Life is thriving for Dahomey, but something is looming. There is an impending sense of dread that war against the slave general of the Oyo Empire (Jimmy Odukoya) may be on the horizon. Meanwhile, the colonizing Portuguese showed up to buy more corpses to take back to Europe. Now, King Ghezo is stuck between two powerful enemies and it’s up to Agojie to keep the peace in the kingdom by any means necessary. Prince-Bythewood is the only black female director involved in Hollywood action cinema. Her style encompasses the perfect balance of action and drama, and she’s not afraid to expose people’s brutality on full display. She also holds the gaze of strong-willed women in her films (The Old Guard, The Secret Life of Bees, Love and Basketball, Beyond the Lights). In The Woman King, Akin Mackenzie’s production design and Gersha Phillips’ costumes are rich and luxurious, bathed in deep reds and yellows. A lot of thought went into making the kingdom of Dahomey look as authentic as possible. The editing is awkward in places, with sharp cuts seemingly cutting scenes before they’re finished. The middle of the movie is slow. The tone shifts from high-octane action to slow, meditative drama and maintains that position for much of the film. It picks up the pace eventually and doesn’t stop until the movie is over. This is rarely said, but every actor and performance, from the main stars to the extras, is in top form. Being around Viola Davis must bring out the best in people. Lynch is stoic but comical, Suzo is youthful and expressive, Atim is the empathic healer, and Boyega plays the diligent leader. The Woman King is a film about women, black women. Women who are not victims of circumstances but warriors against oppression.
