The Woman King

Year:	2022
Country:	International
Language:	English
Genre:	Action, History
IMDB:	IMDB Page
Rating:	Rate
Collection:	Seen It Wishlist
Community:	3 Have Seen


Director	Gina Prince-Bythewood
Selected Cast	Viola Davis as Nanisca
	Thuso Mbedu as Nawi
	Lashana Lynch as Izogie
	Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Santo Ferreira

Notes

A historical epic that is based in alternate history of The Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries.

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Comments and Reviews


zabadak ● 8th Mar 2023		British Cinematographer article :read:



henry29 4th Nov 2022		Screanshot from the Movie added. H.



zabadak ● 13th Oct 2022		Trailer :happy: In the 1800s, a group of all-female warriors protects the African kingdom of Dahomey with skills and fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. Faced with a new threat, Gen. Nanisca trains the next generation of recruits to fight against a foreign enemy that's determined to destroy their way of life. 2h 14m \| Action/Drama \| 15



zabadak ● 11th Oct 2022		WhyNow review 09/10/22 :read: Viola Davis Leads The Way In A Historical Epic ★★★★☆ Gina Prince-Bythewood directs an impressive all-star cast in The Woman King, a historical epic inspired by the true story of the Agojie, a powerful female army in Dahomey. Skill and artistry are involved when adapting a true story for the big screen. Balancing spectacle and fact is no easy feat, and perhaps that why’s Gina Prince-Bythewood’s film The Woman King has been subject to a lot of criticism. I can’t say I know enough about the history of Dahomey, a kingdom in West Africa in the 18th century, to evaluate just how accurate or inaccurate Prince-Bythewood’s film is. I can only speak for how she builds tension, character relations and how entertaining The Woman King is. Spoiler alert: it’s very entertaining. Set in 1823, the Kingdom of Dahomey has a new king Ghezo (John Boyega), a much more progressive man than any king before him. The Agojie protects his kingdom, a fierce army made of the strongest female soldiers in the land. Credit: eOne The Agojie are led by Nanisca (Viola Davis), but her life is complicated as one of the recruits (Thuso Mbedu) turns out to be stubborn and rebellious. The Oyo empire is also closing in, and Nanisca wants to convince the new king to abandon their part in the slave trade. The Woman King is thoroughly thrilling. It works remarkably well as an action film with a side of politics and history. Again, I can’t in good conscience comment on how accurately it depicts Dahomey’s participation in the slave trade, which seems to be the most common complaint I’ve encountered. Still, as a fictional thrill fest, The Woman King delivers. The action sequences are breathtaking and sensational, and the plot around them is just as gripping. Viola Davis, as expected, is incredible. Watching her feels like watching an actress at the height of their power and talent. Her Nanisca is ruthless and uncompromising, but Davis also allows us to see underneath that surface that often cracks as she faces difficult decisions. Of the supporting cast, all of whom are excellent, Lashana Lynch leaves the biggest impression. Her Izogie is warm, funny and strong. The young trio of performers – Mbedu, Adrienne Warren and Masali Baduza – have great chemistry, but their characters are mainly unexplored. Credit: eOne The most prominent narrative fumble is a spoiler-y one, but one that requires at least a quick note. The entire premise is built upon this almost fantastical army of women who are independent and not reliant on men. They are sisters, not wives or mothers, but towards the end, the narrative increasingly tries to fit these elements into the already packed plot. And for what? The Woman King gains nothing by inserting a silly romantic subplot into its eclectic mix of action and politics. Prince-Bythewood directs The Woman King with flair and vision. Her previous film, Netflix’s The Old Guard, was a frustrating and dull superhero flick with nothing to say. Here, Prince-Bythewood seems more in her element, and The Woman King runs so smoothly you barely notice the runtime, which is a little on the long side at over two hours. I would have gladly spent another hour in Dahomey with these women. It is a pleasure and a privilege to see a performance like Davis’s in a film like this. The Woman King is a rare delicacy in an age where superhero sequels and cinematic universes dominate screens, small and large. Prince-Bythewood’s achievement is urgent, brilliant filmmaking and Davis’s performance is bound to become iconic. Words by: Maria Latilla



zabadak ● 6th Oct 2022		From The Independent - 06/10/22 :read: The Woman King exists, in part, because Black Panther existed before it. Maria Bello (yes, THAT Maria Bello) first came up with the idea for a project focused on the Agojie, the all-female warriors of the Dahomey kingdom, back in 2015. She’d travelled to Benin, in West Africa, where the Dahomey once thrived, and became entranced by the Agojie’s history. Having enlisted producer Cathy Schulman, then head of the Women in Film organisation, Bello actually live-pitched the idea to star Viola Davis while presenting her with an award. The actor was immediately won over. Despite having an Oscar, an Emmy, and two Tonys under her belt, she’d never really done a full-blown action role before. What happened next feels frustratingly familiar. To us, now, with The Woman King currently conquering the US box office, the appeal seems obvious. It’s a real thrill ride, the kind of film that makes audiences want to pump their fists into the air and roar until the roof caves in. But Bello, Schulman, and Davis were faced with rejection after rejection. Studios didn’t think it would make any money. They didn’t want to cast dark-skinned Black women as the leads. It took the release of Black Panther, whose Dora Milaje were directly based on the Agojie, with Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira taking on major roles, for The Woman King to finally get greenlit. That’s worthy of celebration – and there’s really something beautiful about the way a pioneering project can throw open the doors for so many others. But isn’t it frustrating, too, that Hollywood only sees the value in certain stories when they’ve already become a sure thing?

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