The Woman King
“The Woman King” is a thunderous piece of filmmaking. The film begins with a burst of action before starting to gel into a look at the African slave trade from the perspective of a kingdom that, for years, has found itself ravaged by the slave trade before a leader finally says, “enough.” That director Gina Prince-Bythewood has created a film that takes this subject seriously, while also working as a piece of escapism, is not a shock, but given the track record such attempts have, it makes the film a cause for celebration all the same.
As we are told in the opening crawl, Dahomey is a West African kingdom whom has found its people easy targets of the African slave trade, enabled by the Oyo Empire. When the film opens, a group of female warriors from the Dahomey kingdom known as the Agojie, led by General Nanisca (Viola Davis), is rescuing some Dahomean women who were abducted; their men are long gone, already likely sold. The King of Dahomey, Ghezo (John Boyega), is ready for war with the Oyo, while Nanisca is training a new generation of warriors, including Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), a young girl who has been offered to the King after she has not taken any of the suitors her father has arranged- she will not accept being beaten. As the war grows closer, Nanisca takes a more personal approach to Nawi, who- she learns- was adopted.
Working from a screenplay by Dana Stevens (who co-wrote the story with Maria Bello), Prince-Bythewood has a strong sense of how this story should be told without being sensationalized simply for thrills. That is a difficult balancing act, but one she accomplishes effortlessly. It starts because her priority to story and character over spectacle. Nanisca is a woman whose actions do most of the talking, but when she speaks, she commands attention. She is a trusted advisor to King Ghezo because she has earned it, which is why- as she looks to convince him to go into trading actual goods, rather than just accepting the way things have been, she has his ear. The dynamic between Davis and Boyega is terrific in this film, especially when we see her opposite his brides, some of whom hope to have even an ounce of the power and influence Nanisca has. We also see Nanisca as a leader in her own right, and we see why a King would take her lead. Her most trusted friend and lieutenant is Amenza (Sheila Atim), whom has been by her side since they were young, and Nanisca was captured and brutally raped by the Oyo. Next in line is Izogie (Lashana Lynch), whom is most responsible for training the new recruits such as Nawi. Lynch is fantastic in the role, with a blend of sharp personality and driving strength that counters Davis and Atim well as Nawi is training. When we see them all together, it makes for riveting cinema.
Much of the advertising has focused on the action, and showing Davis in kick-ass woman mode. But when you watch the film, the action is sparing; after the first scene, there are two big set pieces- a battle sequence and a storming of the slaver’s town- in the second half of the film. There are moments of action beyond that, but the film is- first and foremost- about it’s characters. We see how Nanisca is starting to use her influence to shift the kingdom away from accepting things as they have been, as well as having to contend with a trainee who defies orders, but still shows great abilities that could be useful in war. The richness of character in this movie is part of its strength- this could have easily been a movie like a million other freedom fighter films, but emphasis on the characters, and not just going for constant action scenes and familiar cliches, is part of what makes “The Woman King” stand out. When the action does hit, Prince-Bythewood knows how to shoot and cut it in a way that leaves us riveted, while using the great Terence Blanchard’s score to anchor things emotionally. We feel like we’re watching something of consequence unfold, not just because we’re told to, but because we feel every moment of it along the way. By the end, “The Woman King” has earned our respect, much like Nanisca does among her people.
