Cast Wows in Powerful ‘The Woman King’
Set during the slave trade in the 1820s, The Woman King is the story of the west African kingdom of Dahomey, which is protected by an elite squad of female warriors called the Agojie. The people of Dahomey face threats from other tribes, like the fearsome Oyo, and European encroachment as the vile business of slavery surrounds them.
Nanisca (Viola Davis) is the general of the Agojie and serves as not only the primary military leader but also one of the top advisors to the young king, Ghezo (John Boyega).
Young and defiant Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) joins the Agojie after she’s kicked out of her home and learns the ropes of fighting and palace life from Izogie (Lashana Lynch), who serves as a sort of drill sergeant, and Amenza (Sheila Atim), who is Nanisca’s closest friend.
The story can feel a bit predictable at times and follows a pretty simple formula. The new recruit provides justification for exposition dumps, there are training montages, friendships form, and battles are waged—pretty typical stuff for this type of story, but the movie quickly won me over with strong performances from the entire cast.
It cannot be overstated that Davis is one of the most skilled actors working right now and she brings both a fierceness and vulnerability to Nanisca that is sure to get some major award recognition this year. Likewise, Mbedu turns in a star-making performance that will earn her a devoted fan following for the rest of her career. There are no weak links in the cast and Lynch and Atim are such strong supporting characters that you immediately get invested in them and find yourself truly worried for them during some of the battles.
While the warrior women are at the center of the story, the performances from the men are also strong. Boyega has been excellent since Attack the Block and his scenes with Davis make me wish they’d do more films together. Without giving too much of the plot away, I’ll also say that Hero Fiennes Triffin was the right mix of pathetic and dangerous as a young Portuguese slave trader. Likewise, Jordan Bolger’s performance as Malik, a love interest and potential distraction for Nawi, left quite an impression on the mostly-female audience at my screening.
While watching The Woman King, I couldn’t help but think of a film like RRR. Like this film, RRR also has a somewhat predictable story about fighting oppression, but the creative action, incredible music, striking visuals, and powerhouse performances take it from a typical tale into unforgettable-cinematic-experience territory.
Similarly, The Woman King could have easily been a simple story that felt a little too familiar. It could even fall into the cynical Hollywood fake empowerment category if the themes and characters didn’t hit just right. Instead, director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s film draws you in with incredible performances and gets you fully invested in every moment by the time the credits roll.
