"The Woman King" - TIFF Film Review
From 1625 to 1894, there existed a group of feared female soldiers in the Kingdom of Dahomey of West Africa. The women were known as the Agojie and take center stage in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King. The film is meant to be an epic saga, reminiscent of films like Braveheart and Gladiator, but it allows a piece of history that isn’t as well-known and hasn’t been as deeply studied to be the center of attention.
General Nanisca (Viola Davis) is the leader of the Agojie during the 19th century. A main reason the Agojie were created is because the Kingdom of Dahomey is forced to annually give men to the Oyo Tribe, who then turn around and sell those men to the European slave trade. While this arrangement brings prosperity to the Kingdom of Dahomey, Nanisca doesn’t believe they should be selling their own people into slavery. She convinces King Ghezo (John Boyega) that they should cease their cooperation and protect the Kingdom. Along with her right-hand women, Amenza (Sheila Atim) and Izogie (Lashana Lynch), Nansica begins to train the next generation of Agojie warriors.
The influence of epic films of the past is evident. The Woman King is sprawling, with crisp, brutal fight sequences and an engrossing production design. Even with the interruption from the Omicron variant that forced Prince-Bythewood to pare down the number of stunt actors used, there is still an impressive sense of grandness. She places the camera in the midst of the combat and doesn’t rely on cuts to create the tension. Instead, the audience is in the thick of it. The chaos comes from the things occurring around the characters, not from a head-spinning number of edits. The fight sequences are up-close, frantic, and harrowing.
There is a twist involving one of the new Agojie recruits, Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), and Nanisca that complicates their relationship toward the end of the second act. It’s low-hanging fruit that isn’t necessary to make the film compelling. Even with the vague reference here, some readers will be able to fill in the blanks before they even watch the film. The true purpose of this twist is most likely to add depth or drama to Nanisca. Had anyone but Davis been in this role, that character might have needed the twist, but it’s unnecessary here. Davis is quite simply in a league of her own when it comes to portraying complicated characters. It’s thanks to her that this plotline stays more drama than melodrama, but these digressions from the main story never feel fully necessary to the film’s success.
If Lynch isn’t a household name for you yet, this is the movie that will demonstrate how much of a force she is. Lynch’s protrayal of Maria Rambeau in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be where most audience members remember her from, but The Woman King feels like it is wholeheartedly Lynch’s film. Equal parts charming, strong, and vulnerable, Lynch is impossible to look away from, effortlessly pulling the camera’s focus with a sly smile or a battle cry.
Thanks to a stellar cast, The Woman King never feels like a stiff period piece or an all-out fight film. There are genuine moments of humor that allow the characters to feel real. So often, the problem with period pieces is the disconnect of eras and whether or not the audience feels a bond to the characters. The sheer talent of the cast makes the question of connection irrelevant. From the moment Nanisca and her soldiers rise up through the tall grass in the film’s opening scene, there is an undeniable affinity for these women.
Despite stumbles in terms of plot and pacing, The Woman King is a thrilling watch. This story, these women, and the film’s heart deserve to be seen on the biggest screen possible with an audience ready to go along for a wild ride.
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