Living in Bondage

Living in Bondage

Year: 1992

Runtime: 163 mins

Language: Igbo

Director: Chris Obi Rapu

Drama

A desperate man is lured into a secretive cult that promises riches in exchange for a horrific ritual; he murders his wife as a sacrificial offering, receives enormous wealth as a reward, and then finds himself relentlessly haunted by her vengeful ghost, tormented by guilt and fear.

Living in Bondage (1992) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Living in Bondage (1992) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the bustling, pressure‑cooked streets of Lagos, everyday survival feels like a relentless contest of fortunes. Andy and his devoted wife Merit scramble against a tide of setbacks—job loss, financial strain, and the constant comparison to more prosperous peers. Their relationship is a fragile anchor, the love between them underscored by a shared hope that someday their fortunes will turn, even as the surrounding world seems determined to keep them down.

When whispers of a secretive cult drift into Andy’s orbit, the promise of instant wealth becomes a magnetic lure. The cult offers a dark exchange: surrender something priceless in return for a life of abundance. The temptation tests Andy’s resolve, pulling him between the comfort of Merit’s steady support and the seductive vision of a future unburdened by poverty.

Choosing the path of the forbidden, Andy steps into a realm where wealth and horror intertwine. The reward arrives swiftly, flooding his life with opulence that had once seemed impossible. Yet the price of that sudden prosperity is far from finished—an unsettling presence begins to haunt him, a lingering reminder of the choice he made. Guilt and dread seep into his waking hours, turning the city’s bright lights into a stark backdrop for an inner turmoil that refuses to be ignored.

The film’s tone balances gritty realism with a chilling, almost supernatural edge, wrapping its characters in a suffocating atmosphere of moral ambiguity. As Andy navigates this new reality, the story asks how far a desperate soul will go for a chance at redemption, and whether the weight of a broken promise can ever truly be lifted.

Last Updated: November 29, 2025 at 04:44

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies with vengeful hauntings and guilt like Living in Bondage

Characters are relentlessly haunted by past sins, pursued by vengeful supernatural forces.If you liked the haunting and guilt in Living in Bondage, explore more movies where supernatural revenge follows a terrible crime. These films share a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and a gripping, oppressive mood centered on psychological torment and the price of betrayal.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a protagonist who commits a grievous wrong, often for selfish gain, and is subsequently plagued by a supernatural entity representing their guilt. The story is a downward spiral of psychological unraveling, culminating in a desperate search for redemption or an acceptance of their fate.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are united by their focus on supernatural retribution as a direct consequence of human evil. They share a consistently dark, anxious mood, high emotional intensity, and a thematic core exploring the psychological toll of guilt and the possibility—or impossibility—of atonement.

Movies about Faustian bargains and corruption like Living in Bondage

Desperate characters make a dark pact for power, leading to ruin and regret.Fans of the dark pact in Living in Bondage will find similar stories of moral collapse here. These films explore themes of greed, ambition, and betrayal, often featuring cults or occult deals, and deliver a steady, heavy drama with a bittersweet or bleak ending feel.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a clear arc: temptation, transaction, transient triumph, and then tragic turmoil. The protagonist achieves their desire but quickly loses control, as the deal's true cost—psychological torment, loss of humanity, or supernatural repercussions—devours their newfound life.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by the core theme of a Faustian bargain. They share a dark tone, a steady pacing that builds dread, and a high intensity stemming from the irreversible moral choices. The emotional journey is consistently heavy, centered on the corrosion of the soul.

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Living in Bondage Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Living in Bondage

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Living in Bondage

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