Unclaimed premiered in cinemas across Nigeria on June 20, 2025. It is a gripping psychological thriller directed by Biodun Stephen and produced by Hook Entertainment and Film Trybe. Rated 15 and with a runtime of 1 hour and 27 minutes, Unclaimed is a sobering exploration of emotional abuse, gaslighting, and the terrifying isolation that comes when no one believes your truth. It captures the quiet unravelling of someone dismissed as delusional, even as they try to reveal the real danger hiding in plain sight.
Led by a powerful cast, including Elma Mbadiwe, Kunle Remi, Teniola Aladese, Norbert Young, Omowunmi Dada, and Jayeola Monje, the film doesn’t just tell a story; it holds up a mirror to the silent suffering so many endure behind closed doors.
The Premise
Unclaimed tells the haunting story of Mary, a fashion designer who’s always felt like a guest in her own family. Though she’s their only daughter, her parents’ affection seemed to orbit around Dieko, the boy they raised like a son, but never truly adopted. For Mary, their love was always uneven, and belonging always felt just out of reach.
Now in her 30s, burdened by expectations to settle down, she’s unaware that Dieko, the charming, dependable “brother” everyone admires, has quietly been the shadow behind her failed relationships. Until one day, he confesses his love.
To her parents, it’s perfect. They rejoice. Everything is a dream come true, until it isn’t.
After the vows, the fairytale unravels. Dieko changes. He insults her, gaslights her, withholds her medication, manipulates her, and begins erasing her presence, both literally and emotionally. Family photos are doctored, her voice is suppressed, and soon, she’s isolated in a home that feels like a trap. The man she thought she knew becomes unrecognisable, revealing one who has always detested her and wanted her life, her family. Mary’s world is now an emotional nightmare.
Then, one fateful day, Mary wakes up to her bloody hands, a bloody knife… and no memory of what happened. Dieko is missing. What everyone sees is a crime scene.
Everyone brands her guilty, the police detective disbelieves her, and her family completely discard her. Alone and confused, fate brings her face to face with the truth, and now she must fight her way towards her freedom and her voice, in a world that has never truly claimed her.
Cast and Performances
Elma Mbadiwe gives a solid performance as Mary, showing us what it feels like to slowly lose your voice in a space that should feel safe. Her pain, confusion, and quiet strength come through in every scene, making her story feel real and relatable.
Kunle Remi stands out as Dieko. He plays the role with just the right mix of charm and danger. One moment he’s warm and loving to outsiders, the next he’s cold and controlling to his wife. You believe him, and that’s what makes his character so scary
Norbert Young and Jaiye Kuti, as Mary’s parents, feel like many real-life Nigerian parents. loving in their way but blind to their daughter’s struggles. Teniola Aladese, playing the detective, would annoy you at times, but that is part of her role, and she does it brilliantly. While Omowunmi Dada and Michael Ejoor give strong, natural performances as Mary and Dieko’s friends.
Everyone in the cast plays their part in a way that feels grounded and true. It’s not just good acting, it’s believable. They help Unclaimed tell a difficult story in a way that feels honest and close to home.
What I Liked
What truly stayed with me in Unclaimed were the powerful, heartfelt performances, especially from Elma Mbadiwe and Kunle Remi. Elma’s portrayal of Mary was moving and quietly intense. You could feel her confusion, the betrayal, the growing fear, as her world slowly unravelled.
Kunle Remi, on the other hand, gave one of his most unsettling performances yet. As Dieko, he delivered a masterful, yet chilling duality, kind and charming on the outside, yet emotionally violent beneath the surface. It’s rare to see Nollywood explore psychological abuse with this level of nuance, and even though the film didn’t fully dive into the mental health theme, the attempt was refreshing and brave.
The cinematography also played its part. Clean, intentional shots helped reinforce the tension and quiet horror. But beneath the visuals, it’s the subtext that gives the story weight. Unclaimed holds up a mirror to how society often fails victims, especially women, within marriages. It forces us to see how emotional abuse is minimised, how poor investigation systems leave victims stranded, and how silence and social loyalty often protect the abuser more than the abused. That message alone hit hard, and it matters.
What I Didn’t Like
Despite its strong intentions, Unclaimed struggles where it shouldn’t: in execution. The editing felt hurried, sometimes even careless. Scenes in Yoruba went unsubtitled, leaving non-speakers like me lost at crucial moments. Add to those inconsistent details, like Norbert Young’s name being wrongly credited, reflecting a broader lack of polish that distracted from the experience.
But what pulled me out of the story was the foundation itself. The idea that Mary would grow up with Dieko, practically a brother, and then marry him with her parents’ enthusiastic blessing? It just didn’t feel earned. The film glossed over this strange dynamic, never giving us enough backstory or emotional justification to believe it. And when the mother calls him “her only son” after his disappearance, I honestly wanted to shout, What exactly is going on here?
The story had so much potential, but it often felt like it was trying too hard to twist itself into a thriller. Dieko’s rage about not being adopted could’ve gone in deeper, darker directions, but instead, we get inconsistencies that dull the impact. It ended up feeling like a concept forced into shape, rather than a story that naturally unfolded from its characters’ truths.
While the supporting cast delivered decent performances, it’s disappointing to keep seeing big names like Omowunmi Dada and Timini Egbuson cast in underwhelming roles just to boost a film’s appeal. It’s a tired marketing tactic that adds little to the narrative. That said, it was refreshing to see Yemi Cregx and Michael Ejoor, both of whom gave solid performances and felt genuinely suited to their roles.
Final Thoughts
Unclaimed tries to tell a story that matters, and it almost fully succeeds. It touches on emotional abuse, gaslighting, a tinge of mental health, and the haunting silence victims often face. It reminds us how easily a victim’s voice can be dismissed, how society quickly brands them unstable or bitter, instead of listening.
But intention doesn’t always equal execution. While Elma and Kunle carried the film with raw, honest performances, the story itself sometimes buckled under rushed storytelling, missed emotional beats, and a shaky premise. Still, Unclaimed starts a necessary conversation. And sometimes, sparking that dialogue is just as meaningful as telling a flawless story.
Rating
I would rate Unclaimed 3 out of 5 stars.
