Fuck, and I cannot emphasize this enough, yeah. Fuck! Yeah! FUCK YEAH, THE WOMAN KING! Like has a movie matched a collective mood more than this? Viola Davis, absolutely ripped and glistening, kicking the shit out of colonizers and defending her kingdom against patriarchal overlords. As I said, FUCK YEAH!
Honestly, my initial visceral reaction might seem like overkill. But the more I learn about this movie — and the more I watch the trailer — the more excited I get. Because this movie is based on a real-life band of extraordinary all-female warriors, the Agojie.
These women warriors, often referred to as Amazons, helped to defend the West African kingdom Dahomey (now present-day Benin) from the 17th to 19th Centuries. They were the inspiration for the all-female King’s Guard in “Black Panther” and generally just kickass despite being relegated to the footnotes (if that) of most history books.
So, that alone would be something to get excited about. But the look of this thing, and particularly Viola? Like, I know we all got a little excited when we saw Natalie Portman’s new Thor arms. But I definitely know who I’d pick in a fight, and it ain’t the former Black Swan.
And, if that wasn’t enough, this movie is packed with talent in front of and behind the camera. Viola, of course. But then there’s also Lashana Lynch (a.k.a. Maria Rambeau/Mrs. Captain Marvel) and directed/co-written by Gina Prince-Bythewood (the directing genius behind “Love & Basketball” and “The Old Guard”). And did you know this whole thing started when Maria Bello (yes, that Maria Bello) pitched Viola at an award presentation?
As I was saying, fuck yeah. Hurry up, September. We need a hero, and we can’t wait to meet her. I genuinely cannot get enough of yoked Viola. Fuck. Yeah.
Tomorrow. Agojie!… #TheWomanKingpic.twitter.com/8gXKCZhl3K
— Gina Prince-Bythewood (@GPBmadeit) July 5, 2022