Based apparently on a true story, or at least on real events, Gina Prince-Bythewood's "The Woman King" is like a feminist 'Black Panther' but without the superheroes, a female action flic born out of the #metoo movement and probably the last thing you would have thought Viola Davis would have chosen as Oscar bait. It's certainly a gorgeous looking epic, very well directed by Prince-Bythewood though to a contemporary western audience it may take quite a suspension of disbelief that as late as the 19th century there existed in Africa a kingdom where women warriors basically ruled the roost.
You might also think "Spartacus" with a cast of all-female slaves and in truth this is much closer to the great sword-and-sandal epics of the past than to the current trend towards Marvel superheroes, the only difference being the leads are female and they kick ass as well as any man.
Davis, of course, is excellent and there's first-rate support from Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim and Thuso Mbedu while John Boyega continues to impress as the male king. There's also a fine script, (this is an intelligent crowd-pleaser), chock full of great action sequences. It has, in other words, universal appeal.
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