THE WOMEN KING: A Throwback To The Heroic Epic With A Feminine Twist

It’s easy to forget now in the days of city-levelling superheroes in spandex suits, but the historical epic was once a very popular genre. Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, Braveheart, all tales of real life people in extraordinary situations. It’s also easy to forget how powerful and invigorating these movies are in an age when so many blockbusters can feel like the opposite. Give thanks, then, to Gina Prince-Blythewood, Dana Stevens, and Maria Bello for The Woman King, which has proven a much needed shot in the arm for those weary of the ever-homogenous churn of Marvel entries which assail us relentlessly these days.

Dahomey

In the West African kingdom of Dahomey, circa early 19th century, the slave trade is flourishing. This has led to a war between Dahomey and its neighbour the Oyo Empire, who kidnap Dahomians and sell them to the European slave trade. In response, King Ghezo of Dahomey (John Boyega) sends an army of elite female warriors known as the Agojie to rescue Dahomian slaves from the clutches of the Ojo, sparking a mighty battle which will change the lives of everyone involved.

Nanisca (Viola Davis) is the proud and fierce leader of the Agojie. Alongside her warrior-sisters Izogie (Lashana Lynch) and Amenza (Sheila Atim), Nanisca runs fearlessly into battle, slaughtering her opponents with an incredible range of fighting skills. When the fighting is done, and the slaves returned home, the Agojie must train new warriors to replace the ones fallen in battle. Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) is one such young girl whose father has tried, and failed, to sell her into marriage. Nawi, bold and headstrong, refuses her suitors, which leads her father into giving her to the Agojie. As she trains to become a warrior, Nawi begins to form a close bond with the other Agojie and learns the value of sisterhood and family.

The world in which The Woman King exists is no pristine Marvel dreamland. Based on historical fact (though many of these facts have been altered for reasons of artistic license), this is a world in which rapes are committed with frequent brutality, where slavery is just another commodity, where the victors of battles boil the heads of their fallen enemies and stick them on pikes. Black Panther, this ain’t.

Stevens and Bello‘s script presents a patriarchal world in which fathers sell their daughters to the highest bidder, in which a young girl’s virginity can fetch a very high price. Amidst this violence are moments of pure beauty: the Agojie, behind the walls of their Kingdom, in a place where men are not allowed to set foot, perform dance routines, and sing together. These moments, like the battles we see throughout, are beautifully choreographed and perfectly encapsulate the deep bond of the Agojie sisterhood.

Prince-Blythewood captures all this with a muscular style, contrasting the sun-dappled landscape and oil-glistening bodies with bloody brutality and quick camera cuts, darting across the field of battle with urgency. We barely stop for breath as the Agojie wheel across enemies with scimitars and double-sided spears, ready to disembowel and decapitate without hesitation. Their ends are also met with hideous punctuation: a sword through the gut, a random gunshot splicing the torso. Nothing about this world is easy.

Revisionist History

Like Braveheart, or any historical epic really, the writers are economical with the truth, which has led to criticism about revisionist history. The Woman King, however, is a Hollywood movie through and through, full of rousing speeches, anachronistically progressive kings (Boyega‘s character has an entire harem of wives he barely pays attention to, yet is willing to share his power with an older woman he would not be able to control), heart-wrenching loss, and even a romantic subplot with a handsome Brazilian thrown in for good measure. Historical accuracy has been sacrificed in the name of good storytelling.

Boyega‘s King Ghezo, for example, is here presented as an initially passive reformer. He meekly defends the slavery system against the abolitionist tendencies of his people and this is somewhat explained by the movie economically; in one scene a Portuguese slaver explains the economic ramifications of abolishing slavery and Ghezo eventually relents, though changes his mind after Nansica informs him about the potential for palm oil sales. This is a far cry from what we know of the real Ghezo, who was said to be in favour of the slave trade, indeed defending it from the British during the abolitionist movement. While historians would rankle at this characterisation, Boyega‘s Ghezo proves to be a wise and benevolent ruler who tries to remove himself and his regency from the bloodshed of his ancestors.

Viola Davis, typically, gives a towering performance as the weary, battle hardened Nansica. Her hulking frame and stony-faced glare seems to tear through every scene, while later – more tender – moments are handled with gentle aplomb, Davis teasing out the softer parts of her character. Davis could do glowering stoicism in her sleep at this point, but those moments where she drops her guard are all the more powerful for their infrequency. She is never anything less than mesmerising on screen. Others get good moments too;- Lashana Lynch replicates her Bondian coolness and swagger as the rising star Izogie, set to replace Nansica one day as head of the table. Sheila Atim excels in the Tom Hagen role, effectively an advisor and confidante to Nansica, guiding her with the aid of divination – through nuts – to interpret her dreams.

It is the young Thurso Mbedu, however, who gets perhaps the meatiest role. In her thirties, but presenting as easily half that age, Mbedu plays the impetuous Nawi, a girl full of rage and arrogance, but no less brave and brutal than any of her warrior-sisters. Nawi must crawl through thorns, learn how to master a rope as a weapon, and reckon with the fearsome intent of Nansica (who, at one point, informs her that to be a warrior “you must kill your tears”). As she begins to form an intense and often caustic bond with Nansica, both women find themselves challenged by the other. Later, Nawi will encounter Malik (Jordan Bolger), a young Brazilian man on a journey to his deceased mother’s homeland. Their connection is impassioned and tense, forbidden fruit as the Agojie must remain virgins throughout the lives, and bear no children.

It is a slow-burn initially, as Prince-Blythewood takes her time building this world and its characters before barrelling towards a rapidly escalating finale. Your mileage may vary whether you find the first act tedious or fascinating, but it pays off when later developments carry the emotional weight they’ve earned and devastating turns are made all the more so because we’ve grown to know and love these characters.

Conclusion:

Although it plays fast and loose with its history, and could credibly be accused of revising some of the more salient parts of its story, The Woman King is a powerful tale of sisterhood and freedom; freedom from patriarchal influences, freedom from slavery. It’s anchored by phenomenal performances, bolstered by incredible choreography, features a rousing soundtrack, and has plenty of emotional beats to keep you invested throughout. It harkens back to the early nineties/early noughts style of filmmaking and blisters through its 2 and a quarter hour runtime. Come the end of year awards, don’t be surprised to see Davis and co on those podiums because The Woman King might very well be one of the best movies you’ll see this year.

The Woman King is one of the best historical epics we’ve seen in recent years. Which is your favourite historical epic? Let us know in the comments!

The Woman King will be released in UK theatres from 4th October, and is currently available in US threatres.

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