The Woman King - Movie Review

Without question, one of the best actresses working in Hollywood today is none other than 3 time Academy Award Nominated Actress (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Help, Doubt) and 1 time winner (Fences) Viola Davis. Her work is always handled with such poise, such love and care for the characters she’s portraying on the screen. In 2022, she bought real life figure Nanisca the leader of the Agojie, an all-female unit of warriors from the 1800s with skills and fierceness unlike any other the world has ever seen. The story follows Nanisca as she trains the next generation of warriors, to defend their honour against an enemy who threatens to destroy their way of life. This film was snubbed at the 95th Academy Awards this year; which is a complete and utter travesty, as it may just be one of 2022s best! 

The Woman King is bolstered by the amazing performance by Viola Davis. Her performance is unrivalled in terms of the physicality and dedication she gives to the role. She’s truly stunning and it’s a crime against cinema that she wasn’t nominated here for best actress. The supporting cast are all, also really solid here. Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel, No Time To Die, Matilda) I’d the stand out among the supporting players, continuing to bolster here resume with repeat performances of the highest caliber. 

The film is also superbly directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, who previously helmed the impressive action flick ‘The Old Guard’ for Netflix. Her blend of both style and substance is welcomed for this historic epic, as she doesn’t shy away from showing the brutality of the conflict, but also showing the personal side of the story, letting the audience get to know these characters and really feel the conflict their going through. It’s tense, and expertly crafted. 

If you’re looking for one of the better historical epics in recent years, then look no further than ‘The Woman King’. The film is a masterfully directed, terrifically acted, historically accurate depiction of one of the forgotten stories from history. A criminally underrated film and easily one of 2022s best. 

This is a must own for film fans, so head on over to Sanity to secure your copy on DVD or Blu-Ray today, you won’t want to miss it. Christopher Pattison from Oz-Movie Geek wrote this blog post for Sanity.

Buy The Woman King on DVD here

Buy The Woman King on Blu-ray here

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here