Don’t say Viola Davis can’t do anything, because she will continue to prove you wrong. At 56, the action star is another notch on the belt from the esteemed actor, who has won a Tony, an Emmy and an Oscar. Her performance in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s resounding epic “The Woman King,” with the sensational ensemble, is among the highlights of the Toronto Film Festival, which premiered the film on Friday night. It sounds like the “Gladiator” for black women, and what a nice surprise.
With the right messaging and awards campaign from Sony Pictures, the film may be one of many consumer-friendly titles seeking Oscar attention.
Davis is another name added to the long list of Best Actress contenders that already includes Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”), Cate Blanchett (“TÁR”) and Olivia Colman (“Empire of Light”), with d others waiting in the wings, like Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”). Davis is a four-time Oscar nominee, winning supporting actress for “Fences” (2016), and “The Woman King” is among her best efforts yet. Thuso Mbedu, blatantly snubbed for an Emmy for “The Underground Railroad”, shines in a co-lead performance. She’s aging hers with Davis and — depending on the category placement — deserves attention.
I can’t imagine a cast of supporting actresses that couldn’t find a place for Lashana Lynch as the scene-stealing Izogie, who serves as the film’s vessel for one-liners and some of its most soulful beats. She is the epitome of an exceptional supporting actress.
All the love also for John Boyega as King Ghezo and Sheila Atim as Amenza.
The technical mastery of Bythewood’s team of artisans is among the best blends of the year. Bow to the threads of costume designer Gersha Phillips, who gives warriors a part of their identity.
Terence Blanchard’s score throbs throughout, taking an original approach to fight sequences. After earning two names under Spike Lee (“BlacKkKlansman” and “Da 5 Bloods”), he could be heading for more recognition alongside another great black filmmaker.
Cinematographer Polly Morgan, a true rising star who showed her assets in films such as ‘Lucy in the Sky’ (2019) and ‘A Quiet Place Part II’ (2020), is shooting her best work yet .
Production design and editing are at your fingertips, along with make-up and sound.
Written by Dana Stevens, with story credit coming from producer Maria Bello, the screenplay brings the 19e century, the West African kingdom of Dahomey to life. That said, two narrative beats are awkward and somewhat stop the film in its tracks.
The management of Prince-Bythewood demands attention. The breadth and brevity of the film is an ongoing effort on his part, cementing his place among our most luxurious filmmakers. Prince-Bythewood has long been overlooked as one of our most dynamic and exciting female directors in the game, with only five feature films to her name – ‘Love & Basketball’ (2000), ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ (2008) , “Beyond the Lights” (2014), “The Old Guard” (2020) and now, “The Woman King”.
Your move, Academy. Don’t let it pass.