Meewella | Critic

According to P

Tag: Terence Blanchard

QuickView: The Woman King (2022)

The Woman King poster

“We are the spear of victory, we are the blade of freedom, we are Dahomey!”

Nanisca

A historical epic about the Agojie, the all-women warriors of the Dahomey tribe, The Woman King follows in the wake of Black Panther in its celebration of vibrant African culture within a big budget action film. The focus on the training and exploits of these warriors against an existential threat to the Dahomey bears considerable similarity to 300 — there is breadth to the story if not depth. Thematically, The Woman King directly tackles the transatlantic slave trade and the murky lines in African complicity pressured by colonial incursion. The kinetic close-quarters combat is well choreographed, although frequent cuts around the battlefield can make the action hard to follow. It is always pleasing, however, to see darker skin tones shot well in low light. The Woman King‘s real strength lies in its performances, led by Viola Davis as the deeply conflicted general beneath her cold exterior, ably challenged by newcomer Thuso Mbedu. The slow start allows the development of the interrelated personal themes of pride — earned and demanded — and the attempt to sever oneself from a painful past. John Boyega is clearly in his element as the reformer king (putting aside questions of historical accuracy of the individual in favour of a more nuanced examination of slavery and colonialism). Historical epics were once a mainstay of tentpole summer releases, and The Woman King provides the essential ingredients of engaging personal stories within impressive sets and rousing battles.

8/10

QuickView: BlacKkKlansman (2018)

“All power to all people.”

Kwame Ture

With his early films Spike Lee cemented his reputation as a defining black voice in cinema but lately he has struggled to find relevance. His latest joint is both timely and relevant, by turns hilarious and then horrifying in the familiarity of the racism it portrays. Peppering in slogans being used by the alt-right today would feel trite if it were not so blisteringly accurate. Lee’s intention is to encourage more people to vote, though it is not a message delivered expressly. The film’s lighter tone and typical Hollywood gloss on the story of a black police officer infiltrating the KKK will no doubt draw some ire from those who expect the subject of racial struggle to be handled with greater gravitas, but it allows Lee to entertain his audience whilst highlighting the serious risks posed by the recent resurgence of these right-wing ideas, all the more starkly when it follows a moment of levity.

8/10

"A film is a petrified fountain of thought."

(CC) BY-NC 2003-2023 Priyan Meewella

Up ↑