THE WOMAN KING (15)
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A Real-life military regiment of all-female African warriors angrily scythes through the 19th-century slave trade in Gina Prince-bythewood’s thrilling tale.
Punctuated by blood-smeared battle sequences, Dana Stevens’ script sidesteps uncomfortable facts about the slave trade to simplify warring factions into good and evil, squarely positioning the audience behind the imperious title character portrayed by Oscar winner Viola Davis.
Her fiercely committed performance, which required months of weightlifting and fight training, fills every frame and crescendos with an obligatory inspirational speech.
Physicality of hand-to-hand combat contrasts with tender and moving scenes between Davis and sisters in arms, particularly South African rising star Thuso Mbedu, making a strong bid for a Best Supporting Actress nomination at next year’s Oscars.
King Ghezo (John Boyega) succeeds his brother on the throne of the West African kingdom of Dahomey, in direct opposition to the Oyo Empire.
The Oyo collaborate with white European traffickers and Ghezo pledges to atone for the sins of his sibling, who also traded slaves. To repel the threat posed by enemy troops under the command
of General Oba Ade (Jimmy Odukoya), Ghezo entrusts the kingdom’s fate to General Nanisca (Davis) and an all-female group of warriors called the Agojie.
Their ranks include orphan Nawi (Mbedu), disowned by her foster father for refusing to take a husband. As Nanisca moulds the next generation of female warriors, newbie Nawi gravitates towards reluctant and often shirtless slave trader Malik (Jordan Bolger).
The Agojie’s heroism positions Nanisca to stand alongside Ghezo as his equal, but favoured wife Shante (Jayme Lawson) is opposed to changes that threaten her elevated position.
The Woman King delivers a rousing spectacle thanks to a terrific ensemble cast.
Female characters are fully realised and actively propel the narrative forward with the same sense of chest plate-beating urgency as composer Terence Blanchard’s score.
For sweat-drenched self-sacrifice, Prince-bythewood’s picture reigns.
In cinemas now
Physicality of handto-hand combat contrasts with tender scenes between Davis and sisters in arms