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I was apart of an influencer/media screening for the highly anticipated film stating Viola Davis in “The Woman King”. I am so excited to share my review because this was a top tier film, one of the best of the year so far for me already!

TRAILER

Synopsis: In the 1800s, a group of all-female warriors protects the African kingdom of Dahomey with skills and fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. Faced with a new threat, Gen. Nanisca trains the next generation of recruits to fight against a foreign enemy that’s determined to destroy their way of life.

Starring: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim and John Boyega

My Review

This movie was everything I needed to see. First let’s continue to tip our hats off to Viola Davis. Her range is impeccable as she reigned supreme as The Woman King. Hollywood has been doing a better job over the last few decades in bringing woman to the forefront of movies and defeating ageism.

Viola Davis is 57 years old and she killed this role. It’s a beautiful sight to see her strength in this character as she embodied the general of this tribe. Her emotions, her sternest, her facial expression with everything she embodies to lead her warriors for this film is extremely captivating.

Please I beg of you all not to compare this film to Black Panther, please. We know Black Panther 2 is in route (11.11.22) but just because they both take place in Africa with war aspects, it is two separate feels and concepts of movies. Although of course we will be getting comparisons of the Agojie all woman military group (Woman King) vs the Dora Milaje all woman military group; it’s comparison is similar but still slim in the grand scheme of things.

Unlike the Dora Milaje tribe, the Agojie tribe will not be having any help from technology at all. Machetes and their personal strength is what helps slay and protect their village. The Agojie tribe is also not fictional unlike the Marvel adjacent tribe. They train everyday in and out for a war against the slave-trade.

I am not even an action movie chick-going female, but all of the action here truly kicked ass! I was so proud of their agility and skill which made everyone in the theater scream with excitement and clap for  amass triumph. It was beautiful to watch, as for centuries and only a few modern years have we got to see woman in powerful and seemly masculine positions on big as little screens.

No longer are we just bonded to lead rom-coms to find love, scream queening in horror films, or damsel in distresses in almost every other genre. This is a brand new era of women, especially women of color who are strong, important and imagery where we see feminine in other formats. Yes femininity is more than wifehood and motherhood. Plenty of African tribes and community have reigning Presidents and Queens today. As we all know Queen Elizabeth just crossed over to the afterlife with a long reigning 70 year monarch position, she is not the only one.

This film celebrates and brings attention to African tribes who honor and celebrate real Woman Kings. This isn’t just a movie, this is real life – woman are not just Queens…we can have KING status. This movie is phenomenal and dare I even say, yes Oscarworthy! The entire cast did an amazing job and highly recommend everyone go see The Woman King.

The Woman King is theaters on Friday, September 16 #IAmWomanKing