Big-budget blockbusters have become exhaustingly repetitive in the past few years so when something as epic like The Woman King, or Top Gun: Maverick, RRR, and even The Batman happen, it already feels easily like a theatrical experience gamechanger. Gina Prince-Bythewood's The Woman King, for one, feels like a live action Disney princess movie, but make it regally bloody. It’s a fierce coming-of-age tale as much as it is an epic display of heroism by none other than Viola Davis as General Nanisca, an aging warrior who has a vision to assist the kingdom of Dahomey from engaging in the slave trade. Here, she is ferocious (as usual) and restrained at the same time, and she's backed up by the next generation of powerful talent in Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, and a whole lot more.
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| Columbia Pictures |
Starting with a prologue that's going to remind of any Star Wars film, it establishes the crisis yet remarkable story of the Agojie in the 1800s, a woman-centric unit of warriors who protect their King (John Boyega) and especially their African Kingdom of Dahomey with battle skills and savagery like no other. Just by this premise, it already feels fresh when most historical epics have men fighting against men for their male leaders. Here, apart from Viola Davis' Nanisca, she's also assisted by her two unique but equally lethal sidekicks--Izogie, an Agojie lieutenant; and Amenza, as her right hand in the army.
It is with Thuso Mbedu's Nawi, a young woman in a village outside the walls of the kingdom that makes The Woman King even more interesting. Her story as an orphaned girl who has had to learn and fight for survival that gives this movie its beating heart. After resisting all of her father's attempts to have her married for wealth, she is handed to Agojie where she makes an impression and possibly a familiar blood to the eyes of Nanisca. Here the film slightly becomes a bit similar to the like of Mulan or The Karate Kid.
But what those other films don't have is this cast of amazing performers where each character, lead or supporting, makes a case for the prize of best scene stealer. Everyone could hold a candle against Viola Davis even when Davis herself gives another commanding performance who knows when to be predominant and when to be subtle. Of course, the credit also belongs to the writers Dana Stevens and the actress and now also a writer Maria Bello who created these layered characters that has significance in each other's lives and the kingdom of Dahomey.
It sounds dramatic but the film boasts of several war battle scenes as well and while they might not be the most compelling we've seen, they're still decently bloody and brutal that made the audience squirm several times. Blood, tears, flesh, bruises, you name it, and all in an elegant African war style.
The Woman King, overall, is a standout among its contemporaries because it knows how to flesh out its characters and provide a good stake of risks for the leads apart from the usual war battles people already expected to come out of something like this. Something that's basic on paper but difficult to execute and this movie skillfully did.
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The Woman King opens in PH Cinemas today, October 5th.
MTRCB Rating: R-13
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