Eamonn reviews The Woman King

 WARNING: THIS FILM CONTAINS DESCRIPTIONS OF SLAVERY, VIOLENCE, RAPE, AND CHILD MUTILATION. DISCRETION IS STRONGLY ADVISED!

 

The Agojie were an All female Battalion of the Fon Tribe who protected the Kingdom of Dahomey (Now the Modern day African country of Benin). For years Agojie would protect their Villages from the Slavers of the Oyo Empire, Rescuing Girls and Women in Daring Raids that swelled their numbers and Brutally killing their Quarry. 

In the 1820s, The Portuguese Would invade West Africa to Stake a claim in the slave market. After Encountering an Army of women armed with Spears and clubs....

They Greatly underestimated them!

 

This Cover Shows our leads in the middle of a Crowded Orange Haze, Dressed In Reds, Browns and Blacks, they Stand out from the background. John Boyega does Stand out more with his Grey Contrasting coat and Gold Jewelry, but front and centre is Viola Davis who Strikes a pose with a Machete, the Contrasting Metal and black of the blade and Gold band around her flexed Bicep catches your Attention, despite the lack of movement!

The year is 1823.

The Kingdom of Dahomey have a New king after a coup named Ghezo. With an Unproven King,  the Oyo Empire make an Alliance with the Mahi tribe as well as the Portuguese. In Exchange to Supply Fons for Slave Labour, The Europeans Supply The alliance with Horses and Guns.

 

But Dahomey has a secret weapon-General Nanisca (Davis) and her Agojie Warriors. We open on a Mahi Village where 5 warriors camp on guard duty around a Bonfire, One man thinks he heard something but is laughed at when it's just animals...only for The Agojie to rise from the tall grass in an ambush that was planned for hours and were unnoticed for a long time to rescue their people.

One Gruesome fight and Nanisca has Rescued the Women , killed or captured all the Mahi as prisoners. But not without a casualty As an Agojie, slain in battle is covered in cloth. But in the blood soaked Dust, Nanisca finds a Horseshoe, that only means the Oyo were here and have already taken their cut of slaves. 

As the Agojie march through Dahomey, all the families who had members taken are overjoyed, but there are children who will never see their mothers again! The Villagers bow their heads as the warriors pass- only the king can look upon the the warriors. A Boy looks through his fingers and one of the Warriors, Etifa, walks over and playfully slaps him on his shoulder.

After the Procession, A Young Girl named Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) is Arranged to be married to a man who is much older than her and hits her when she doesn't answer back, when she fights back, her father is disgusted and there is only one choice: put her in custody of the king, she'll either become an Agojie or a Concubine.

Enter the King, Ghezo (Boyega) as he passes his Concubines to speak to Nanisca, one of his queens, Ashanti, takes offence that the old commoner women spends more time with her Husband than she does, The Eunuch she is complaining to points out it was Nanisca who put Ghezo on the throne doing the coup while she spent it Hiding in a cupboard.

Back in the Mahi Village, Oyo horsemen have Discovered what happened. As they Vow Vengeance, Ghezo Conducts Council as he throws the horseshoe on the floor. While the Peace is Uneasy, what troubles Nanisca is their Recent entry into Slave trading of their prisoners. Worried that Dahomey will become as bad as the Oyo, Nanisca Suggests they trade Gold and Palm Oil, Much to the Annoyance of Queen Ashanti. The King decides to pay the Oyo their yearly Tribute, if only to bide their time, to that End, Ghezo gives Nanisca a mission to find out how much the Europeans are willing to buy their palm oil.

Later on, Nanisca addresses the new Recruits. She tells him that no other tribe in Africa will do what she will allow these Girls to do: have a choice, if a Woman wishes to become Agojie, she will gain respect, a wage and Reverence, but they will belong to no other man than the King they serve, and serve only, they will bare no children, see their families only in procession and will die either in this Palace's walls or on the battlefield. A few exit, leaving a Group including the 3 we will focus on: Nawi, Ojee, and Femi.

Nawi Struggles with her new Reality, getting the ire of her Training Instructor, Azuki. (Lashanna Lynch) Exploring a Hot Spring she finds Nanisca soaking her scarred Body. Thinking she had committed a Faux Pas, The young Girl goes to leave, but the General allows her to stay. 

Nawi explains her backstory, and how she idolised the Agojie all her life and while Nawi is a very Petite 19 Year old, she promises to give it her all.

The Next Day, Training begins and the Trainees are given their first weapon: a Length of Rope to make into lassos. Nawi doesn't get it and Mumbles within Earshot of Nanisca, that she wants a real weapon. Nanisca gives Nawi her Machete to strike a training Dummy, But can barely lift it, never mind cut the head off the Strawman.

Azuki gives a nickname to Nawi-SaySay "A Buzzing Little Fly that makes too much noise!" Azuki tells her about her life, how she was sold into marriage 3 times. On the Third attempt she burned her Husband alive. All life has taught her was Sadness. But that was her old life, and with all the sadness gone, all that is left to do is smile and laugh at anything!

Azuki then Announces, that the next morning, the New Recruits will show off their skills during the Monthly Procession.

We see A Montage of Nawi Struggling to Run, to fight, to wield a Machete, and falls over from the Kickback of a rifle, under the watchful yet Judgemental Eyes of Nanisca.

However Nawi has one thing going for her: Ingenuity. During Training, Azuki and Nanisca Chop off Strawmens' heads that have being rigged With Gunpowder. They go to Punish the 5 who laughed, But Nawi confessed. Nanisca asks how did she do it, and the trainee explains all she needs was a spark from the swing of the blade The General asks if she thinks the men and the king will be ok with a woman joining the Artillery, then she is mistaken.

-Men use Guns and Spears. Agojie uses traditional weapons and only use Guns if needs must! Nawi Calls out the general a hypocrite: for all her talk of equality, they face an enemy that outclasses them, ending with calling her Commanding officer arrogant, to which the general saying it was earned. Nawi gives an apology, But like Azuki, the general doesn't want to see warriors cry with her saying "You'll have to kill your tears". But Before she Dismisses Nawi, she Confiscates her Machete for the disrespect shown to it.

Ojee, the Captured Mahi women with an Attitude is being Discriminated because of her tribe. Turns out Azuki is a Mahi herself, not a Fon, as she breaks it up!

She takes "SaySay" to one side and tells her not to challenge the word of "Malaho" (General), That she heard rumours that Ghezo will make Nanisca Royalty, not by marriage, but a royal of equal pegging. 

A "Woman King" If you will!

Nanisca in her Quarters, that night Stirs from a Nightmare. her Second in command, Etifa tends to her and asks what her dream was. Nanisca's dream has being a recurring one: she is hunted in a jungle by a beast, but every time she turns to see her attacker she wakes up. So her second says perhaps they should consult the "Namor"

What Does the Prince of Blood have to do with anything? 

No, Namor is a Kind of Divination using Nuts, Kind of like I Ching or Throwing Bones. Etifa's Prediction foretells a fire, a forgotten past, and to leave gifts for the Dead at the temple.

Doing exactly that, She hears and sees Nawi training with a Machete....Not her own.

The Next day is the Procession that'll be the last time Dahomey will pay tribute to Oyo. The New General Oza-Abeed is Recognised by Nanisca, Flashes of Legs Bound by rope and him in her Face causes Unease when she walks to meet him. The Oyo scoffs that their tribute is Lacking. So they make an Amendment, 40 Agojie, "But not too Old!" Ghezo bargains him down to 20 of his Choosing, including Etifa, Azuki and Nawi. 

After the Tribute, Nanisca staggers to the Temple, Holding back the Urge to Retch. Etifa finds her General, and asks what happened. ("For once, Ifa, Your Nuts were Right!")

To the Port of Ouibah, and a slave ship makes its arrival. The Captain, Santos, and his First Mate, a Black Freeman named Malik have sailed from Brazil for their "Stock" But the Cage full of slaves stir to attention when they see the Agojie, carrying a wicker basket. Santos tells Malik what they are ("Dahomey's Amazons, The Bloodiest Bitches in all off Africa.")

The 20 Agojie, Including Nanisca, gives the Disrespectful Oyo, the real tribute, 20 severed Oyo Heads! With War Declared, Nanisca gives her Women the Order to Retreat, But Nawi stays behind when the Oyo start to gather reinforcements, so Nawi cuts a rope to drop A portcullis, that separates The rest of the Oyo from Nanisca. The 2 Agojie run up some steps to jump off the wall of the city into the sea below, where the others are waiting in two boats,  as they are bring shot at! Afterwards Nanisca Angrily tells off "The Hero" who disobeyed her orders citing a Captured Agojie Is a Dead One. 

"If you are ever captured, Slit your Throat, because what happens next is never good!"

That night Nanisca Arrives at Ghezo's inner Palace, seeing his Babies make the general stare only to be Accosted by the very ambitious Queen Ashanti, who offers her service since she has the King's ear, but Nanisca sees through the ploy, she wants Protection should the Oyo come take her away from her "Protected Place"

We cut to some time later and Ghezo inspects his Palm oil Farmers. This year the Palms have blessed the Country with a Surplus Crop. Nanisca implores her king to give up the the Slave Trade as she fears all the White Kingdoms will treat all of Africa as Slaves to the White Man.

In a Meeting between the Oyo and the Portuguese, Santos Bemoans the British Patrolling the seas and Boarding their ships. The Oyo say they don't care about the "White Tribes War" and Santos laughs that he cares less about the Oyo being bested by "Some Women". Oza sneers that by the next full moon, Dahomey won't know what hit them!

The Captain, being arrogantly carried in a hammock and Malik Venture in a Slave Caravan to Dahomey, after all if Oza-Abeed keeps his word, they may never have this chance again! 

Nawi while searching for a whetstone comes across a bathing Malik and steals his clothes. She confronts him about being a Slave, he explains he is a Freeman, Nawi asks if Malik is ashamed of himself being in the employ of a slaver. Malik states that he is of Dahomey blood, but seeing his crucifix makes her doubt the Portuguese.

The Portuguese arrive in Dahomey, with Malik giving a Sword to the King. Malik has come to learn his mother's Culture. His Mother had recently died. Ghezo replies that his mother was Stolen 20 or so years ago. And Malik is In 20s.

This goes nowhere but I really thought this was Foreshadowing!

Today is the Trainee's Obstacle course, As the Girls Struggle to Escape Thorny Brambles with very graphic close-ups and Tense Music Stings to make you squirm further. Nawi Decides to save her friend Femi despite being warned not to play the hero. Despite Being covered in thorns and bleeding from both feet, Nawi falls from the climbing wall to take the lead. Wrestling Men and claiming victory by chopping a strawman's head. and the prize is won, A Warclub from the king and the acceptance of all the trainees into the Royal Guard.

After the race, Etifa, Nanica and Azuki tend to Nawi's Scars. That's When Nanisca sees a Shark tooth shaped scar on her shoulder. Nawi tells her she's had it for long as she remember. Her Adopted Father called it "The Devil's Mark", Maybe That's Why she is what she is today. Nanisca asks Etifa what did she do with "IT" all those years ago. So the truth comes out: Nawi is Nanisca's Child who was Conceived after Oza-Abeed Raped Her. Due to the Rules, Nawi was Born in secret and given to passing missionaries.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Ghezo no longer wants to trade slaves and as such Portugal may rescind any help in the future. Malik has fallen for Nawi, though she doesn't feel the same way! That night all the trainees are Indoctrinated via a blood Oath, their blood are poured onto an idol!

Despite Warnings, Nawi sneaks out to meet Malik. Malik warns Nawi that the Oyo plan to invade on the full moon with a full Alliance of other tribes. Nawi Goes to tell the others But the European pulls her in for a kiss instead Nawi exchanges a chain for his dagger.

Entering the Hot springs unannounced, Nawi Warns of the invasion but Nanisca is upset, that on the night she swears undying allegiance to her sisters, she takes the word of a slaver,The General's keen eye spying the European dagger in her waistband. She Tries to make the young girl see sense, But She tells her she will never be captured like YOU! Nanisca tells her that she was not just captured she was raped. When the Baby was Born from said rape, She stabbed her left shoulder and placed a shark tooth there. She Grabs the dagger from Nawi's dress and plucks out a tooth from her shoulder, A shark's tooth

Nawi is Nanisca's Daughter, Something that shocks each other to the core.

Knowing what they know, Miles and days away,  a vast camp of Oyo, Mahi, Portuguese and others is situated on the horizon. Though the sheer size will make them slow on foot, they will be armed with guns and have horses. But as Nanisca Leans over a termite hill, she has a plan, one inspired by the prank pulled on her by Nawi.

And it involves clay, palm oil and Gunpowder. The Agojie have a ritual dance before leaving for the battlefield.

Under the Noses of the Oyo,  Nanisca drops a torch towards the "Termite hills" that surround the Oyo's paddocks, Destroying them in a explosion, causing the horses to bolt.

Both Armies Charge Head on to attack. In the Battle, Oza-Abeed wounds Femi and Nawi ties her Machete to her rope and swings it like Scorpion from Mortal Kombat. She gets some kills. But Abeed grabs her and throws her off a cliff and knocks her out. The Alliance retreats and Ojee takes a shot at them, she celebrates but realize she had been shot sometime too.

After the Battle, Etifa tells Nanisca that there is no sign of her daughter.

The Oyo have Captured their wounded Enemies including Femi and Nawi. Thinking they are Still unconscious, Nawi tells Femi to roll off the cart and walk back to Dahomey to get help, as the others are stripped down, washed like animals and put in a Cage where they find Azuki. Defeated, the Usually Aloof and off Kilter Soldier has a Broken arm and a Broken Spirit. But if her good arm wasn't broken, she would do what Nanisca would do in this situation: Slit her throat! But Nawi pushes the bone back in her socket, gives her a Pep talk about fighting back, but looking at the condition of the other slaves, there is only one Question "What Now?" 

An Exhausted Femi is found by a Farmer and is brought back to the Palace exclaiming the Nawi is alive. In the Inner Palace, Much to Ashanti's protests, Nanisca will be made a Woman King and a Feast is planned in her honour, but the general doesn't feel like celebrating. But she takes the Honour nonetheless, if only not to incur the King's anger.

Azuki and Nawi's plan to escape Slavery hits a snag when Malik sees Nawi on the Block and Confronting Santos leads to a Scuffle and the Agojie steal guns from the Guards behind them to escape, However running back to help Nawi, Costs Azuki her life as she is shot several times. As Nawi mourns, Oza-Abeed tells Malik he can own Nawi for 100 gold pieces.

Etifa tries to warn Nanisca to not go it Alone. But Nanisca tells her second in command she has seen the end of her nightmare. The beast she is running from, it's not Oza-Abeed, it's herself! She has being running away from her Past for so long, she didn't notice it when it caught up to her. Instead of Cutting away the Emotion, she should have loved her Soldiers like her daughters. Maybe that's why she put the tooth in Nawi, maybe she wanted to find her and now she will not be lost again. As Nanisca runs on foot to Oyo all night, by the rising sun she sees her Sisters of the Agojie running behind her. This is a war that Nanisca was never Alone in.

In a Bedroom Nawi sits in the dark, Sold to Malik only to save her life. Not that she Believes him in the Slightest. Malik still wants Nawi but she refuses. In the Palace Ashanti uses the News that the Agojie have Abandoned the palace as a power play to Regain Ghezo's Favour. 

Arriving at the Trade Post, Nanisca learns from Another Captured Agojie what she had seen on face value, Azuki is dead and Nawi was sold. Enraged Nanisca frees the slaves and all of them will burn this Trade Post to the ground- No Survivors! Malik gives Nawi western clothes to wear,  So she could escape. Santos Drags Malik to the shore, who had a Chain gang of Slaves so he can start over, tied to a row boat! Instead Malik cuts their chains and walks off as the slaves drag Santos Further down the beach to drown him.

The Agojie and The Oyo fight as the Slave post burns. Oza-Abeed is finally murdered by Nanisca. A Rifleman has Nanisca in her sight until Nawi, with her Dress Abandoned, in a romper saves her mother, as Malik sees her walk away from him, never to see each other again.

So let's finish this.

 

Despite Disobeying orders, Nanisca gifts Oza-Abeed's Sword to Ghezo. Ghezo proclaims the Oyo Empire defeated, and Appoints Nanisca as Woman King. Afterwards Nanisca tells Nawi the truth about her conception, but it seems that deep down, she always knew. And so the film ends with the Agojie dancing to Celebrate the Ascension and  the usually Stoic and Reserved General is asked to join the dance by her daughter which she does, but by dawn it's business as usual, as the last scene, shows Nanisca, Etifa and Nawi standing over a cliff to view the lands under their protection.

THIS FILM IS A CLASSIC!

Harkening to, and taking inspiration from the likes of Gladiator and Zulu, this true story mixes Visceral, Fast paced Action with Deep Storytelling, an Oscar Winning Score, Cultural Lore, and Slow burning Character Development without ever Slowing down. Viola Davis goes from Sitting for 80 percent of the suicide Squad trilogy, to full fledged action star, even this young cast headed by Thuso Mbedu and an almost unrecognisable Matilda the Musical star Lashanna Lynch all have a Future ahead of them.

The Only bugbears came from reviews from Africa itself, especially those from Benin, who complained that some Costumes and Songs came from other tribes, some not even found in West Africa, Sadly on an Anthropological point of view, That's a shame that most Cultures have being Lost to time. Some critics did not like the Dialogue, that it lacked Gravitas, I disagree with that. Mainly because I've seen too many films on this site with stupid dialogue, that even flat Dialogue, well acted, is a rare occurrence here!

If you have a high Tolerance for blood I Suggest you give this film a watch! 

CREDITS

The Woman King was Reviewed Compiled and Edited By Eamonn Bermingham (@RealEnli) on twitter. 

With Images from

Smithsonian Magazine

The Woman King

All Images Used belong to their Respective Owners.

The Woman King Was Produced by Tristar and Distributed by Sony.

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