"The Woman King" Review: This Should Not Be Missed!
There’s no doubt that The Woman King will be a cultural experience for many this weekend. The telling of one of the most feared and revered female warriors on the big screen is something to behold. While some of the action feels “Disney-fied”, the message in this film is undeniably powerful and should not be missed!
The film revolves around the West African nation of Dahomey in the early 1800s. Known for their fierce, all-female warriors called the Agojie, we’re thrust amidst an ongoing Game of Thrones amongst African Kingdoms. Nanisca (Viola Davis) leads these incredible warriors and after a recent battle, realizes she needs new, stronger soldiers to fight off the rival Oyo empire. The Agojie are all that stand in the way of the Oyo and King Ghezo (John Boyega) has full faith in them.
Nanisca leans on her right hand, Amenza (Sheila Atim). It’s evident that they have been through good and bad times together. Amenza holds Nanisca’s orders, secrets and trust as a chosen sister. Izogie (Lashana Lynch) trains the new crop of prospective Agojie. She’s an aggressive fighter with ambition to be more who gives tough love and mentoring to the hopeful. One amongst them is Nawi (Thuso Mbedu). Nawi is an untraditional young woman who has turned every suitor away with her attitude. For her, the Agojie is her way out of a life of subjectivity.
With war as a vehicle of urgency, in the backdrop of the setting is also the Atlantic slave trade. It’s a part of the movie that is naturally highlighted as a theme of both physical and mental slavery shows itself throughout the film. Writers Dana Stevens and Maria Bello shine light on the various tribes and nations involved in the atrocity and in a minor way, the impact that we can assume it had on the African people. Trauma is dealt with in a way that is both heartbreaking and triumphant! As each member of the Agojie carry the weight of their own trauma, how they overcome is perhaps the most powerful message in the film.
Gina Prince-Bythewood (Beyond The Lights) may not be a house hold name to many, because she directs a feature film so infrequently. However, when she does get behind the camera, it’s always worth watching. Her ability to capture human relationships is always refreshing. Viola Davis gives a masterful performance as always. The lean she does at the climax of the film takes you through so many emotions without her saying a word. Lashana Lynch will likely have Oscar buzz surrounding her performance as she gives Izogie a hard exterior with a soft core to create a complex but lovable character.
The celebration in song and dance throughout the film is moving. You can feel the joy and pain at times in the tribal dancing. The action in this film is a little underwhelming at times. To be all female warriors, you would expect serious bloodshed. Even if that couldn’t be shown due to the rating, the problem is that the camera doesn’t allow you to see the fight choreography in full. Mid-shots are used rather than wides. So the action feels stifled at times, which is sad because it would be nice to see all of the hard work these amazing actresses put in on full display. To see women tough and brutal is not something we get often from film. Perhaps some will say we got a lot here, but this did feel like it was under the watchful eye of someone to keep it PG-13.
Whatever the case may be, the message in this film and the portrayals by the cast is worth seeing! Grab some friends and go this weekend! This was like church for the crowd I screened the film with. They talked to the screen and audibly showed they related to the message. That’s the power of film!
Rating: B+
Middleburg Film Festival '18: "Widows" Review
In lesser hands Widows would be a run of the mill heist film. Give this script to any other director and you may not be challenged to keep up visually in the way Steve McQueen intelligently crafts this film. Give this script to any other cast and the words wouldn’t be elevated from the page to create characters that we see transform throughout the course of the film. Grab your popcorn folks; this is why we go to the movies!
Set in Chicago, Veronica (Viola Davis), Linda (Michelle Rodriguez), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki) and Amanda (Carrie Coon) are found grieving the loss of their criminal husbands. After the hubbies perish in their latest heist attempt, their death means nothing to the people they owed. Local crime boss turning politician, Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry), seeks the money that Harry Rawlings (Liam Neeson) and his crew stole from him on principle, but also because he’s running against Jack Mulligan (Colin Farrell), the man whose family has been alderman of their district for two generations prior. Manning’s motive for getting the two million dollars is solid and with his cold-blooded gangsta brother, Jatemme (Daniel Kaluuya), eager to help his brother win the elected spot, Veronica has no choice but to get to work. Equipped with a notebook her husband Harry left, Veronica decides that she can get out of debt and start a new life if she and her fellow widows can pull off the big caper Harry plotted out.
McQueen’s work has always been raw, dark, and visually biting. He’s able to use those elements, set against the climate of current day Chicago, to give us a memorable, blockbuster heist film. The opening itself is a Soviet Montage of sorts that doesn’t lovingly bring you into the story but crashes together in a rhythmically edited mashup that quickly brings the audience up to speed. McQueen leads the story with his camera, laying the ground work for his actors to step in and knock the ball out of the park, and they come through.
This review would be too long if each cast member got their time to shine here, but know that they do. Of note, Davis delivers a stellar performance as per usual by giving Veronica an internal conflict that is exhibited in a way that only Mrs. Davis can do over the course of the film! Elizabeth Debicki may certainly have the best character development throughout the film as you literally watch a shutdown and abused widow become a leader and empowered woman. All of the lead and supporting cast give us well rounded characters to watch on screen.
McQueen and co-screenwriter Gillian Flynn never telegraph an overt message in dialogue, but rather McQueen uses visuals to explain the issues in Chicago. The political race between Mulligan and Manning is a plot point, but there is a larger conversation to be had in our minds as audience members about the violence in the streets of the Chi. There’s a beautiful single take shot that shows the economic disparity that pushes the story forward while making you think afterwards.
The only small issue with the film may be in the eagerness to gain their dignity and respect, there is an ever pervasive message of the widows trying to prove themselves in their words. Their actions already show that they’re more than capable so we don’t need on the nose lines like “no one thinks we have the balls to pull this off!” While well delivered from Davis, it would be nice to be shown more than told. This in no way takes you out of the film or detracts from the empowerment that it delivers.
Widows proves that heist films can have layered meaning and story to them. It’s a good night out for the ladies, date night, and even time for the fellas! However you see it, make sure it’s in a theater. It will be well worth the money spent!
Rating: A
"Suicide Squad" Review
It’s no secret that DC is trying to get its footing with every film it puts out. Suicide Squad is not able to escape this dilemma, but I get the sense that they are learning and re-working with each installment in its world. The film starts strong, and ends flat, but in a film that didn’t take itself so serious :), it’s the summer movie popcorn fun that it’s supposed to be.
Picking up after Superman has died from Batman V Superman, a secret government agency decides to comprise a group of meta-humans and bad guys as a contingency against anyone who may rise up and wish to destroy the world. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) leads the charge and seeks out some incredibly talented but villainous individuals. There’s the assassin Deadshot (Will Smith) who never misses a shot, Joker’s (Jared Leto) crazy girlfriend Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), a fire powered Diablo (Jay Hernandez), an Australian thief named Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), and a witch who goes by Enchantress (Cara Delevingne). Right off the bat we’re introduced to each character in an efficient, fun, albeit we’ve seen it before way.
After a mystery villain begins to destroy Midtown, the squad is called into action. The rules are simple, go extract a high powered official and defeat the villain at risk of death, or be killed by the nanite implants in their necks. There you have the motivation for each villain and story in a nutshell.
Writer/director David Ayer had his work cut out for him in having to introduce us to each character having not seen a solo story for them prior. The first hour of the film starts out pretty strong, introducing us to the characters, seeing them play with others, and getting them into the mission. Ayer’s tactical know how and ability to visualize action as seen in prior films like Sabotage and End Of Watch is displayed throughout the film. Yet character development gets the short end of the stick.
Smith’s Deadshot, and Robbie’s Harley Quinn are the obvious stars of the film. With the rest of the group being tag alongs almost as dispensable as the group is to the government. Smith brings the charisma we love in a character that isn’t just Will Smith being Will Smith. Robbie loses herself in her character, but unfortunately the Hollywood male gaze pins her as an object more than anything else. Viola Davis brings the ruthless, pragmaticism that we’d expect from Waller. There is a glimmer of shine that comes from Hernandez’s Diablo that I would have liked to see more of. Of course, the character most of us have been waiting to see, the Joker, weaves in and out of the film a lot more than I thought we'd see, but not quite enough to judge how good he is.
The villain in the film gets the least development of the bunch, but is probably way too powerful for the group minus one. All that said; I still enjoyed watching the film. There were moments in the film that gave me goosebumps (Deadshot leaping on the car), character flashbacks that helped you identify with the villain and see where things may have gone wrong, and the team building of the group works for this rag tag team of bad guys.
While we’re constantly reminded that the group is comprised of bad guys, it’s a one off that works to bring new characters into the DC movie universe. These characters will never have their own film, but they’re not supposed to. DC has introduced us to some of their villains, and when we see them in future films we have an idea of what they’re capable of. So while the film has a simple plot, plenty of style and character charm, it’s not supposed to cure diseases. Let’s be real, if Ayer was able to give us a rated R version of this like he’s accustomed to it would have been a better film. Given the parameters, I think it came out alright. Let the trolling begin!
Rating: B-