Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, the highly anticipated action-drama The Woman King finally came to screen on September 16, 2022. Written by Dana Stevens and based on a narrative from Maria Bello, the film follows a group of Agojie warriors, an all-woman soldier group from the West African Kingdom of Dahomey. The Kingdom was recognized as one of the most powerful African states in the 18th and 19th centuries. With Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis, together with Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, and Sheila Atim, among many others, making up the cast, the movie looked like it was destined for success.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
However, since its release, the film has received mixed reactions from fans and critics. While many praised the movie, regarding it as an exceptional cinematic masterpiece, others had numerous issues with the setting of the film and representations in the storyline. The film, like any other, appears to have its positives and negatives, whether it be idealization or breaking stereotypes. Viewers soon took to social media to share their opinions on The Woman King. Here’s what they had to say.
An Exceptional Film
Sony Pictures Releasing
The first impression for many viewers was that the film was “cinema at its finest.” The moving and gripping narrative was commended by many, and the movie was regarded as providing a correct depiction of both history and culture. @YeahImFamous, expressing their viewers on Twitter, said:
Related Link: MCU: A History of Review Bombing and Its Roots in Misogyny
“The Woman King is just… Cinema at its finest. Our history and culture is even more beautiful when it’s done right on screen. Everyone please go see greatness . I salute @violadavis @JohnBoyega @ThusoMbedu & cast 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 #TheWomanKing”
Others called the film “a spiritual experience” and credited the film for being fully able to appeal to the emotions of its viewers and even move them to tears. Fans of The Woman King also loved the movie to such a degree that it warranted repeated views within the same week. Many also appreciated the questions that the film’s storyline was able to raise. User @sandylocks wrote:
Praise for the Cast
Viewers of The Woman King were blown away by the cast’s performances. Much praise was afforded to actresses such as Lashana Lynch, Viola Davis, and Thuso Mbedu. The sounds, cinematography, and costumes, coupled with the cast’s performances, garnered resoundingly positive reviews for The Woman King. Twitter user @LukeHearfield wrote:
“Yes I sure did go see The Woman King for the third time this week! Yes it is that good!! Yes, it awakens our thirst for new storytelling. Yes it raises timeless questions about intra- African complicity. And yes these performances are breathtaking. See it. And then we talk.”
Related Link: Viola Davis to Play the Villain in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
“Gina Prince-Bythewood’s historical epic The Woman King is a fiercely entertaining piece of cinema. Viola Davis and Thuso Mbedu deliver ferociously good performances. Everything works: score, costumes, sets, sound & cinematography. Make sure to see it in cinema! #TIFF22”
It was not only fans that were taken up with the performances of the warriors on screen. John Boyega, who plays King Ghezo in The Woman King, also commended the performances of his female co-stars. Boyega said he found the actresses “inspirational” given the fact that they spent up to five hours a day in grueling training sessions in preparation for the historical epic.
#BoycottWomanKing
Sony Pictures Releasing
However, not all reviews of The Woman King were positive. A significant number of viewers had multiple concerns regarding the setting of the film and the decisions made by producers. The choice to make the Dahomey Tribe the center of the plot attracted most of the heat. @EqualityEd, taking to Twitter, said:
Owing to the contention regarding its representation of the Dahomey Tribe and its role in the slave trade, actress Viola Davis, who plays General Nanisca in the film, also became the center of negative reviews. User @ThePencilPimp, expressing their opinion of the tribe’s history, said:
“Let’s be honest folk. It’s movie about a African tribe famous for selling slaves to Europeans that was made into a female empowerment story by two White women writers. You don’t have to be very “woke” to see the problem here.”
Reviews by critics have also faulted the film for simplifying the complicated history of Dahomey. In doing so and portraying Dahomey’s female soldiers as African liberators, the movie is criticized for missing crucial historical reality.
“Viola Davis can ugly-cry onscreen all she wants in the #antimale #antiwhite agitprop film #TheWomanKing.
Just remember that it was HER character’s tribe who sold OTHER BLACKS to the “Colonizahs” & we were sold cheap. She sold our ancestors for cigarettes, alcohol & rifles.”
Opposition to the Boycott
Despite the calls to #BoycootWomanKing, a segment of viewers has come to the film’s defense. Although it has its pitfalls, The Woman King has also been credited as a film that showcases female soldiers in nuanced ways, giving them individuality and focusing on their struggles and humanity. Twitter user @lmona823 wrote:
Viewers were also highly critical of those who were airing their thoughts without having watched the movie. Arguing that the film should at least be watched before any views are formed, @NandoGigaba said:
“Do NOT #BoycottWomanKing
Instead, learn more. The movie delves into the horrors of the slave trade and how it affected black women, especially.
It doesn’t glorify slavery, it condemns it.”
The Woman King has clearly given rise to many negative and positive opinions. If you haven’t watched the action-drama yet, the film is only available for viewing in theaters at the time of writing. However, it will make its debut on streaming services in time to come.
“go watch #womanking & return with an informed opinion.
most of you are talking about how people aren’t informed or aren’t doing their research about the tribe & their history. you mean like discussing a movie you’ve never watched & having opinions about it?”
