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THE WOMEN KING
FILM REVIEW
John Boyega and Viola Davis star in this epic directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. Set in the 1800s, the film centres around the Agojie warrior women who were the protectors of Dahomey, a former West African kingdom.
The opening scene quickly sets a violent precedent. Although The Woman King is quite a gory film it thankfully never feels gratuitously so. It is simply
a demonstration of the fierceness of the
Agojie women as they contend with enemies including slavers and their complicit allies the Oyo Empire, who abduct Dahomey people to sell onto the trade.
Davis’ performance as the battle-hard- ened General
Nanisca,
the leader
Amenza (Sheila Atim) are two seasoned Agojie who are excellent additions to the cast. The film could have explored their back stories in more depth but there are many plot points to be covered within its runtime of just over 2 hours.
The Woman King’s main weakness is arguably its use of some tired tropes including a particular plot
twist and training montages. That being said, seeing these tropes used in the
context of a historical drama that is focused on a part of Black history which may be lesser known to
western audiences keeps things fresh.
The hardest parts of the film to sit through are the scenes depicting how the slave trade
operated at the time. Although it’s uncomfortable viewing, it is
important that such atrocities are not shied away from and are not
merely seen as a plot point to add jeopardy.
Luckily film
strikes the
right balance
when covering this difficult subject.
Ultimately, with its themes of overcoming trauma and its
emphasis on female solidarity, The Woman King is
an excellent, uplifting film and hopefully Hollywood tells more stories like this in future.
Long Live the woman king!
Tessa Bury
Copywriter
of the
Agojie
women,
steals the
show. Her
with its arc
with trauma, makes her character one of the most compelling. The dynamic between her and Boyega’s King Ghezo is believable as Nanisca is performed with a sense of dignity that warrants deep respect.
However, it is probably Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) that you root for most throughout the film. Nawi is a young upstart, who is taken to the Dahomey palace and offered to King Ghezo by her father for being too disobedient. She aspires to become a great Agojie warrior but she must face many obstacles along the way (including winning Nanisca’s respect).
Izogie (Lashana Lynch) and
storyline, about dealing
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