The Woman King (2022)
The feature film The Woman King, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, is an old-fashioned but at times specatular-looking historical epic with strong parts for Viola Davis and Lashana Lynch.
The film, written by Dana Stevens, is set in 1823 in the area we now call Benin. The Dahomey led by King Ghezo (John Boyega) are at war with the Oyo, who capture other Africans to sell them into slavery.
Ghezo is assisted by the Agojie, an all-female army led by General Nanisca (Davis). Lashana Lynch plays Izogie, one of her loyal lieutenants. Izogie takes care of young Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), who has been rejected by her family.
Much of the film is told through Nawi’s eyes, giving us a good idea of what is going on in the Agojie's training camp. The story is constructed in a careful but also somewhat predictable way. By the time the big battle between the Agojie and the Oyo erupts, we are more than ready for it.
The battle scenes are certainly worth the price of admission. The Agojie are fierce soldiers and not everyone comes out unscathed.
The film does not shy away from the fact that the Dahomey also traded in slaves with the Portuguese, among others. Even though over the course of the film King Ghezo wants to change to selling palm oil.
A romantic subplot between Nawi and one of the Portuguese traders feels a little superfluous, and a sudden revelation about her true parentage seems borrowed from a similar storyline in a recent Star Wars film.
However, The Woman King is also reminiscent of Black Panther. Not surprising when you consider that the Agojie served as inspiration for the Dora Milanese, the female warriors in that Marvel movie.
That makes it all the more worthwhile to go and see The Woman King on as big a screen as possible, before the release of the new Black Panther-movie Wakanda Forever.