The Woman King is a misnomer of a movie title, although it does roll off the tongue. In reality, Viola Davis is no king — she plays Nanisca in the 19th-century historical epic, a general of an all-female military unit who fights to raise an army against French colonists. It’s John Boyega who serves as the reluctant king who wishes to avoid war, despite the French parking their boats on the kingdom’s shores. “I offer you a choice: fight or we die,†Nanisca tells new recruits. And fight they do. Between bloody battles and covert throat-slicing missions, the Dahomey women warriors train hard to defend their home. And she’s not the only one dedicated to protecting their homeland. There’s an ambitious young newbie, Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), who enters Nanisca’s circle of influence. Together, they kick some imperialist ass. Directed by The Old Guard and Love and Basketball’s Gina Prince-Bythewood, the new epic hits theaters September 16.
Viola Davis Kicks Some Imperialist Butt in The Woman King
