A giant python is killing all the livestock of a Nigerian village, and
when the village elders ask mystic Okoriku (Olu Adejugbe) how to
counteract this, he tells them the python is their god set on vengeance,
and they have to install Izuchukwu (Kelvin Ugwu), last descendant of a
family of priests, as their new priest to calm their god. Thing is,
Izuchukwu has long turned away from native superstitions and to
Christian faith, and under no circumstances with he turn his back on his
new beliefs, even though the villagers threaten to force him. But the
village leader Ochikeze (Pete Edochie) is a wise man, and he gives
Izuchukwu one week to get rid of the wrath of the python using
Christianity as his weapon. During this week, Izushukwu manages to
christianize more and more of the villagers, and even Ochikeze himself
converts to the new faith, and ultimately, Izuchukwu and his mentor,
pastor Nestor (Philip Emenike), promise everyone a miracle if only their
belief is strong enough - and in a big praying session, they actually make
the snake disappear for good. Like pretty much all Nigerian
movies, this one was produced on a shoestring and on video, features very
basic special effects, an at best functional directorial effort, and its
basic native beliefs vs Christianity plotline is very blunt and
lacks hindsight - and yet at the same time the movie also has a hypnotic
power to it, a power derived from filmmakers who simply want to make a
movie, who make up for their shortcomings with enthusiasm, and who seem to
have been adamant to get the film done, no matter what problems arose.
Sure, The Python is by no way a high quality picture, but one of
these enjoyable pieces of Third World cinema nevertheless.
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