Published from Mumbai, Delhi & Bhopal

The woman king Review: Gina Prince-Blythewood’s historical drama is an underlying take of harsh reality

By Shachi Chaturvedi

Cast- Viola Davis as General Nanisca, Thuso Mbedu as Nawi, Lashana Lynch as Izogi and John Boyega as King Ghezo

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Runtime- 137 min

Rating- 3/5

Synopsis

In the 1800s, a corps of all-female warriors guard the African kingdom of Dahomey with skills and ferocity unparalleled in history.

Review

Loosely inspired by true incidents the film tells the story of the 1800s when human trafficking was a popular practice. General Nanisca, commander of the all-female warrior organisation, the Agojie, liberates Dahomean women kidnapped by slavers from the Oyo Empire in the West African kingdom of Dahomey in 1823. This prompts Dahomey’s King Ghezo to prepare for an all-out war with the Oyo. Nanisca starts training a young generation of soldiers to join the Agojie in order to safeguard the realm.

The film also takes a chance to show how whites used to enslave Africans and sell them for money back then. The film stars Viola Davis as the group’s leader, Nanisca, and Thuso Mbedu as Nawi, both of whom play important roles.

Viola Davis plays Nanisca with utmost seriousness. Her character’s intensity is depicted rather strongly. The dilemma of suppressing her feelings while projecting a strong self hits you in a variety of ways.

Thuso Mbedu is a mini powerhouse with the ability to play a powerful character like Nawi, who is strong, committed, arrogant, and a brat all at the same time. Nawi’s character is the soul of the film, and she becomes the movie’s neck, holding the head straight till the climax.

The movie has many other important characters who have equally contributed to making it a pleasant watch. The Woman King allows its ensemble to fully flesh out its roles and dares to explore hard issues. It’s about overcoming trauma; it addresses problems and questions the boundaries.

The attention to detail is what elevates this film. Despite the fact that it is the story of Agojies, the filmmaker does not shy away from addressing themes such as older men marrying younger women, Treating your wife like a slave or being a soldier requires you to concentrate on your duties and never fall in love. The film also addresses how males feel validated by repressing women and how they would never accept women as being superior to them.

When it comes to the film’s technical aspects, I believe the script needs some tighter editing because the screenplay appears a bit sluggish. The several instances when it appears that the film is coming to a finish yet it does not, out to be a let-down.

In terms of the film’s soundtrack, in order to keep the spirit of the period and historical age, the creators have made certain that local songs are included in the film, allowing the viewer to connect with the film.

Conclusion

Although the runtime is a bit long, this movie is a cinematic experience that should be watched in a theatre. It’s a style of historical drama that we don’t see very frequently.

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