It’s been a while since the war epic The Women King debuted in theaters, but this week Prime Video subscribers showed up to clarify that some of the highest-rated titles tend to resurface from time to time. The film peaked at No. 8 on the streaming platform over two years after its initial release, and some viewers are only now learning about the true story of General Nanisca (Viola Davis) and the Agojie — the exclusively female warrior unit that Black Panther Dora, Milaje.

The Women King is a masterpiece. The epic blockbuster is the first of its kind to feature women in the lead roles – both in front of and behind the camera. The story tells the story of the education and daily activities of the Agojie, girls who undergo rigorous training to grow into fierce warriors who protect the West African kingdom of Dahomey. The story is set in the early 1900s, and director Gina Prince-Bythewood had to make a miracle out of the 50 million dollar budget to The Women King feel and look like the epic blockbuster we see on the screen.

The film was extremely popular with both critics and non-critics. The audience rating of The Women King on Rotten Tomatoes is at a whopping 99%, suggesting that audiences have responded very well to it. The film’s popularity on Prime Video underscores that response, and the film has a chance to gain another wave of fans as people research its story and delve into its fantastical world – and also discover any controversies surrounding the historical events depicted in the film.

Why is The Women King So popular at the moment?

One of the elements that attracted viewers was the presence of Viola Davis in the lead role. The Oscar winner is one of the most popular actresses in the world. She was recently in Air And The Hunger Games – The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. In addition to Davis, the cast also includes incredible talents such as Lashana Lynch (The miracles), Johannes Boyega (They cloned Tyrone), Thuso Mbedu (The Underground Railroad), Sheila Atim (All dirt roads taste of salt) And Hero Fiennes Tiffin (After Trilogy). The screenplay was written by the well-known actor Maria Bello (NCIS: Secret Service Stories) And What about Brian? Creator Daniela Stevens.

Davis’ performance was one of the most praised aspects of The Women Kingbut critics also highlighted that the film was a “vibrant, restorative celebration of black womanhood in all its glory” (Clarisse Loughrey out of Independent) and that the film “features impressive fight scenes that are athletic but realistic” (Tim Grierson out of Screen daily).

You can stream The Women King Now.

The Women King

The Woman King is a historical action/drama film about the Kingdom of Dahomey, a powerful nation with an elite force called the Agojie. The main events revolve around Nanisca, general of an all-female military unit, and Nawi, an ambitious recruit, who fight together against enemies who have violated their honor, enslaved their people, and threatened to destroy everything they lived for. Nanisca prepares her soldiers for a war against the Oyo, another nation allied with a group of European slave traders. In addition, Nanisca seeks to free her enslaved people from the Oyo.

Release date

16 September 2022

Duration

135 minutes