The Woman King Review!

The Agojie warriors of The Woman King are led by Nanisca train a young recruit and are able to defeat their enemies!  The movie is directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood whose last film was the comic book adaptation, The Old Guard (2020).  The story is by actress and producer of this film, Maria Bello, and Dana Stevens, who co-wrote the screenplay of Fatherhood (2021).  Stevens also wrote this movie’s screenplay.  The Dora Milaje of Black Panther (2018) are based on these warriors. 1823, West Africa, a camp of warriors at night is interrupted by the appearance of Nansica (Viola Davis).  The actress, who also produces this movie, returns to play Amanda Waller in the upcoming Black Adam.  Nansica is the general of the Agojie, relentless, but with a very human side.  Her fellow warriors are also there, confidante and second-in-command, Amenza (Sheila Atim) and Izogie (Lashana Lynch).  Atim played Sara Wolfe, one of the Masters of Mystic Arts in this year’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.  Also in that film was Lynch playing Captain Marvel.  

Nansica confronts the warriors who say that they did not take any people from Dahomey.  One of the Agojie pulls back a tent flap to show the kidnapped villagers!  The battle is vicious, the fighting style of the Agojie is very supple, spinning moves or with a weapon.  The only downside to this movie is that most of the action is in closeup and fast moving so it is difficult to see what is going on.  One warrior has fallen and she is covered with a stone icon placed on top.  Prisoners are taken away.  We then get the young Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) who sees the return of the Agojie and the villagers.  Mbedu is known for playing Cora in the mini-series, The Underground Railroad (2021).  The villagers must bow to the Agojie when they pass since only the king is allowed to see them.  One boy looks through his covered fingers, but Izogie spares him!  The Agojie enter the palace and Nansica meets with King Ghezo played by John Boyega.  The actor is in this year’s drama, Breaking.  He passes his many wives and then with his council.  

Nansica mentions that the captives should not be sold to the slave traders.  This is one of the challenges of the king.  The king’s wife, Shante (Jayme Lawson), says that the slave trade has kept Dahomey strong.  King Ghezo finds his wife too outspoken, but she is always around.  Nansica counters that they can trade in palm oil. Nawi is being taken by her father to see a man that she will marry, he slaps her for her defiance, and she pushes him back to table.  Her father drags Nawi to the palace.  Izogie answers at the door and the father says she is cannot be married so gives her to the king.  She is accepted and taken inside to see the Agojie train, Izogie tells her not to stare.  I really like Izogie as the trainer of Agojie, she senses something in Nawi’s stubborness, and it is a great rapport.  Izogie asks Nawi how old she is and her answer is 19.  At night, bunkering down, Nawi makes a good friend and also a colleague of sorts.  Out of the darkness, the horse riders of the rival Oyo Empire.  

They come across the slaughtered camp, their brutal leader, Oba Ade (Jimmy Odukoya) slips off the covering of the dead Agojie and the idol.  He wants revenge.  In the morning, at the training, the recruits are given rope to form loops.  Nawi fails and General Ghezo gives her a gubasa sword to use it to take the head of a training dummy.  She fails a few times and the general easily swipes off the head.  General Ghezo gives her rope to continue training and allows her to stay.  Teh Agojie use rifles, but usually hand held weapons.  Later, Nawi meets the Brazilian trader, Santo Ferreira (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), as he is bathing in the jungle.  He is not a slaver, but has traveled there since his mother was Dahomey.  They have a mutal interest (read: romance) with each other, but it is on Nawi’s terms.  He gives her a sword even though relationships in the Agojie are forbidden (there is a reason in the movie).  Nawi has to become stronger, Ghezo is faced with her past, and the future battle with the Oyo Empire will determine the course of Dahomey.  There is a mid-credits scene.  The Woman King is a can’t miss in theaters epic, featuring a little known history of women warriors, and an incredible cast led by Viola Davis!   

Five Gubasa Swords out of Five!  

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