyemi Okanlawon, Genoveva Umeh, Kunle Remi, Mercy Aigbe, Tina Mba, Lateef Adedimeji & Nobert Young.
A Realistic Punch in the Gut
The film places you directly in the shoes of kidnapping victims. The fear. The confusion. The helplessness. Every scene is a reminder of the insecurity Nigerians wake up to daily, from North to South.
For about 30 minutes, I literally felt like one of the abductees being pushed deeper into the forest with rifles pointed at my back. It’s a frightening version of reality many already know too well.
Cultural Layers Done Right
WAZOBIA representation is strongly present; Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, plus English.
The film bravely touches sensitive cultural issues without attacking entire tribes: Hausa-speaking bandits — not all Hausa, Igbo Osu caste discrimination, a real taboo. Yoruba-linked organ trafficking stories — dark but documented. It exposes flaws without disrespecting identity.
The Show Stealers
The Hausa actors were phenomenal, no theatrics, just raw menace. They didn’t feel like actors; they felt like men who had lived the terror they portrayed.
Their dialect, body language, and aggressive unpredictability made me whisper a silent prayer: “Dear God, let me never meet bandits in real life.”
One particular scene, where they discovered the victims’ families had involved the police, was handled smartly and intensely. No spoilers here… but trust me, you’ll feel your heart drop.
Costume & Realism
No glamour. No distractions.
- The kidnapped bride stays in her wedding gown — painful symbolism.
- The groom and best man in suits look painfully misplaced in the wilderness.
- The bandits? Simply Google “Nigerian bandits” — identical look. That accuracy boosted the fear factor.
Pacing
The Herd doesn’t waste time.
It grips you from the first scene… and only lets go when freedom finally comes.
No dull segments. No unnecessary humor.
Just fear → desperation → survival.
Rating
8/10 — A fierce thriller that exposes a national wound still bleeding.
Watch this if you want a movie that doesn’t sugar-coat Nigeria’s reality.
But be warned: you’ll leave the cinema thanking God you walked out freely.