Movie Review - The Woman King

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Genre: Action/ Drama
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedo, John Boyega, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Jordan Bolger, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Jimmy Odukoya, Masali Baduza, Jayme Lawson
 
Description: A historical epic inspired by true events that took place in The Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

Review: For three centuries, a small but powerful kingdom was located in the south of what is now the West African country of Benin. Dahomey was protected by an elite army made up of female warriors. They had to fight off the soldiers of the neighboring kingdom of Oyo. The army and their leader Nanisca form the core of the historical drama “The Woman King”, based on true events.

It's not completely clear how close to the truth this directorial debut of Gina Prince-Bythewood is. King Ghezo really existed and so did the army of female warriors. But General Nanisca is fictional.

This Nanisca is portrayed by Academy Award winner Viola Davis, who shows a completely new side of herself. She is fearless, brutal, wise and contemplative. In the opening, we see her army freeing a group of prisoners from the Oyo. Then, when they return to Dahomey, they are welcomed by the people. Legend dictated that you must not look the warriors in the eye.

Unlike its format and setting suggests, “The Woman King” is not a sweeping indulgence of the woke movement to show more diversity. The idea was suggested by actress and producer Maria Bello who was told the story after a visit to Benin. The story, set in 1823, sheds light on a side of Africa that many will not know.
Th structure of Prince-Bythewood’s historical epic is rather classic and offers disappointingly few surprises once the concept of a female elite army has sunk in. Niwa’s journey to aadulthood follows calibrated paths, and new additions such as the friendship she makes with a Brazilian nobleman do little to change this. The fact that African kingdoms enslaved and traded each other’s captives, for example, is only scantily discussed. The author prefers to string together action scenes rather than provide a coherent plot.

One attempt at the latter is made by having Nanisca make a revelation. It gives her character not only depth but also more humanity. Few will be surprised that there is something to be done with this later.
The main reason why “The Woman King” is worth your time is Viola Davis, who illustrates with the role that she can really stand out and easily carries the movie. Without her in this role, “The Woman King” would be easily forgettable.

Rating: 3,5/ 5