‘The Woman King’ is the epic tale of the all-female army that defended one Africa’s most powerful states in the 18th and 19th centuries.
While the Western world has generally dismissed women throughout history, there are other cultures that have treated them like equals and revered them. These women are allowed to have opinions and even lead their people without a man questioning their validity. Their contributions are both intellectual and physical, taking up arms when necessary or even as a career fighter and defender of their land. They are not limited, even when others may underestimate or scorn them. The Woman King is about an African warrior who holds the respect of her people and her king as she tries to defend them against the slave trade in the 19th century.
General Nanisca (Viola Davis) is the head of the Agojie, an elite, all-female military regiment trained to fight and defend the Kingdom of Dahomey. The Oyo tribe and their allies are working with foreigners by capturing other Africans and selling them to the slave trade. When a Dahomey village is raided, the Agojie are dispatched to recover their people. In the meantime, the headstrong Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) is fascinated by the warrior women. When she refuses to marry any of the men her father selects, he gives her to the king (John Boyega) and she begins training with the Agojie. Her mentor, Izogie (Lashana Lynch), is one of their strongest warriors and she tries to help Nawi fall in line and pass their entrance test. As the Oyo gather forces to march on Dahomey, Nanisca prepares her soldiers for the fight of their lives.
It’s awe-inspiring to see these women, particularly women of colour, radiating so much power and conviction that it emanates from the screen and washes over the audience. It permeates every ounce of their being, from their blood and sweat to their finely-tuned muscles. They’re skilled in hand-to-hand combat, their bodies deadly extensions of their weapons. The exhilaration of the battle scenes is almost overwhelming as they fight without fear or mercy. It’s so rare to see women in war depicted with such ferocity or competence — watching them dispatch their enemies, moving through the opposing forces unready for their strength or dexterity; no soundtrack, just the sounds of warrior cries, metal clashing and skin tearing — it’s visceral.
The cast is absolutely incredible. They’ve embodied the spirit of these women with such vigour, the actresses no longer exist on the screen. Davis is unparalleled as Nanisca, exhibiting an inexplicable might and steadfast leadership. However, as the narrative unfolds, viewers learn she was once vulnerable and will never allow herself — or her fighters — to be put in that position again. Mbedu’s Nawi appears younger than her 19 years, but she is strong-minded and an independent thinker, which don’t always mesh with being part of a regiment. The King, played by Boyega, is very even-tempered, even when he’s vexed. Jordan Bolger portrays Malik, a biracial upper-class Portuguese-Dahomen whose come to see his mother’s ancestral home and sees what Black community is for the first time.
The film does an excellent job of siding the audience with the Agojie, so they share in their victories and their losses, the latter being unavoidable in war. Most importantly, it does so not by manipulating viewers, but inviting them to get to know the warriors, who will also earn their respect. It’s natural and very effective, simultaneously creating an understanding of why the characters make some of the choices they do, particularly near the end of the picture.
The Woman King had its world premiere in the Gala Presentations programme at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Read other reviews from the festival.
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Starring: Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch and Sheila Atim
