The Woman King (Gina Prince-Bythewood)

[Grouchy]

[Grouchy]

Wow, this was a truly fantastic epic. Felt like I was watching a movie from Hollywood's golden era at times, like The Dirty Dozen in Africa. That's how solid this is.

[Mal]

I was prepared for a boring disaster like Gina Prince-Bythewood's last film The Old Guard - but goddamn, this is a tremendously crafted and performed film. There's a confidence in the storytelling (as somewhat conventional as it is - script is probably where this could have improved) that gives the actors plenty to work with AND show off their warrior potential, luckily leaving nobody behind- we understand these women and the stakes for them as individuals, as well as their community. Granted, its not a very complex tale, but it would have been easy for someone like Lashana Lynch's Izogie to have a few good scenes and then disappear - but nah, much like the rest of the cast, she's fully formed in a refreshing way where you could even imagine an entire film/story just about her journey. John Boyega also has a great supporting part as King Ghezo.

I'll give credit to the editing by Terilyn A. Shropshire as well - the action scenes aren't too long and give you a clear view of the hand-to-hand combat battles. Finally, Thuso Mbedu is a force. Her journey as Nawi had me believing and she acts against Viola Davis (naturally being great) with ease.

I'm shocked this only cost $50 million. If the budget was $100 million, I can only imagine how much more grand this would have been. But with a great cast like this and solid production, money was clearly well spent.

[Peng]

FYC Best Supporting Actress: Lashana Lynch. I've always liked her presence in MCU/Bond films, but given a more meaty role here she effortlessly becomes a first-rate scene-stealer, just pure movie star charisma [

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which makes her fate so much more devastating than I expected to feel going into this film, damn.

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