The Woman King review: A “Yas Kween” crowd-pleaser, but…

The Woman King is challenging to review because on the one hand it’s an exceptionally well-made and well-acted crowd-pleaser – a historical action movie that puts black women warriors front and centre. On the other hand, as satisfying as The Woman King is, it also feels very “Hollywood,” taking a fascinating piece of true West African history, and using it as a backdrop to tell a simplistic, seen-it-before story mostly stripped of nuance and a sense of authenticity. The tale we get is fine, to be fair, but it’s not standout, which means The Woman King doesn’t reach the heights it could have.

Set in 1823 in the Kingdom of Dahomey (present day Benin), The Woman King explores a tumultuous time for the nation. Young King Ghezo (John Boyega) is fresh on the throne, and desperate to establish his authority. For years, Dahomey has been under the thumb of the Oyo Empire, paying tribute to, and enduring raids, from their larger, more powerful neighbours – who have acquired great wealth, superior military gear and mighty allies by selling off Dahomey prisoners as slaves.

As tensions between the Dahomey and Oyo escalate, it becomes necessary to strengthen and expand the Agojie, Dahomey’s elite, all-female military regiment under reticent General Nanisca (Viola Davis). One of the new recruits is 19-year-old Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), who makes up in smarts and will what she lacks in impressive physicality.

With The Woman King, you get the sense that if this had been a male-focused tale, it would have starred, say, Denzel Washington, and some young buck, like Michael B. Jordan ten years ago. So to see Davis and Mbedu in such roles is an enjoyable refresh of the master and apprentice archetypes. Actually, considering the Hollywood gloss of The Woman King, it is encouraging to see how the movie breaks from convention in multiple key ways.

Obviously the film diversifies the on-screen representation of African women, who have a tradition of being shown in mainstream media as mothers, struggling subsistence figures (whether in rural or urban environments), and timid victims of circumstance. The Ajobe are none of these things, instead appearing as a courageous, combat-skilled sisterhood who are highly respected in, and beyond, their community. This real-life inspiration for Black Panther’s Dora Milaje are also presented with diverse body types, making the point that there is no one way for physical health and accomplishment to look. These dark-skinned women are striking, not glamorous or styled to be pretty by Western standards. Practicality is always paramount.

Busting another trope, there are no deep rivalries between the women. While they may be competitive, their camaraderie runs deeper, and the only real female jealousy in the film stems from a self-absorbed and petty character outside the Agojie ranks.

Finally, there is no white (or outsider) saviour character in The Woman King. The closest we get is Malik (Jordan Bolger) the mixed race son of a Dahomey woman and Portuguese man, who serves as a kind of love interest for Nawi. However, their relationship is rooted more in respect than desire, and fortunately never heads down a problematic John Smith-Pocahontas path.

In avoiding so many pitfalls, there is a lot that The Woman King gets right. This isn’t even commenting on the coherent battle scenes (Blood Psalms, take note!) and the unique flavour of the fight choreography, which is a lot less blood splattered than you would expect. For the record, it’s Gina Prince-Bythewood, who made The Old Guard and Love & Basketball, behind the camera for The Woman King, which was shot in South Africa, and the film has a woman screenwriter in the form of Dana Stevens.

The problem with The Woman King is that maybe, like its approach to violence, it tries a little too hard to be palatable for a wider audience. The film contains some hard-to-swallow moments clearly designed to get audiences cheering, and it doesn’t dwell on or prod at bigger, messier socio-political issues, like complicity in the slave trade. This saps credibility.

Instead, The Woman King largely operates on a personal level. This is great for the performers, all heavily accented but English-speaking. Plus, it makes it very easy for audiences to latch their affections onto characters – some of whom deserved more screen time. Then again, we could never get enough of scene-stealing Lashana Lynch as Izogie, an imposing-but-cheerful Agojie with serious Caster Semenya energy, who makes Nawi’s success her personal mission.

For the record, The Woman King isn’t Davis’s strongest work in terms of expressing emotional range, but it’s another great transformation for the 57-year-old, who makes a highly convincing military commander and action hero. The major surprise, though, is South African Mbedu (already an award-winner for Is’Thunzi and The Underground Railroad) in her breakout big screen role here. Mbedu carries much of the movie, and goes toe to toe with Davis effortlessly.

In the end, there is loads to enjoy and appreciate about The Woman King at a granular level. Zoom out, though, and it feels like a well-made popcorn flick, prioritising entertainment over deeper explorations and reflections of reality. It shakes up representation and starts a conversation, but doesn’t have much to really say once it opens its mouth. Then again, perhaps acting as a starter is still an admirable first step. The Woman King may inspire viewers to go and read up on the real Kingdom of Dahomey and its ferocious “Amazons,” broadening their understanding of African history as something far richer than our old text books let on.

The Woman King released in US cinemas on 16 September, and in South Africa on 30 September.