Overview
A fierce battle for freedom and identity unfolds in the heart of Africa.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- fierce
- uplifting
- cathartic
- action movie night
- historical film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a crowd-pleasing historical action epic driven by Viola Davis and Thuso Mbedu's performances, dynamic choreography, and emotional scale, while finding the script less consistent.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Nanisca commands the all-woman Agojie while Nawi and Izogie occupy major heroic roles.
Dahomey's political and economic relationship to the slave trade complicates its resistance to outside threats.
The Agojie's training and battles are presented through expansive, highly choreographed action sequences.
Nanisca's relationship with the headstrong Nawi develops through training, conflict, and shared emotional recognition.
Films like The Woman King, and why
Gladiator
shared historical action epic scale, warrior protagonists, and emotionally charged themes of leadership and resistance
Braveheart
shared battle-heavy historical spectacle, personal redemption, and crowd-pleasing heroic drama
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
shared women-centered action, military training, and themes of solidarity against patriarchal power
Black Panther
shared African historical setting, anticolonial themes, and sweeping ensemble action drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Gina Prince-Bythewood
- Release Date
- 2022-09-16
- Runtime
- 135 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (2432)
Cast
- Viola Davis
- Thuso Mbedu
- Lashana Lynch
- Sheila Atim
- John Boyega
- Jordan Bolger
- Hero Fiennes Tiffin
- Jimmy Odukoya
- Masali Baduza
- Jayme Lawson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube TV, FXNow
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Woman King about?
- A fierce historical action epic follows Dahomey's all-woman Agojie as warrior general Nanisca prepares her troops to defend their kingdom amid rival armies and the brutal politics of the slave trade.
- What is The Woman King like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Woman King as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Woman King violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Woman King as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Woman King?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a crowd-pleasing historical action epic driven by Viola Davis and Thuso Mbedu's performances, dynamic choreography, and emotional scale, while finding the script less consistent.
- Which films are like The Woman King?
- Films with a similar feel include Gladiator, Braveheart, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Black Panther.
- How long is The Woman King?
- The Woman King runs 135 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Woman King?
- In United States, The Woman King streams on Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube TV, FXNow.
