Is The Woman King woke?
The Woman King (2022)
Movie
Released: January 1, 2022
Wokeness Score
8/10
Strongly Ideological
Woke messaging is very prominent and often feels forced or shoehorned in. Characters and plot are primarily shaped to serve the ideology. Many viewers feel the agenda overshadows the entertainment.
Key Summary Points
- Emphasizes all-female warriors as symbols of empowerment and resistance to patriarchy.
- Downplays Dahomey's historical role in the slave trade to portray kingdom as victims.
- Centers Black female agency and sisterhood as core narrative drivers.
Wokeness Analysis
The Woman King centers the Agojie, an all-female warrior regiment in the Kingdom of Dahomey, as empowered Black women resisting oppression and fighting for autonomy in 1823 West Africa. The narrative heavily emphasizes female strength, sisterhood, and defiance against patriarchal traditions, with characters like General Nanisca embodying modern ideals of leadership and resilience. While the film includes some acknowledgment of the slave trade, it reframes Dahomey's role by portraying the kingdom as primarily defending against external slavers rather than actively participating as a major supplier in the Atlantic trade, which historical records confirm was central to their economy and warfare. This selective depiction serves to elevate the protagonists as moral defenders. Themes of gender empowerment, anti-colonial resistance, and celebration of non-Western female agency dominate the story, often at the expense of historical nuance. Conservative critiques highlight how the film glorifies a slave-trading society while pushing progressive messaging on women's power and racial representation. The plot prioritizes ideological messaging about marginalized groups overcoming systemic barriers over straightforward historical storytelling, making characters and conflicts vehicles for social commentary on feminism and identity.
Plot
Set in the West African Kingdom of Dahomey in 1823, The Woman King follows General Nanisca, leader of the elite all-female Agojie warriors, as she trains a new generation including the defiant Nawi. The story depicts their battles against the Oyo Empire, efforts to protect women from abduction, and internal kingdom politics under King Ghezo. Inspired by true events, the film blends intense action sequences with personal dramas of loyalty, trauma, and identity while highlighting the warriors' fierce skills and unbreakable bonds.