The Woman King

**The Woman King is a powerful action epic with fantastic fight choreography, dynamic, strong performances, and a compelling story rooted in history.** Viola Davis crushes brutal action heroine! The entire cast was powerful, vicious, strong, and exciting. The action explodes right out the gate and feels so raw, with the jujitsu, Kali, and Chinese Wushu all blending with the machete and spear fighting to feel like the sword version of John Wick's gun-fu. Viola Davis' steely strong portrayal of Nanisca delivers a mighty yet caring warrior general, creating the genuine and dynamic atmosphere of the film. The entire cast gave stellar performances, but the stand out was Lashana Lynch as Izogie. Lynch was as over-powering, unstoppable, and skilled as any warrior in the film while also serving as the heart, humor, and strength of her Agojie sisters. The film was a fantastic adventure epic but lagged a little in the middle as it focused solely on character development and exposition. Yes, I know I'm complaining about character development, but it was just solid discussion and characters without much to keep me engaged for that hour-long middle section. But that is nitpicking. The movie is fantastic! Watch it!

I liked The Woman King okay: the scenery and acting were fine and the music glorious, but why did I sometimes feel I was watching a different “King” movie by Disney? They danced as well as they fought; though to be fair, is it much different than the complex marches used by more modern armies? There was a bit too much violence for my taste, but perhaps it is needed for the target audience. The story was stereotypical in places, though for this progressive white guy, it was refreshing not to see white faces shoehorned into the story to placate the (only) White Lives Matter crowd, who were out in force with negative reviews. Here is a tip: if a four-star review points out positives but throws in complaints about historical accuracy and not enough Caucasians for the movies’ setting— okay, maybe. But if a one-star review screams about the issue, welcome to the Keep Movies White World. Are they just as offended by the thousands of movies that ignored or appropriated stories and roles of people of color in all white movies though the decades? I think not. So while this movie won’t make any of my lists of favorites, I am glad it was made available to women and girls and other less-thin skinned caucasians like me to enjoy.

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/the-woman-king-spoiler-free-review "The Woman King shares an immensely captivating, culturally significant story about the Agojie, a unit of female warriors who fight to protect their own. Viola Davis shines, but Thuso Mbedu delivers one of the best feature film debut performances I've ever witnessed. The anti-slavery, anti-racism and equal human rights messages are well conveyed, but the authentic, emotionally resonant character dynamics stand out due to a chemistry-filled cast. Action sequences hold high levels of brutality, accompanied by excellent choreography and an energetic score. One of the best movies of the year... ignoring the butchered Portuguese." Rating: A-