THE WAITER and its desperate attempt to make Akpos the hero.

The forced attempt to position Akpos as the hero weakened the impact of this otherwise beautiful story. It disrupted the chronological flow of the plot, leaving it disjointed and difficult to follow.

At this point, Bucci Franklin’s neck must be aching from carrying the entire plot of this movie with his amazing delivery. 

His performance was absolutely captivating and brought much-needed engagement to the story. Every time the scene shifts away from him, I find myself eagerly waiting for his return. I’ve never rooted for a villain so much that I found myself wishing he wouldn’t get caught and that his plans would succeed.

Kunle Remi and Shine Rossman also delivered impressive performances that brought depth to the film. Kunle, with his effortlessly annoying yet humorous persona, managed to deliver seamless comedy, standing out amidst the many forced comedic scenes in the movie.

On the other hand, Deyemi’s portrayal of the head of hotel security took on a far more impactful role as the hero, uncovering vital information that ultimately led to reclaiming the hotel from its hijackers. Even his action and fight sequences felt more authentic compared to those of the waiter.

 Akpos, however, doesn’t convincingly fit the role of the hero, and the desperate effort to tie his heroism to the plot felt forced, detracting from the story’s impact.

The narrative itself is a beautiful portrayal of the struggles faced by the average Nigerian, touching on economic hardships and the failures of political leadership. 

The story had incredible potential to resonate deeply, as it addresses the core challenges of daily life in Nigeria. However, Akpos’ character as the waiter felt out of place and disrupted the cohesion of the plot.

Another glaring loose end was the unresolved tension between the police officer and Tonye’s girlfriend. A showdown between these two women would have helped develop the story more, yet it never happened , leaving the audience hanging.

While the story is undeniably compelling, its delivery could have been much stronger with tighter execution and fewer disjointed elements.