The Woman King Review - Viola Davis's The Woman King Delivers A Braveheart-Level Action Epic

Viola Davis's The Woman King was anticipated from the start of 2022 and was considered the strongest contender for next year's Oscars. Gina Prince-Bythewood's woman-led action epic gives a towering challenge to many films that have been released this year and definitely outscores most of them. The post pandemic session at the movies hasn't been that pleasing, especially in the action-epic genre. Marvel's Spider-Man: No Way Home did cover the loss in 2021 by the year's end, so the same can be said for The Woman King this year, and that too without the superhero genre. We have travelled far beyond the eras of Braveheart (1995) and Gladiator (2000) now, but if any modern film can reflect on them, believe me, you'll enjoy it just the same. The Woman King is a kind of female-oriented version of those historical action epics.Set in the 1820s, The Woman King sees general Nanisca (Viola Davis) training the next generation of warriors to fight their enemies. The group of female warriors is called Agojie. A strong-willed Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) enters the Agojie group after her father fails to marry her forcefully. Nawi starts preparing to learn all the techniques and soon becomes one of the finest female warriors in the group. The latter part of the story follows the battle between Oyo and Agojie, Nanisca's past, and Nawi's rise as a successful young warrior who can battle out any situation relentlessly.The Woman King is set in the West African kingdom of Dahomey during the 17th and 18th centuries. The screenplay and writing have a knack for creating fictional pieces, especially our lead warrior. Nevertheless, authenticity and reliability never raise any questions. On the negative side, a few heroic scenes irritate you, such as the love story between a black girl and a white man and the black women surviving gunshots with small swords. Had there been any particular references to weapons, I believe it would have garnered more authenticity. Also, the runtime of 135 minutes bores you somewhere in the middle. Then there's an action-packed second half, which comes to the rescue.Having seen Viola Davis' best lead role performances to date, The Help (2011) and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020), I can say confidently that The Woman King is on that level. The Help was emotionally well-versed while Ma Rainey's tale was like a fire within herself, so just assume The Woman King is their combination. Now you have a clear idea of what I'm talking about. Davis looks so great in this role, and I think this is going to stay in people's minds for a long time, especially Africans. Thuso Mbedu is like a small package with a big explosion. Haven't seen any of her TV appearances, but if she's gonna do something like this in upcoming films, then count my vote as a yes! Such a pleasant surprise to see a youngster perform like this. Lashana Lynch, John Boyega and Jordan Bogler play pivotal roles, and they have something in their characters that attracts you towards them, and moreover, the performances are pretty good. Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Jimmy Odukoya, Masali Baduza, Jayme Lawson, Siv Ngesi, and Adrienne Warren are phenomenal in the supporting roles, and each one of them will have an impact on you.The Woman King has more drama than action because it tries to bring social conscience into the conversation. The action pieces look realistic, and Polly Morgan's cinematography clicks the right tones with perfect frames, except for those gun vs. sword flaws I mentioned above. The background score is very nice, as is the set design. The Woman King is made on a lesser budget than Braveheart and Gladiator (actually, half of this), yet matches the visual grandeur on its level. There are no stupendous battle sequences or huge VFX scenes. But still, The Woman Kind holds its ground with the help of brilliant storytelling. Gina Prince-Bythewood gets full credit for that. This is a complete cinematic experience, far beyond your regular popcorn flick. May The Woman King see a bucket full of Oscar nominations next year.