The Woman King (2022) Review : Mirror of Unity in Diversity

 

Work Identity

Title: The Woman King

Genre: Laga, Drama

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Producer: Cathy Schulman, Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Maria Bello

Writer: Maria Bello, Dana Stevens

Cinematography: Polly Morgan

Starring: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, John Boyega

Production companies: TriStar Pictures, Entertainment One, TSG Entertainment II, JuVee Productions, Welle Entertainment

Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing

Release date: 9 September 2022 (TIFF); 16 September 2022 (United States); 5 Oktober 2022 (Indonesia); 

Duration: 135 minutes (2 hours 15 minutes)

The Woman King (2022) is a film directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and written by Dana Stevens and Maria Bello. The film won the major best film award from the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) Best Films of 2022 and placed fourth on the American Film Institute (AFI)'s 10 Movies of the Year. The film is set in the 1820's Africa. To be more precise, the Kingdom of Dahomey, a kingdom that once actually stood there, has now become the country of Benin.

This film tells the story of Agojie, a troop of female warriors from the Dahomey Kingdom who fight against national slavery. Agojie, honored warriors whose strength is feared throughout Africa. The legendary troop is headed by Nanisca, the Miganon.

Nawi, the main character of this film, is a tough and stubborn girl. Since childhood, she had always wanted to become an Agojie member. She really dreamed herself to be one of the women who stood strong at the forefront of Dahomey. However, expectations will never be a reality.

When Nawi returned home, she found herself being betrothed to a rich merchant by his parents. Of course she balked at their plan, which earned her a slap on cheek. Because of the rejection, her father became enraged and dragged Nawi to the Dahomey Kingdom's palace. "Go to war then. You will understand what pain is," said the father.

Nawi underwent rigorous military training there along with other new Agojie members. The obstinate girl eventually realized the significance of following the rules and what a pain actually meant. Nawi even discovered her dearest buddies in this same female soldier environment. Including Izogie, one of the Agojie veterans, who, although ignorant, continues to support Nawi's development. 

Meanwhile, out there Oba Ade and his Oyo warriors were still roaming around. The Oyo Empire was a large nation that was Dahomey's main opponent, with their side constantly demanding absurd amounts of tribute, if not for slaves by the Dahomey Kingdom.

In the midst of their process releasing Dahomey from slavery, Oyo was still haunting Dahomey with their tribute requests. They demanded 40 female Agojie slaves, but the King of Dahomey only offered to provide 20. The Agojie personels were sent there with the plan to destroy Oyo's slave trading port.

When the riots started, Santo Ferreira, one of the Portuguese agents for the slave trade in Africa, panicked. His efforts to ship the African slaves to Portugal kept him quite busy. He wasn't even aware that his (now former) colleague, Malik, who finally sided with Dahomey, had betrayed him. 

Nanisca's daring move, which ultimately enabled her to exact her personal retribution against Oba Ade, brought an end to the war that raged last night. The Agojie were greeted with applause at the victory party and Nanisca's inauguration as Woman King when they arrived back in Dahomey.

Scenes that depict the relationships of fellow Agojie help us understand what solidarity is. Their tale absolutely twisted my emotions inside out. The scene where Nawi and Izogie are in one frame, even when they are only talking, is, in my opinion, the most memorable scene in this movie. The chemistry is excellent beyond belief! I enjoy seeing Izogie's character, who is like Nawi's big sister.

My favorite dialogue in this film is where King Ghezo said, "The Europeans and the Americans have seen if you want to hold a people in chains, one must first convince them that they are meant to be bound. We joined them in becoming our own oppressor. But no more. No more. We are a warrior people! And there is power in our mind, in our unity, in our culture. If we understand that power, we will be limitless. My people, this is a vision I will lead. It is a vision that is shared."

You can learn leadership, tolerance and humility from Nanisca's personality. Some of her subordinates came from other African countries, but she considered them all equal. There is neither low nor high. All the same. Ultimately, it comes down to how you treat each other. 

The Woman King (2022)'s downside is that it has multiple plot holes and a dangling ending. Malik, a Dahomean mulatto of Portuguese descent, played a major role in the one-night standoff. He took part in brawls and sailed on Santo Ferreira with African slaves. But where did he go after that? After this scene, suddenly it jumped to Nanisca's coronation scene. Malik is nowhere to be seen! 

Did he then become a citizen of Dahomey, or did he return to Portugal after dawn? Or did he join other white slave traders, where did the European slave traders go? Did they manage to escape to their home country? Or are they burning with their business glory? Or are they hiding somewhere in Africa? These things are still a mystery to me. 

It's not historically accurate, but it doesn't make the movie a bad movie. Historical facts aside, I think this movie is really well put together. The acting of the actors, the action scenes and the cinematography are excellent. Also, the action scenes are well-choreographed so that it didn't looked awkward at all. Overall, this movie is very interesting to watch. Don't waste your time. 

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Resensi Film The Woman King (2022): Cermin Persatuan dalam Keberagaman Golongan

Identitas Karya

Judul Film: The Woman King

Genre: Laga, Drama

Sutradara: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Produser: Cathy Schulman, Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Maria Bello

Penulis: Maria Bello, Dana Stevens

Sinematografis: Polly Morgan

Pemeran: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, John Boyega

Perusahaan produksi: TriStar Pictures, Entertainment One, TSG Entertainment II, JuVee Productions, Welle Entertainment

Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing

Tanggal rilis: 9 September 2022 (TIFF); 16 September 2022 (Amerika Serikat); 5 Oktober 2022 (Indonesia); 

Durasi: 135 menit (2 jam 15 menit)

The Woman King (2022) adalah sebuah film yang disutradarai oleh Gina Prince-Bythewood dan ditulis oleh Dana Stevens dan Maria Bello. Film ini menyabet penghargaan film terbaik utama versi African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) dan mendapat posisi keempat di 10 Film Terbaik Tahun Ini versi American Film Institute (AFI). Film ini berlatarkan pada tahun 1820an di benua Afrika. Lebih tepatnya Kerajaan Dahomey, kerajaan yang pernah berdiri sungguhan di sana, dan kini telah menjadi negara Benin.

Sinopsis

Film ini mengisahkan tentang Agojie, pasukan prajurit wanita dari Kerajaan Dahomey yang melawan perbudakan bangsa. Agojie, prajurit-prajurit terhormat yang kekuatannya ditakuti seluruh Afrika. Pasukan legendaris itu berketuakan Nanisca, sang Miganon.  

Nawi, tokoh utama film ini, adalah seorang gadis yang ulet dan keras kepala. Sedari kecil, ia telah berkeinginan menjadi seorang personel Agojie. Begitu ingin dirinya menjadi salah satu wanita yang berdiri tangguh di garis terdepan Dahomey. Akan tetapi, ekspektasi memang tak seindah kenyataan. 

Ketika Nawi pulang ke rumah, ia mendapati dirinya sendiri akan dijodohkan dengan sesosok saudagar kaya oleh orang tuanya. Tentu ia menolak keras rencana mereka, yang lalu membuatnya dihadiahi bekas cap tangan di pipinya. Karena sikap penolakannya, sang Ayah menjadi murka dan menyeret Nawi ke istana Kerajaan Dahomey. "Kalau begitu, pergilah sana ke medan perang. Kau akan tahu, apa sebenarnya arti penderitaan itu," begitu ujar sang Ayah.

Di sana, Nawi mendapatkan pelatihan militer yang alot, sebagaimana para calon personel Agojie lainnya. Sosok gadis kepala batu itu lama-kelamaan mengerti, apa arti sesungguhnya luka, serta apa pentingnya mematuhi aturan. Di lingkungan prajurit wanita tersebut, Nawi bahkan mendapatkan sobat-sobat karibnya. Termasuk Izogie, salah satu veteran Agojie, yang meski jahil, tetapi terus mendukung perkembangan Nawi.

Sementara itu, di luar sana ada Oba Ade dan para prajurit Oyo-nya yang berkeliaran. Kekaisaran Oyo adalah sebuah negara besar yang menjadi lawan utama Dahomey, dengan pihak mereka yang terus meminta upeti berjumlah tak masuk akal jika tidak diberikan budak oleh Kerajaan Dahomey.

Kepala negara Kerajaan Dahomey, Raja Ghezo, baru-baru ini berpikir untuk memutus lingkaran setan perbudakan itu, kendati permintaan budak dari Portugis yang terus membuncah. Di tengah proses pelepasan Dahomey dari jeratan perbudakan, Oyo masih terus menagih upeti budak kepada Dahomey. Mereka meminta 40 budak wanita-wanita Agojie, yang tetapi ditawar menjadi 20 oleh sang Raja Dahomey. Tentu saja, mereka dibawa ke sana dengan berbekal strategi penghancuran pelabuhan bisnis budak milik Oyo.

Santo Ferreira, salah seorang perwakilan Portugis untuk bisnis perbudakan bangsa Afrika, panik kocar-kacir saat kerusuhan mulai terjadi. Ia begitu sibuk dengan usahanya memboyong budak-budak Afrika untuk berlayar balik ke Portugis. Sampai-sampai tak sadar dirinya telah dikhianati mantan rekannya, Malik, yang pada akhirnya memihak kepada Dahomey.

Perang semalam itu ditutup oleh aksi mendebarkan Nanisca yang akhirinya berhasil membalaskan dendam pribadinya kepada Oba Ade. Dan saat mereka kembali ke Dahomey, para Agojie itu disambut oleh sorak sorai pesta kemenangan serta penobatan Nanisca sebagai sang Raja Wanita.

Evaluasi

Kelebihan

Lewat adegan-adegan yang menampilkan hubungan antara sesama Agojie, kita bisa belajar apa arti dari kesetiakawanan. Kisah mereka benar-benar membuat emosi saya berjumpalitan.

Menurut saya sendiri, adegan paling berkesan di film ini adalah momen di mana Nawi dan Izogie satu frame, bahkan saat mereka sekadar bercakap-cakap. Chemistrynya itu loh, dapet banget! Saya suka melihat gelagat tokoh Izogie yang seperti seorang Kakak bagi Nawi.

Adapun dialog favorit saya di film ini adalah, sebagaimana mengutip dari sang Raja Dahomey, Ghezo, “Bangsa Eropa dan Amerika telah menunjukkan, jika Anda ingin merantai orang, pertama-tama seseorang harus meyakinkan mereka bahwa mereka ditakdirkan untuk diikat. Kita pernah bergabung dengan mereka untuk menjadi penindas bangsa kita sendiri. Namun, kini tidak lagi. Tidak lagi. Kita adalah pejuang! Dan ada kekuatan dalam pikiran kita, dalam kesatuan kita, dalam budaya kita. Jika kita memahami kekuatan itu, kita tidak akan terbatas. Rakyatku, ini adalah visi yang akan Aku pimpin. Ini adalah visi yang kita miliki bersama.”

Dan dari karakter Nanisca, kita bisa belajar tentang kepemimpinan, toleransi, dan rendah hati. Meskipun ada bawahannya yang berasal dari negeri-negeri Afrika lain, ia menganggap mereka semua sama. Tidak ada yang lebih rendah, maupun lebih tinggi; semuanya sama.

Pada akhirnya, ini semua berujung ke tentang bagaimana kita saling menerima satu sama lain.

Kekurangan

Sementara itu, kekurangan dari film The Woman King (2022) ini adalah adanya beberapa plot hole dan ending yang menggantung. Malik, si blasteran Portugis-Dahomey, ikut andil cukup besar dalam peperangan satu malam itu. Dia ikut membabakbelur dan melayarkan Santo Ferreira bersama para budak Afrika. Akan tetapi, ke manakah ia pergi setelahnya? Setelah adegan itu, tetiba langsung loncat ke adegan penobatan Nanisca. Tak ada Malik di sana! 

Apakah ia lantas menjadi warga Dahomey? Ataukah dia ikut pulang ke Portugis setelah fajar menyingsing? Ataukah dia ikut dengan para bule pengelola bisnis perbudakan lain? Kemudian, ke manakah para pedagang budak dari Eropa itu pergi? Apakah mereka berhasil kabur ke negara asal? Ataukah mereka terhangus bersama kejayaan bisnis mereka? Ataukah justru mereka bersembunyi di suatu tempat di Afrika? Hal-hal tersebut masih menjadi misteri di benak saya.

Meskipun tidak akurat secara historis, tak menjadikan film ini film yang jelek. Jika mengesampingkan fakta dalam sejarah, film ini benar-benar dikemas secara apik, menurut saya. Akting para pemain, adegan aksi, dan sinematografinya yang sangat fantastis. Apalagi adegan-adegan aksinya yang dikoreografi dengan begitu baik, sehingga tak terlihat kaku sama sekali. Secara keseluruhan, film ini benar-benar menarik ditonton. Sungguh, tidak membuang waktu kalian.

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Ophelia (2018) Honest Review: An Awkward Hamlet Reimagining

OPHELIA (2018) Honest Review:

An Awkward Hamlet Reimagining

Work Identity 

Movie Title: Ophelia 

Film Type: Historical, romance, drama 

Director: Claire McCarthy 

Producers: Daniel Bobker, Sarah Curtis, Ehren Kruger, Paul Hanson 

Author: Semi Chellas 

Cast: Daisy Ridley, Naomi Watts, Clive Owen, George MacKay, Tom Felton, Devon Terrell 

Release Date: January 22, 2018 (Sundance) ; June 28, 2019 (United States) ; 22 November 2019 (United Kingdom) 

Duration: 107 minutes

Review

Ophelia (2018), is a Netflix movie directed by Claire McCarthy. The movie is adapted from William Shakespeare’s legendary play, Hamlet, that is set in the 14th century Denmark. Although actually, Ophelia, a young adult historical fiction novel by Lisa Klein, is the source material for this movie. It stars Daisy Ridley as the lead role alongside Naomi Watts, Clive Owen, George MacKay, Tom Felton, Devon Terrell, and Dominic Mafham.

Ophelia (2018) has 6,5/10 review in IMDb, which is not that bad for a Netflix produced movie. And that is the reason I’m curious to watch and review this movie. 

Ophelia (2018) is an another reimagine of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, originally written by Lisa Klein. Told in the lenses of Ophelia.

The story begins with the appearance of Ophelia, who is the daughter of Polonius, the Danish King’s chief counchillor. One day, she appeared at a palace banquet with all her free-spirited, determination, and ambition self. At the same time, she has won the Queen, Gertrude’s favor. Ophelia thereby became the Queen's preferred lady in waiting. Nevertheless, the other ladies make fun of her lack of nobility. 

She spent her childhood there, where she also developed feelings for Prince Hamlet, the lone son of the Queen. Prince Hamlet soon begins courting Ophelia upon his return from Wittenberg, but their blossoming romance is cut short when Hamlet returns to Wittenberg to continue his studies. At the same time, Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius begins to enamour Gertrude. When Hamlet returns to find that his father is dead and his uncle has claimed the throne, she becomes a threat, especially when she and Hamlet are aligned.

In the middle of the kingdom's own political intrigue and betrayal and as it stands on the verge of war, a passionate, hidden romance blossoms between the two. Ophelia deftly navigates the rules of power in Denmark while battling to choose between her true love and her own life after Hamlet's father is killed and the prince's wits begin to unravel into an unquenchable quest for vengeance.

Unlike the original drama, where Ophelia was known as an innocent, pure, typical weak female character. A tragic figure in a tragic play. In Ophelia (2018), she is now the role with the strongest characterization. Strong, as in her stronger personality and the way her character is told. In this version of Hamlet, she is not the helpless girl driven to madness and likely drown herself by a lover’s rejection.

The film presents many of the flaws common to recent historical dramas, such as canned childhood montages and unnuanced conflicts of patriarchy.

As I have mentioned, this movie, in my opinion, tends to overemphasize the independence of women, non-befitting it’s own spatial setting. And this movie's liberal worldview, which serves as its main garnish, comes out as being too forced. Like, for example: Every chance she gets, Ophelia will bring up women's rights. On the other hand, Hamlet frequently expresses his “retarded” thoughts about women and does so each time he sees Ophelia. I'm sure his acting out was a result of his unstable mother. Being a female myself, it’s not like that I'm opposed to that idea. Those parts are weird to watch due to the poor execution, though. What a pity, bad execution makes those scenes disastrous — bizarre to look at.

Although this emancipation is not perfectly carried out, the movie is nonetheless very pleasant and, despite its imperfections, Ophelia (2018) poses several intriguing story-related issues. While you're watching, the characters look more hollow and lackluster, and the teenage romance seems to be turning the show into a soap opera. 

Daisy Ridley's performance holds the film together in moments when the story gets unsettled. She plays Ophelia with just the right mix of spontaneity and power, certainly stabilizing the volatile script. If her acting was not that good, this movie could have been a complete waste of time. 

When it finally reaches the finale, the ending quickly became my most favourite scene in the entire film. It was an epic scene, in my opinion. I like where after Hamlet died after his sword duel with Laertes, Ophelia's brother. Seeing her son's death right before her eyes, Gertrude, who was filled with grief and rage, spontaneously stabbed Claudius in the heart. Not long after, Laertes also fell. And when the Norwegian troops came to invade, the war quickly ensued, soon many corpses lay strewn. Until finally, only Gertrude who then drank poison was left.

Beyond that, however, there is one aspect of Ophelia (2018) that I can definitely praise about: the soundtracks. This movie's soundtracks are incredibly melodic and ear-pleasing. Absolutely worth to listen. You can listen to the songs through the music streaming program, anytime, anywhere.

Ultimately, Ophelia (2018) is still an enjoyable movie to watch while relaxing in your free time. This movie isn't for you if you're a big critic of difference and uniqueness. Nor if you’re a fan of histories like me. Nonetheless, do watch it while enjoying the beautiful scenery, story, and music in every way!

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