The Wedding Party 2 Review: Hilarious, Enjoyable but not Great

DECEMBER 28, 2017 - MOVIES, REVIEWS

In 2015, Nollywood experienced something remarkable – The Wedding Party. A team of some of Nigeria elite film production companies assembled a cast of our favorite celebrities and gave them an interesting story to play with.

The result was a remarkable ROI like nothing Nollywood has seen before. So, as expected, there had to be a sequel and that is how The Wedding Party 2: Dubai Destination came about. With expectations at the rooftop level, the ELFIKE team took everything to another dimension except the story, acting and a few things a film aficionado will love.

The Wedding Party 2 was supposed to have exciting pre-intimacy, long-lasting main event, and a beautiful climax. Instead, it had rushed pre-intimacy, a not-so-main event, and no climax.

Let me explain.

THE WEDDING PARTY 2 REVIEW: STORY

The Wedding Party 2 focuses (or is supposed to) on Dendre (Daniela Down) – one of the Dunni’s bridesmaids in Part 1 – and Nonso (Enyinna Nwigwe).

Dendre and Nonso have been in a relationship for six months. We did not get a glimpse of that by the way.


During a dinner date at an expensive restaurant in Dubai, he accidentally proposes and she said yes. You know the Wedding Party franchise is all about wedding disasters and this accidental proposal set things off for a chain of disasters.

Dendre’s dad was not particularly okay with the idea of his daughter, an heir to the throne, albeit by a long shot, marrying a Nigerian. But he eventually agrees and travels in the company of his wife and daughter to Nigeria for the introduction cum traditional marriage.

One thing leads to another and the white wedding was taken to Dubai.

THE WEDDING PARTY 2 REVIEW: THE BAD

Given the success of the prequel, you would expect the ELFIKE gang to put tremendous effort into ensuring that this second installment will be perfect in every manner – cinematography, story, acting and directing. They did get a few things right but they also got an awful lot wrong and you may be tempted to think it was deliberate.

The Wedding Party 2 was written casually. It felt as though much thought did not go into the writing. It was shallow and full of inconsistencies.

What made The Wedding Party 1 really enjoyable were the disasters that rocked Dunni and Dozie’s wedding. They made sense. From Rosie (Beverly Naya) planting an underwear in Dozie’s pocket to Sola playing that infamous video.

In this sequel, Rosie, who was not invited, flew herself to Dubai and somehow heard about the proposal being unintentional and snitched.

How is Tinuade Coker, played by Sola Sobowale, more involved than Ujwu, played by Ireti Doyle, when none of her kids are involved in the wedding? Yes, she is funnier, this is rom-com and they need the audience to laugh but C’mon!

The supposed lead characters, Dendre and Nonso were not even given enough screen time. We did not feel any chemistry between them; there were no special moments like the beach scene involving Dunni and Dozie in the original movie.

The story still manages to do some good; at least it made us laugh.

But the one area The Wedding Party 2 fails tremendously is casting. Many characters were not needed, at all. Wofai Fada, Saka, Ay, the white Mc, the list goes on.

Unneeded characters led to scenes that felt like comedy skits, with no connection to the story. When or if you have watched, you will know what I am talking about.

THE WEDDING PARTY 2 REVIEW: THE GOOD

Boy, this film was hilarious! You will laugh your heart out. We, Nigerians, love comedy and the producers gave us that and more.

The picture was also great. Beautiful locations, it felt like a tour of Dubai.

Sola Sobowale was great. Even though I think her character was utilized wrongly, she was amazing. What stands out for me as regards her performance was the scene in which she cried at dinner after receiving some harsh words from Ujwu.

The best actor here is surprisingly Michael de Pinna, who plays Deandre’s father. He was effortlessly funny and unlike RMD who did not, convincedly, deliver his role as a rich Igbo man, Michael oozes out the type of pride expected of a man from the British royal family in the midst of Nigerians.



I really like how we were introduced to the next couple. It did not feel out of place as most things in this sequel. It came naturally.

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If you are a typical Nigerian, you will enjoy The Wedding Party 2. If you are a film aficionado, you will enjoy it too because it is really funny.

Although, you will wish for more. A better story, more screen time for the lead characters – Dendre and Nonso. Elimination of the unneeded scenes – Saka and Wofai Fada at the airport, the useless fight between Ay and the white Mc.

I just hope part 3 focuses on Sola (Ikechukwu) and Yemisi (Somleke Iyamah-idhalama) and their families. Yes, we are most likely going to get a part 3.

For more Nollywood Movie reviews, visit www.thatnollywoodblog.com


Cc lalasticlala

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nely:
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Below, anything

The most overhyped and overrated naija movie....

Hotshawarma:
The most overhyped and overrated naija movie....

But that's the thing about business. If you market your product very well, even if it is shit, people will see it as sugar.

Just that for stuff like Art, movies, the money should come second

okenol:


But that's the thing about business. If you market your product very well, even if it is shit, people will see it as sugar

Just that for stuff like Art, movies, the money should come second

As you mention shit I come dey feel like going to the toilet to shit....

Hotshawarma:
As you mention shit I come dey feel like going to the toilet to shit....

Lol