2020-2029, Film Review

The Woman King (2022)

Posted on December 31, 2022 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Sony Pictures Releasing, TriStar Pictures, eOne and TSG Entertainment**

The Woman King – Film Review

Cast: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, John Boyega

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Synopsis: A group of all-female warriors in a West African kingdom seek to protect and defend their lands from enemy outsiders…

Review: The subject of history is an endlessly fascinating one as it enables us to revisit specific periods of the past and learn about a plethora of different cultures and civilisations that have existed throughout the centuries human life has existed on this planet. Indeed, one of the many wondrous aspects of films is they can shine a spotlight on these civilisations and bring them to life in such a rich, beautiful and meaningful manner. While some societies have been covered more than others, there are others who have not been talked about as much as they should be. This is precisely what this enthralling historical epic from Gina Prince-Bythewood does, by shining a light on an incredibly fierce troop of all-female warriors, the Agojie.

Set in the Kingdom of Dahomey, West Africa, General Nanisca (Davis) is the commander of the Agojie, an all-female elite troop of warriors who are sworn to protect the Kingdom from enemy forces that wish to conquer them, most notably the Oyo Empire. Nanisca is seeking capable warriors from the next generation to join this prestigious arm and to prepare their people for the defence of their homeland. Seeking to prove herself worthy to be a part of this elite group of warriors is Nawi (Mbedu) who is determined to prove herself after being shunned by her family for refusing to be married off to suitors chosen by her father. Her ambition and relentless determination capture Nanisca’s and, and Igozie’s (Lynch) attention, the latter of whom resolves to provide Nawi with the tutelage she will need to succeed in her aim to become part of the Agojie and successfully defend their land.

Having a historical epic like this being led by a predominantly black, female cast is a hugely significant moment for these types of big-budget blockbusters, the importance of representation and giving a platform for filmmakers to tell stories from the perspective of these civilisations cannot be overstated. The screenplay from Dana Stevens tackles first and foremost, female empowerment and the sheer intensity and skill of the Agojie on the battlefield. However, it also drives the significance of home, a family and a vibrant community which would enable a new recruit to rise through the ranks and take her place as part of the Agojie, who served as the inspiration for the Dora Milaje from Black Panther. In addition, the film crucially does not shy away from the part the Dahomey Kingdom had in the slave trade.

To be the leader of the kingdom’s all-powerful group of female warriors, you need an actor who brings a commanding screen presence every time she steps in front of a camera. Someone who has the aura of someone you would dare not cross or talk back to, and Viola Davis brings both those qualities in abundance. Nanisca is the exact sort of leader you want to have on the front line of the battlefield. However, there is far more to Nanisca’s character than being the commander of the Kingsguard, there’s a very personal element to her story which comes to the fore when she meets Nawi. To be tasked to act alongside a legend of the industry like Davis is far from an easy feat. However, Mbedu rises to the challenge in spectacular fashion, a feat all the more impressive considering this is her feature film debut. Lashana Lynch’s career is going from strength to strength and she gives perhaps the performance of her career thus far, being the warrior to take Nawi under her wing and offer invaluable advice, while John Boyega is the perfect combination of gravitas and a surprising amount of humour with his role as King Ghezo.

Through all of the moving exploration of the community of the Agojie and the powerful bond between all of these amazing and brave warriors, under Prince-Bythewood’s soaring direction, the battle scenes are immaculately helmed and enthralling to watch. There is one minor side plot with a romance between Nawi and a man who is travelling with a group of slave traders which is not properly developed and could have easily been cut out from the final cut, but it is not enough to drag the film down. Historical epics have rarely been told from the perspectives of black women, and showcasing these extraordinary warriors deserves to be celebrated and championed.

Through its extraordinary ensemble cast, led by Viola Davis, The Woman King delivers emotionally resonant themes of female empowerment combined with enthralling action scenes that will have you bowing down in awe.

2020-2029, Film Review

No Time To Die (2021)

Posted on October 8, 2021October 8, 2021 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Eon Productions**

No Time To Die – Film Review

Cast: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ana de Armas, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Synopsis: After spending time living a peaceful, retired life, James Bond is brought back to the world of assassins and espionage when an old friend approaches him to request his help for a new mission…

Review: It has been a difficult journey for the 25th instalment of the James Bond franchise to make its way to the big screen. A planned November 2019 release date that never materialised due to creative differences, which led to initial director Danny Boyle to depart the project. The injury that star Daniel Craig suffered during its production. All of which were compounded by the multiple enforced delays to its planned release due to the COVID pandemic. It was beginning to feel like there was an unbreakable curse on this film, that would prevent it from ever seeing the light of a big cinema screen. For a film that was marketed as Daniel Craig’s final bow in this role, it has been an agonising wait for it to finally be unveiled to the public. Now at last, Craig’s Bond takes aim at his final mission, and it was worth the wait.

Following on from the events of Spectre, Bond and Madeleine (Seydoux) are living a peaceful, quiet life in picturesque Italy. However, it isn’t long before their romantic bubble is burst when some startling revelations about the past are uncovered, which threatens to tear their relationship apart. Determined to find some answers, Bond teams up with old ally Felix Leiter (Wright) who approaches Bond for his help with a mission that leads back to some familiar faces, whilst uncovering a deadly plot at the hands of the villainous Safin (Malek), that threatens to unleash global destruction.

For a time, it was very uncertain whether Craig would continue in the role due to some infamous comments that he once made when asked if he would return to the role. Right throughout his tenure, Craig has always thrown everything he’s got into the role, and it is fitting that his final turn as this iconic character is possibly his best performance. He’s a character who has been on quite the journey since we first met him back in Casino Royale. While he often exhibits the cold and stoic persona that would be demanded of a paid assassin, there is a substantial amount of emotion to his final portrayal of this character. Of the new cast members, the standout is easily Lashana Lynch’s Nomi, a new double 0 agent that Bond must work with on this mission. Ana de Armas as the CIA agent Paloma that Bond also teams up is also another delightful addition to this cast. Given that they worked together to wonderful effect in Knives Out, the chemistry between de Armas and Craig is perfect. Frustratingly, she’s given a scarce amount of screen time.

Following the tragic fate of Vesper Lynd, it would have seemed unlikely that any other woman would capture Bond’s heart. Yet, following on from her introduction in the previous film, Lea Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann proved otherwise, given it was her that prompted Bond’s decision to retire from the life of a double 0-agent. Her performance, and the relationship that she shares with Bond here very much represents the heart of the film. There’s been no shortage of memorable women in the history of this franchise, and when looking back at this era of the Bond franchise, it will be hard not to recognise her as one of the more noteworthy Bond ladies. While Craig and Seydoux are the heart and soul of the film, it would not be a Bond film without the supporting cast. The familiar faces of Naomie Harris’s Moneypenny, Ralph Fiennes as M, and especially Ben Whishaw’s Q are all once again excellent.

The Craig era has introduced us to some of the most iconic villains, from Le Chiffre and Silva in Casino and Skyfall respectively, Malek’s Safin is not quite as memorable as the aforementioned villains. Nevertheless, he is a calm, methodical antagonist who proves to be more than a match for 007. While he was not the first choice for the director’s gig, Cary Fukunaga proved to be the perfect director for the task of giving Craig’s Bond the send off that he deserved. Craig’s Bond era has set the benchmark for gripping opening action scenes. From the enthralling opening action scene, to every action scene that the film packs into is run time, there’s a grittiness and intensity that is consistent throughout all of the action that gets the adrenaline pumping, aided by an excellent score from the maestro that is Hans Zimmer.

At 2 hours and 43 minutes, this is the longest film in the franchise’s history. Fukunaga worked on the script alongside franchise regulars Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. As such, the film is filled with everything you have come to expect from a Bond film, as well as one of the best one-liners in this franchise’s history. One suspects that could be down to the script polishes that came courtesy of Phoebe Waller-Bridge. However, that run time does feel overly long as the film does suffer from pacing issues in a handful of places. The James Bond franchise is one that has endured over multiple decades and with five films across nearly 15 years in this role, Daniel Craig bows out of this franchise with a legacy that will live forever.

The expectations were enormous, and after an agonisingly long wait, Craig’s final bow has met those expectations in an enthralling and stylish manner. A fitting send off for one of the best actors to ever don Bond’s tuxedo.

2010-2019, Film Review

Captain Marvel (2019)

Posted on March 9, 2019March 9, 2019 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Captain Marvel – Film Review

Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, Jude Law

Directors: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck

Synopsis: Whilst training on the alien homeworld of the Kree, a soldier has flashbacks of what she believes was her past life on Earth. With the threat of an alien invasion, she tries to piece together her memories whilst stopping the incoming attack…

Review: For all the might of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its powerful array of characters, there has been one thing really missing from its roster. While the universe has seen plenty of powerful and inspiring women, it never had a female led film. This has all changed with the introduction of Captain Marvel, and though it has been a long time coming, this heroine makes quite the entrance, and she might just be the most powerful of them all.

Our titular hero is training on an alien planet belonging to the Kree (the race of Ronan the Accuser from Guardians of the Galaxy) with no knowledge of her past. Whilst on a mission, led by Jude Law’s Kree general to retrieve something of critical importance, she becomes caught in the crossfire of a war being waged by two alien species. Through a sequence of events, she arrives on Earth in the 90s, which coincides with one of those hostile alien races infiltrating the planet.

One thing that any superhero film has got to get right is the casting for its main hero, and with an actress of Brie Larson’s immense talents, Marvel once again got their casting spot on. Larson gives Captain Marvel personality and depth, and she is a hero you definitely want to root for. As with any hero, she has moments of vulnerability but, she takes those head on and become the hero, which is just so satisfying. Though he might be de-aged Samuel L Jackson is once again extremely entertaining as Nick Fury. With the film being set before he became the gruff eye-patched badass we know and love, he is able to get out and about and not glare menacingly at people. Also, yes that little ball of fur AKA Goose the Cat is the purrrrrfect (sorry) little companion.

It is extremely positive to see, at long last, a MCU film directed by a woman. Furthermore, Boden and Geneva Robertson-Dworet become only the second and third women to receive writing credits. The screenplay wastes no time putting the audience right in the picture from the word go, but its not without its problems. It does wobble in one or two places, most notably the second act. The pace comes to a sharp halt, as it strives to weave some extremely relevant political subtext into the story. Admirable as this may be, it doesn’t quite flow as seamlessly as it could do. With this being the 21st film in this universe, it is difficult for the filmmakers to make something that really stands out from the rest. There’s nothing on the magnitude of say one Mad Titan snapping his fingers and half the population turning to dust.

However, this isn’t to say that the action Boden and Fleck give us isn’t extremely entertaining. It is exhilarating, especially once we hit the third act and Captain Marvel has acquired her stripes, accompanied by a glorious 90s soundtrack. The arrival of Captain Marvel brings a new dimension to the MCU that opens up an array of possibilities for the future of the franchise, that will hopefully have more female heroes front and centre.