December has always been a month for a rush, and this year, the Nollywood film industry wasn't left out of the whole rapid flow.

There's almost something for everyone right now - from the returnee who just got back and wants to experience a little feel of the motherland before leaving to the stressed employee who's taking his much-deserved break by unwinding and watching some of his favourite local actors on the big screen, there's definitely a film you'll enjoy. With movies like "Chief Daddy", "Up North", "King of Boys" and a host of others in the cinemas, it's definitely a field day for anyone who is a Nollywood enthusiast. One of the best films, however, that you need to see this month and this year, in general, is "Knock Out Blessing", which is Dare Olaitan's follow-up after "Ojukokoro."

"Knock Out Blessing" tells the story of Blessing (Ade Laoye) who is on a mission to achieve her dream and escape the poverty that has shrouded her for a while. In the process of pursuing her dream, she meets Hannah (Meg Otanwa) and Oby (Linda Ejiofor) who are trying to survive and decide to embark on this journey with her. They, however, have to go through the underworld that is Nigeria politics and have to emerge victorious to come out on the other side.

Knock Out Blessing doesn’t fall far from director Olaitan's first film,‘Ojukokoro’. It’s the same comedy crime genre and there are a couple of recurring elements one can definitely pinpoint such as the pidgin catchphrases and the multilayered storytelling. It features a couple of familiar faces in the industry such as Meg Otanwa, Ade Laoye, Linda Ejiofor, Tope Tedela, Charles Etubiebi and Gbenga Titiloye, to mention but a few. The story is generally filled with twists and turns and just the right dose of suspense to keep one at the edge of their seats, wondering what would happen next. There are not many films that can confidently merge action and comedy today, without overdoing one and leaving the other lagging behind, but "Knock Out Blessing" successfully does it all.

In a country like Nigeria where a lot goes on behind the political curtains, it's interesting to see movies like "Knock Out Blessing" and "King of Boys" tell stories that depict what goes on behind the scenes. "Knock Out Blessing" borrows references from popular works like ‘Black Mirror’ to send this message down to the viewers and does it in good time. It is a case of great storytelling, with the film divided into parts, each telling the story from the perspective of a particular cast member to which it is integral to...

The best thing about "Knock Out Blessing" is the acting which is undeniably great. There are so many compelling performances worthy of applauding - from Ade Laoye, who does justice to her tomboy role to Odera Orji whose two seconds of being in the movie is enough to have you longing for more. Meg Otanwa who plays Hannah is also phenomenal and an absolute star in it, and Bucci Franklin brings his own sexiness and swag to his role as Dagogo. Right from when he's introduced to us, he delivers a captivating performance and we may just be seeing more thrilling villains in Nigerian cinema identical to Makanaki (Reminisce) from "King of Boys."

"Knock Out Blessing" also achieves great heights with the production process. The editing and sound design make the movie a must-watch and the camera work is great from start to finish. There are some stand out scenes where you get to see the beauty of all of this in place, such as the scene where Dagogo's angels have their meeting and also the scenes shot in the brothel. The set design for this movie is also a major plus for this movie and is just proof that attention to detail is a thing that should be embraced by all.

Director of the movie, Dare Olaitan has in the past, been compared to the likes of Quentin Tarantino for his style, and "Knock Out Blessing" is proof that he and his work should not be ignored. It is a delightful watch from the beginning to the end and offers pure comedic relief while balancing it out with the drama.

"Knock Out Blessing" was produced by Olufemi D Ogunsanwo and is out in the cinemas from December 28th.

Written by Frank Ugobude