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With: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, John Boyega, Adrienne Warren, Jordan Bolger, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Jimmy Odukoya
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Written by: Dana Stevens, based on a story by Maria Bello, Dana Stevens
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Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing material, thematic content, brief language and partial nudity
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Running Time: 135
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Date: 09/16/2022
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Blades of Freedom
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
It opens with a huge exposition dump, read by a narrator, and it's not long before ploddingly serious, chunky dialogue kicks in, often with more exposition. The first scene is a battle, with characters using blades and martial arts against each other before we even know who they are. Every single beat of the plot is creaky and familiar, and if it had been a story about white people, it would have been a snore. But we have rarely, if ever, seen a movie quite like this one about powerful Black women, and the energy onscreen is infectious. The actors are jumping at this chance. Viola Davis is ferocious, and beautiful, as Nanisca, the warrior in charge, weariness in her voice and battle scars on her body. Nawi (Thuso Mbedu) is the rebellious young recruit, breaking the rules, but saving the day. And John Boyega is the arrogant king of Dahomey. The story has our heroes fighting evil slavers, although there's one half-white and half-Dahomey character who has a conscience (and looks great without a shirt). So, yes, The Woman King is often silly — it's far less sophisticated than Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — but so long as it has the power to make audiences whoop and holler and dance, it has a place in the world.
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