Trailer
Synopsis
A historical epic inspired by true events that took place in The Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Woman King is the remarkable story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. Inspired by true events, The Woman King follows the emotionally epic journey of General Nanisca (Oscar®-winner Viola Davis) as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. Some things are worth fighting for.
The Kingdom of Dahomey, West Africa, 1823. Having sworn to risk life and limb to protect the land, formidable General Nanisca and the Agojie, the elite, all-female military regiment of King Ghezo, keep the bellicose Oyo Empire at bay. In the meantime, as the unbroken sisterhood trains a new generation of fearless warriors, their battle-scarred leader seeks alternative sources of profit. However, Ghezo's participation in the slave trade paves the way for the inevitable violent confrontation between the Agojie, the Oyo, and the slavers that will compromise the kingdom's future.
David Aronofsky
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This is a terrific film in almost all respects. I actually rate it 4.5 stars but give it 5 in response to the handful of dumbbells who gave it 1 without reading or else misread their history. Viola Davis is amazingly good as General Nanisca, the leader of Dahomey's all-female Agojie warriors, who may have been the most formidable fighting force, male or female, in African history along with the Zulus. Thuso Mbedo is also amazingly good as Nawi, the young Dahomeyan woman too headstrong to get a husband and almost too undisciplined to become an Agojie, although she did. Lashana Lynch likewise deserves special praise as a senior Agojie fighter. The battle scenes are realistic; the story and most of the script work well; the editing, female casting, cinematography and especially the score are top quality; and Director Gina Prince-Bythewood just made the big leagues with by far her best work ever. Maria Bello, who created the story and co-produced the movie, should get a persistence medal for her 6-year commitment to get it made. My only complaints are the weakly played males except for Jimmy Odukoya's villainous General Oda Ade, who's convincing. John Boyega of the last 3 Star Wars films is not so convincing as Dahomey King Ghezo and looks uncomfortable in the role. The other two male principals played by Jordan Bolger as a half-Portuguese, half-Dahomeyan slave trader who becomes Nawi's love interest, and Hero Fiennes Tiffin as the region's main slave trader, could have easily been written out of the script without being missed. Assuming Prince-Bythewood directs another action film with strong female leads she may want to work on ensuring that any male acting and romantic figures can at least try to keep up with the females. Thanks to Netflix for making The Woman King available so soon after its theatrical release. I urge every Netflix subscriber worldwide to take the time and see how a historical action movie is supposed to be made.
DeclanHugo RS
★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
The story itself is good enough for a black female empowerment story, but I unfortunately cannot connect with African tribes whose economies are ENTIRELY based off of slave trade. The tribe represented in this movie is historically known as the Dahomey tribe. It doesn't matter how virtuous or powerful the main characters are represented in this movie, because they HISTORICALLY fought countless fellow African tribes and either killed them or enslaved them. They used these slaves to entirely hold up their economy and was a major contributor to the slave trade. In fact, the EUROPEANS were the ones who had to come in and STOP the Dahomey from killing and enslaving Africans and STOPPED THE SLAVE TRADE. But in this film, the Europeans are depicted as generic evil white conquerors... when in reality they spared Africa from this despicable tribe. This movie ignores the disgusting history of this tribe and glorifies it as if it was respected and virtuous and bringers of justice.It would be the exact same thing to make a movie talking about how AMAZING Adolf Hitler was, how he SAVED his country from falling apart and was all knowing and all virtuous but then completely ignoring the fact that he killed 6 million Jews in cold blood and over a million others. It doesn't matter that this movie depicts the Dahomey as good people, because people who know the history of the Dahomey and their slave trade will realize that this movie is actively supporting slave trade and criticizing the Europeans who ENDED it. The film creators were either asleep during history lessons, or they're simply ignorant of the truth as long as they get paid. Absolutely disgusting movie, anything that supports slave trade should receive 0 stars.
Roger Beard
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
The underlying message of "The Woman King" is compelling, prompting viewers to reflect on both human behavior and the forces of nature. This film boasts excellent performances and offers a diverse range of genres, blending drama, adventure, action, and fantasy seamlessly. It's a recommended watch, especially for fans of fantasy films, showcasing the prowess of a black female monarch ruling over Africa.