The King Woman is in theaters on September 16, 2022.
The Woman King is a refreshing departure from the current wave of action movies that are mostly associated with superhero titles. Instead, director Gina Prince-Bythewood (The old guard) gives us a period piece about the real-life inspired female warriors of the African kingdom of Dahomey known as Agojie. Viola Davis is their world-weary but fierce general Naniska, who trains the women of her tribe and the captive women of other tribes to become elite warriors of unparalleled respect. The script itself is a little shallow when it comes to the complexities of the social and political dynamics of the Time Tribe, but the ensemble cast elevates even the soapiest of subplots to make this a story worth watching.
Set in West Africa in 1823, the title plate explains the basics of tribal structure between the more populous Oyo Empire and the Kingdom of Dahomey. The latter value their female warriors so much that they have gender parity in their upper echelons of power, including an all-female bodyguard known as the Agojie. They fought side by side with their male counterparts and the most lauded could even rise to the title of Female King, who was the King’s respected consort.
However, this equality between the sexes does not extend to the tribes, nor does it even permeate individual households in Dahomey, where fathers commonly sell their daughters to wealthy, older men, regardless of their daughter’s attitudes or desires. Nawi (Tuso Mbedu) is one of those girls who doesn’t want to be given to a cruel old man and fights back. Tired of her brash manners and lack of worth, Nawi’s father gifts her to King Gezo (John Boyega) and she is given the opportunity to join Agoji. Despite the brutal training process overseen by General Naniska, Naui finds support and friendship among her peers and is mentored by the elite warrior Izogi (Lashana Lynch). They cultivate a sisterhood that is a joy to watch and support as they become an established family in the king’s palace.
Nawi eventually joins Agojie’s ranks as they prepare to battle a myriad of external threats, including the oppressive Oyo, who demand increased tribute rates in exchange for protection from transatlantic slave traders visiting their local ports. One of the film’s most interesting moral quandaries is watching both Dahomey and Oyo complicit in aiding the slave trade. Each has amassed great wealth selling their prisoners to slavers to fill their coffers, maintaining a vicious cycle of persecuting each other for profit. It is Naniska who sees how the raids and continued fighting between the tribes are hurting their own, and she tries to sway Gezo into new industries like palm oil to get out of the blood trade.
While this hypocrisy is fascinating to watch play out, it doesn’t extend to the other major conflicts in history. Dana Stevens’ script tends to frame the region’s conflicts in perhaps too binary terms. The Oyos are painted as the bad guys and the Dahomey the progressive good guys, even with their contribution to selling out their countrymen. The nuances of ancient tribal dynamics are stripped down to the super basic so we can follow along easily. But it undermines what could have been a more sophisticated study of the realities of West African history. Instead, the screenplay goes the populist route, relying on too many melodramatic subplots, including secret pregnancies, a romance with a handsome European, Gezo’s trophy wife’s political machinations against Naniska, and an enemy rapist. But the majority of these stories fall because the cast is damn good at selling the humanity in them. Still, the sheer volume of side stories makes the film feel bloated past the 75-minute mark, only exacerbated by a cliffhanger that should have been removed for more emotional impact.
But even with these quibbles, The Woman King is a very fascinating film about the ingenuity and compassion of the Agojie warriors. Watching them train, support and fight side by side is uplifting and inspiring. Prince-Bythewood continues to display a great eye when it comes to blocking compelling action sequences. And since the women are very much human, the stunt work is remarkably grounded in the realism of their training and their mastery of their chosen weapons. The result is exciting fight scenes that feel real and tangible. And while some may be put off by the confines of its PG-13 rating, dialing back the gore and gore doesn’t detract from the film at all.
Viola Davis is the emotional center of the piece, masterfully fine-tuning her performance to go from ferocious to vulnerable.
“
As for the performance, Davies is excellent as the scarred and world-weary Naniska. She is always firm, whether it is her king or her warriors. But Davis knows when to let the tough facade fall, especially in scenes with her right-hand woman Amenza (Sheila Atim) and Navi, so we see the heart of the woman underneath. Lynch is also extremely good at shaping Izogi as a counterpoint to Naniska. Both are experienced senior warriors, but Izogie is more patient and open with the young Nawi and serves as an effective alternate symbol of strength for the up-and-comers. And then there is Mbedu who really commands the camera with her expressive face. Nauyi carries much of the emotional weight, and thanks to Mbedu’s reactions, the film often earns tears or cheers of enthusiasm. She’s a talent that’s clearly on the rise, and she’s a big part of why The Female King rises above some of its tropes.
Add Comment