Landline is a 2025 Nollywood psychological thriller directed by Dele Doherty, released April 25 globally on Amazon Prime Video.
The film stars Zainab Balogun as Shalewa, a pregnant woman trapped in a mysterious time loop. Her husband, Kola (played by Gabriel Afolayan), a military sergeant stranded in a safehouse, receives eerie calls from an old landline guiding him to save her from a relentless killer, only to have her die repeatedly in a nightmarish cycle. Landline is about love, loss, and the supernatural, and offers a fresh take on the psychological thriller genre within Nollywood.
The Premise
Landline follows Kola and Shalewa, a young Nigerian couple living apart for the moment. Kola, a sergeant in the Nigerian army, is stationed at a safe house, while his wife Shalewa, heavily pregnant, is home alone.
One night, around 11 p.m., Shalewa calls Kola. She tells him she can’t sleep, she’s just watching a movie and wants him to keep her company until she dozes off. Kola checks the time: it’s 11:11 p.m. He promises to call her back at 11:50 p.m., so they can talk until she falls asleep, then hangs up and tries to rest.
But at exactly 11:12 p.m., Shalewa’s doorbell rings. Irritated, she gets up to see who it is. When she opens the door, a masked man shoots her. At the same time, back at the safe house, Kola hears a phone ringing. It’s not his mobile, it’s a landline phone hidden in a drawer, one that isn’t even connected. Confused, he answers. A voice on the other end urgently warns him: in less than two minutes, his wife will die. He must call her immediately and tell her to hide upstairs in the closet.
Panicking, Kola calls his superior officer, begging him to send someone to check on Shalewa. Then he calls Shalewa, and shockingly, she picks up, cheerful, saying she was just about to call him so he could stay on the phone with her until she sleeps.
Kola is stunned. Hadn’t they already had this exact conversation?
Soon, a police officer arrives at Shalewa’s house to check on her, but after he leaves, the masked man returns. Shalewa tries to hide, but the attacker breaks through and shoots her again.
And then it happens again.
And again.
Each time, Kola desperately tries to change the outcome. Each time, the masked man finds her and kills her, sometimes differently, but always fatally.
As the nightmare unfolds, Kola realises his presence at the safe house is not random. There’s a connection between his predicament and Shalewa’s death. But the strange phone call and the time loop warning remain a mystery.
As Kola listens helplessly to his wife die over and over again, he is forced to confront a terrifying question: Will he ever figure out how to break the cycle and save her, or is he doomed to lose her forever?
Casts and Performances
Landline revolves around a small but powerful cast, with standout performances from its three primary actors, and a few others contributing through voice work.
Gabriel Afolayan plays Kola, the army sergeant trapped in a confusing time loop. He delivers a performance filled with intensity and raw desperation. Afolayan effectively portrays a man caught in an impossible situation. His portrayal works well with the script and he captures Kola’s emotional turmoil and the mounting pressure as he scrambles to save his wife.
Zainab Balogun takes on the role of Shalewa, Kola’s pregnant wife, who must relive the horror of the time loop over and over again. Balogun portrays Shalewa’s frustration and helplessness in a way that draws viewers in. Her naivety, especially when juxtaposed with Kola’s growing panic, adds an almost surreal layer to her performance, making you feel her helplessness as much as Kola does.
Then there’s Bucci Franklin, who plays the police officer involved in the chaos. While I appreciate Franklin’s presence, his portrayal felt somewhat robotic, lacking the depth I expected from the character. It’s fair to say I’ve seen Bucci perform with more range in other roles.
The other characters are voiced over the phone: Kola’s father, his superior officer, and two others who either try to warn or help him. Though their physical presence is absent, their voices contribute to the tension and the sense of urgency that drives Kola’s quest for answers.
Overall, the cast does a commendable job, with Afoloyan and Balogun delivering emotionally charged performances that anchor the film.
What I Liked
Landline stands out as a Nollywood psychological thriller that takes a bold step in challenging its viewers. The concept of a recurring time loop is an intriguing twist. This line of storytelling brings an unexplored dimension to Nollywood that is both fresh and commendable.
It’s not every day you see a Nollywood film focusing so intensely on just three central characters, which in itself is often a testament to strong, well-crafted scriptwriting.
I also appreciated the chemistry between the couple, Kola and Shalewa. Their dynamic enhanced the suspense and made it all the more compelling. Watching them deal with the increasingly bizarre situation made you root for them, as you couldn’t help but feel the weight of their shared experience.
What Did Not Work
Landline had a compelling concept, but it stumbled in several areas that hindered its overall effectiveness. First, let’s address Kola’s character. His portrayal as an army sergeant didn’t feel authentic. The film gave little attention to ensuring his role matched the expected appearance of a soldier. For example, there’s a portrait of Kola in uniform in his house, but he appears to be a major instead of a sergeant. They overlooked small details like this, which could’ve added depth.
Another issue was the mystery surrounding Kola and Shalewa’s past. They frequently hint at something significant that happened before, but they never explain it. These unresolved plot points left the audience hanging, and in a thriller, that can feel frustrating.
The so-called “safe house” was another area where realism took a backseat. A safe house should be discreet, but this one prominently displayed pictures of Kola’s wife, his father, and, oddly enough, a large Nigerian flag. It felt more like a set piece than a realistic, secretive location.
The depiction of Kola’s superior officer, Mr. Osheni, was confusing. At times, Kola refers to him as “Commander Osheni,” while other times, he implies he’s a civilian. This added to the confusion. Also, the actor’s attempt at a Hausa accent came across as cliché, which didn’t help in grounding the character.
Finally, the story didn’t explore the concept of the time loop in a grounded or consistent way. Gabriel alludes to the possibility of a time loop as if it is a naturally occurring phenomenon. The character from the future who explains the loop only adds to the confusion rather than clearing things up. Just as it seems like the time loop is over, it resets again, and this lack of clarity about the loop’s rules makes it difficult to fully engage with the story. The inconsistency in handling the time loop and the underdeveloped plot points ultimately weaken the film’s impact.
Final Thoughts
Landline presents an ambitious and bold concept. The performances, especially by Gabriel Afolayan and Zainab Balogun pulls viewers into the couple’s harrowing ordeal. However, the film falters in its execution, with inconsistencies in character development, unrealistic details, and an underexplored time loop concept. The premise shows promise and pushes Nollywood storytelling boundaries, but the lack of clarity and unanswered questions leaves much to be desired. Overall, it’s a commendable attempt.
Rating
I rate Landline 3 out of 5 stars.
What did you think of the time loop concept in Landline? Do you think it was effectively executed? Let us know in the comments.
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