If the output of The Woman King creates the event, it is because it is the first American blockbuster to be carried by African-American women, as much on the screen (with Viola Davis in the main role) as behind the camera, with the director Gina Prince-Bythewood at the helm. The film, which tells the story of these intrepid warriors of the kingdom of Dohamey in the 19th century, conquered the American public, signing a very good start, and must now prove itself in France.
Presented as being inspired by real events, The Woman King follows the training of Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), a young recruit of the Agojié, a unit of formidable soldiers. They ensure the protection of the King of Dahomey (John Boyega, Star Wars 7, 8 and 9) and his kingdom located in present-day Benin. To the head of this elite unit, General Nanisca (played by Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis), she will have to face the threats of a rival kingdom and ever-increasing slavery networks.
From the first minutes movie, the viewer is warned. The Agojie are from true warriors who kill with their own hands. Their razor-sharp fingernails are used for slicing or planting bodies. Vsee women of such violence is rare in the movies hollywood Of this genre. Here the Amazons are not smooththey are often dirty and covered in blood. These images disturb our usual representations, bringing a breath of fresh air and renewing the canons of the genre. VSwomen, empowered and strong, don’t need male characters to exist or survive. Lhas mightyyou sorority that animates them emerges in the daily life she shares in a part of the palace reserved for them. The film cultivatesussi this afrofeminist pride through theur traumatic paste. Directly related to men, rape orbandon of a father, them injuries that they share them unite forever in this life of a fighter.
With a colossal budget of 100 million dollars, The Woman King has acquired spectacular resources and keeps its promises, particularly in terms of the richness of the sets, the beauty of the costumes and the quality of the action scenes. The public finds itself in the heart of muscular battles filmed by a nervous camera. The fights are bloody without however reaching excesses. The warriors are shown from a raw, sweaty and bloodthirsty angle when they are immersed in the conflict or, conversely, suddenly overwhelmed by the horror of the clashes.
Unfortunately, the scenario is one of the weak points of this blockbuster. The plot is sewn with white thread, on the model of too many heroic films. The history and personality of certain characters are skimmed over, like Oba Ade who becomes a caricature of the “bad guy”. The same goes for Malik, a Portuguese, son of a white man and a native mother of Dahomey, who finds himself confined to a role of playboy romantic. His duality between his African roots and the slavery perpetrated by Portugal deserves to be deepened.
More complex characters, however, raise the level, like Nanisca who is on the border of good and evil. Like most Agojié, the general remains deeply scarred by her past and will have to make peace with her demons to move forward. Note also the stunning performance of Thuso Mbedu as Nawi, who is seen transforming into a warrior throughout the two hour film. Despite these drawbacks, The Woman King remains entertaining and paves the way for future productions honoring powerful, racialized and heroic women. Still too rare in the world of Hollywood cinema.
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Gender : action, drama
Director: Gina Prince Bythewood
Country : Eunited states
Duration : 2h14
Exit in France : September 28, 2022
Distributer : Sony Pictures
Summary: The Woman King retraces the extraordinary story of the Agojié, a unit of warriors who protected the kingdom of Dahomey in the 19th century in West Africa. Their skill and fury have never been matched. Inspired by real facts, The Woman King follows the epic fate of General Nanisca (Viola Davis), who trains a new generation of recruits and prepares them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. There are values that deserve to be defended…