Marriage Trap' Review: A Kidney, a Cruel Husband, and the Price of Forgiveness in Nollywood's 2025 Family Drama.
By NollywoodTimes.com Chief Critic, December 7, 2025
Imagine a Lagos bedroom where a "stranded generator" refuses to start, shattering egos and sparking a desperate mom's scheme to marry off her impotent son to a broke single hawker—for his lineage and her pride. MARRIAGE TRAP, Global Crown TV's explosive 2-hour-9-minute drama premiered December 6, 2025, thrusts Peter Komba's tormented Eric into this chaos, with Chinenye Ulaegbu's fierce Koma flipping victimhood into heroism via a shocking kidney donation. Raw Pidgin rants, fake moans, and organ-swap redemption make this 2025 Nollywood standout a viral must-watch, blending ED stigma, class warfare, and sacrificial love like jollof spiked with tears. Can transactional vows birth true family, or is it all a poverty trap? Dive in—this review unpacks every twist without spoilers (mostly).
The title, 'MARRIAGE TRAP,' initially suggests a familiar trope—a poor outsider ensnared by the wealthy and powerful. However, the true genius of the narrative is the slow reveal that the trap isn't set for the victim, Koma, but for the tormentors, Eric and his mother. They sought a temporary fix for Eric’s infertility and a guaranteed heir, believing poverty made Koma disposable. What they received instead was a karmic reckoning and a lesson in humanity delivered via organ transplant.
This is a film that operates not in shades of grey, but in the striking black and white of classic morality plays, making it a compelling watch that will undoubtedly spark viral conversation across social media.
1. The Core Theme: The Paradox of the 'Trap'
The film opens with the humiliating reality of Eric's (Peter Komba) condition—erectile dysfunction—and the subsequent exit of his entitled girlfriend, Binta. His mother, the powerful matriarch, refuses to let the family legacy die due to a medical complication. Her solution is ruthlessly practical: find a woman with a healthy son who can be seamlessly integrated into the family line.
The target is Koma (Chinenye Ulaegbu), a hardworking single mother wrestling with the suffocating weight of poverty. The trap is the contractual marriage: Koma gets financial security; Eric’s family gets an heir. From the outset, the terms are transactional, dehumanizing Koma to a mere vessel for social stability.
The true paradox emerges in the final act. When Eric falls critically ill with kidney failure, his scheming mother, his glamorous mistress, and all his wealth fail him. The only person capable of saving his life is the woman he systematically abused and demeaned. The trap was indeed sprung, but it was Eric, the predator, who was caught, ensnared by the debt of his own cruelty. The film successfully shifts from a domestic drama to a profound exploration of grace, suggesting that true wealth lies not in heirs or assets, but in the moral fiber of the individual.
2. Character & Performance Evaluation: From Cruelty to Contrition
The strength of any melodrama rests on the shoulders of its performers, and 'MARRIAGE TRAP' is a masterclass in committed acting, even if the characters occasionally dip into caricature.
Koma: The Unyielding Spirit (Chinenye Ulaegbu)
Chinenye Ulaegbu’s portrayal of Koma is the emotional anchor of the film. She beautifully executes the dichotomy of a woman who appears weak and desperate—agreeing to the contractual marriage—but possesses an iron will. Koma’s initial reluctance is palpable, a silent debate between maternal love and self-respect. Ulaegbu truly shines during the phase of mistreatment, conveying the profound internal pain without resorting to excessive histrionics. Her silence speaks volumes as Eric parades other women through the house, her focus always reverting to the survival and protection of her son, Junior. Her final decision to donate the kidney is not played as victimhood, but as a superior moral flex—a performance that sells the film’s central message of forgiveness.
Eric: The Entitled Tyrant (Peter Komba)
Peter Komba’s performance as Eric is, by design, deeply unpleasant for much of the film. He successfully embodies the arrogant, entitled Nigerian man whose wealth and lineage shield him from accountability. Komba makes Eric’s transition from a victim of circumstance (erectile dysfunction) to an active perpetrator of cruelty entirely believable. The pivotal scene where he tells Koma she is his "property" because he paid the bride price is chilling, highlighting the dark side of traditional legalism. His later contrition, spurred by his physical collapse and the betrayal of his mistress, feels sufficiently earned. The fear and self-loathing in his eyes on the hospital bed ground the final act's redemption arc.
Eric's Mother: The Cliché Matriarch
The matriarch (played by Liz Selle) serves as the primary villain. While essential to the plot, her character leans heavily into the cliché of the overly ambitious, tradition-obsessed, and ruthlessly manipulative Nollywood mother. She is the engine of the plot, but lacks the nuance that might have made her ultimate apology feel less obligatory and more authentic. She represents the rigid societal pressure of continuing the line at all costs.
3. Pacing, Structure, & Narrative Arcs
At 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 34 seconds, 'MARRIAGE TRAP' requires significant viewer investment. The film is structurally divided into three distinct acts:
The Setup (The Contract): Efficiently establishes Eric's dilemma and Koma's desperation. (Effective pacing).
The Conflict (The Abuse): This is the longest act, detailing Eric's mistreatment of Koma after his recovery. While necessary to build empathy for Koma and loathing for Eric, this section does feel drawn out and borders on sensationalism, adhering to the "suffering heroine" template common in Nollywood.
The Resolution (The Illness and Forgiveness): This act moves swiftly and dramatically, using the ticking clock of Eric’s kidney failure to heighten tension.
The use of dialogue-heavy exposition occasionally slows the pace, but the melodramatic payoff of the climax justifies the slow build.
4. Technical Merit: Standard but Effective Filmmaking
In the context of typical Nollywood production, the technical aspects are functional and competent. The cinematography favors close-ups, driving the emotion of the scene through facial expressions, particularly during Koma’s moments of silent endurance. Lighting is bright and clear, adhering to the genre’s aesthetic. The sound design, particularly the musical score, is the most traditional element, using swelling, dramatic strings to underscore every emotional beat—a feature that fans of the genre expect and appreciate, even if it might feel heavy-handed to an outsider. The production value successfully conveys the wealth of Eric's family, contrasting sharply with the initial setting of Koma's life, visually enforcing the class divide at the heart of the "trap."
5. Moral and Social Commentary: Beyond the Melodrama
The film excels in its subtle (and not-so-subtle) social commentary:
The Stigma of Male Reproductive Health
The entire conflict hinges on Eric's initial erectile dysfunction. The film successfully—and unusually for a Nigerian drama—puts the man’s physical inadequacy center stage, highlighting the intense societal pressure and shame that accompanies such conditions. Eric's subsequent cruelty is partially explained as an overcompensation for his wounded masculinity.
The Transactional Marriage and Poverty
'MARRIAGE TRAP' offers a stark view of how poverty compromises moral choice. Koma agrees to the marriage not out of love, but as a transaction to save her son. This exposes a harsh reality: for the poor, marriage can be an economic survival strategy, not a romantic ideal, making them vulnerable to exploitation by the wealthy, whose power is absolute.
6. The Climax & Resolution: A Leap of Faith
The climax—Koma agreeing to donate her kidney—is the emotional peak and the most critically divisive element.
Is it an act of pure morality or sheer melodrama?
It is arguably both. Logically, Koma has every reason to walk away and let Eric face the consequences of his actions. However, the film frames her choice as an act of profound, almost biblical, forgiveness. By saving Eric, she not only proves her moral superiority but also shames her tormentors in a way revenge never could. She retains the moral high ground and forces a genuine, painful apology from Eric and his mother.
The resolution, featuring the promise of a "white wedding" to legitimize the union, serves as the necessary genre closure. It’s the traditional Nollywood happy ending—justice served, lessons learned, and the broken relationship officially repaired. While unrealistic, it provides the emotional catharsis the audience craves after watching the heroine suffer for over two hours.
7. Overall Verdict & Call-to-Watch
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Recommended)
'MARRIAGE TRAP' is a powerful, if structurally flawed, piece of family melodrama. Peter Komba and Chinenye Ulaegbu deliver strong, committed performances that sustain the dramatic tension required for this kind of epic.
It is a Recommended watch for fans of classic Nollywood family dramas, viewers who enjoy high-stakes emotional storytelling, and anyone interested in films that tackle societal hypocrisy through the lens of individual suffering and redemption. It may rely on melodrama, but its exploration of entitlement, forgiveness, and the transactional nature of marriage makes it relevant viewing.
The question is simple: Can a woman's moral goodness truly save a man from his own cruelty? 'MARRIAGE TRAP' attempts to provide an answer, making it a must-watch for your next movie night. Find the movie on YouTube and prepare for a rollercoaster of righteous indignation and tearful reconciliation.
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