The Woman King is a refreshing departure from the current crop of action films mostly associated with superhero titles. In contrast, 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 jaded but fierce Nanisca general, training the women of her tribe and the captive women of other tribes to become elite warriors of unparalleled respect. The script itself is a bit superficial when it comes to the complexities of the social and political race dynamics of the time, but the ensemble cast elevates even the most soapy subplots to make this a story worth watching. Set in 1823 West Africa, a title plate explains the basics of the clan structure between the more populous Oyo Empire and the Kingdom of Dahomey. The latter valued its female warriors so highly that they had gender equality in their upper echelons of power, including an all-female guard known as the Agojie. They fought alongside their male counterparts and the most lauded could even take the title of Female King, who was the King’s respected regal companion. However, this gender equality does not cut across clans, or even within individual Dahomey households, where fathers routinely sell their daughters to wealthy, older men regardless of their daughter’s treatment or wishes. Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) is one of those girls who is reluctant to give herself to a violent old man and fights back. Fed up with her brash ways and lack of worth, Nawi’s father gives her to King Ghezo (John Boyega) and she is given the chance to join the Agojie. Despite a brutal training process overseen by General Nanisca, Nawi finds agency and friendship among her peers and is mentored by elite warrior Izogie (Lashana Lynch). They cultivate a brotherhood that is a joy to watch and root for as they become a family set within the king’s palace. Nawi eventually joins the ranks of the Agojie as they prepare to fight a myriad of external threats, including the oppressive Oyo, who demand increased tribute rates in exchange for protection from the transatlantic slave traders who frequent their local ports. One of the film’s most interesting moral dilemmas is seeing how both Dahomey and Oyo are complicit in aiding the slave trade. Each has amassed great wealth by selling their captives to the slavers to fill their coffers, perpetuating a vicious cycle of preying on each other for profit. It is Nanisca who sees how the raids and continued inter-clan fighting are harming their own, and tries to influence Ghezo into new industries such as palm oil to get out of the blood trade. While this hypocrisy is compelling to watch, it doesn’t extend to the other major conflicts in history. Dana Stevens’ script tends to frame the region’s conflicts in decidedly overly binary terms. The Oyo are painted as the bad guys with the Dahomeys the progressive good guys, even with their complicity in selling out their countrymen. The nuances of ancient race dynamics are reduced to the very basics so that we can follow along easily. But this undermines what could have been a more complex exploration of the reality of West African history. Instead, the script goes the more populist route by relying on too many melodramatic subplots, including hidden pregnancies, a romance with a handsome European, political machinations by Ghezo’s trophy wife against Nanisca, and a rapist nemesis. But most of these stories land because the cast is so good at selling the humanity in them. However, the sheer volume of side stories makes the film feel bloated by 75 minutes, which is only exacerbated by a cliffhanger ending that should have been dropped for more emotional impact. But even with these quibbles, The Woman King is a very interesting 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 an excellent eye when it comes to blocking exciting action sequences. And because the women are very human, the gimmick relies remarkably on the realism of their training and prowess with their weapons of choice. The result is exciting fight sequences that feel real and tactile. And while some may be put off by the PG-13 rating boundaries, the gore and splatter don’t detract from the film at all. Viola Davis is the emotional center of the piece, masterfully adjusting her performance to go from fierce to vulnerable. “ Performance-wise, Davis is excellent as the scarred and world-weary Nanisca. She is always steadfast, be it her king or her warriors. But Davis knows when to let the tough facade fall, especially in scenes with her right-hand man Amenza (Sheila Atim) and Nawi, so we see the woman’s heart underneath. Lynch is also extremely good at setting up Izogie to counter Nanisca. They are both experienced senior warriors, but Izogie is more patient and open with the young Nawi and serves as an effective alternative symbol of strength to those who come. And then there’s Mbedu, who really commands the camera with her expressive face. Nawi bears much of the emotional burden and it is through Mbedu’s reactions that the film often earns tears or screams of excitement. She’s a talent clearly on the rise, and a big part of why The Woman King rises above some of its tropes.
