The Woman King (2022)

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. Starring Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, John Boyega, Jordan Bolger, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Jimmy Odukoya, Masali Baduza, Jayme Lawson, Adrienne Warren. [PG-13]

Chest-beating war melodrama loosely based on historical records of the Agojie, a battalion of all-female warriors in West Africa defending the Kingdom of Dahomey, focusing primarily on Davis’ fierce general and a young, strong-willed “rookie” (Mbedu) who turns out to be Davis’ long-lost daughter. Although unafraid to recognize the conflicted darkness of the kingdom’s history (they thrived through profitable participation in the slave trade), the narrative is mostly about courage, heroism, and bashing one’s enemy into pulp, the sort of tried-but-true historical epic material refreshed by its racial and gender spotlights. It’s a modestly entertaining film, with compelling central performances and sturdy production values, but suffers from too little of the humor and humanity that makes these kinds of proud, noble characters truly interesting, and dialogue that’s heavy with self-importance, speeches, and self-important speeches. Action-heavy final act could have been a rousing, brutal blast, but the PG-13 rating softens the bludgeoning impact of those up-close-and-personal battle/fight sequences. Story by screenwriter Dana Stevens and actress Maria Bello, the latter’s first writing credit.

65/100