The Woman King (2022) – Is it OK for kids? Age 13+

Movie details

Genres: Action, Drama, History
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Main cast: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, John Boyega
Country / region: Canada, United States of America
Original language: en
Premiere: 2022-09-16

Story overview

The Woman King is a historical action drama set in the 1800s in West Africa. It tells the story of the Agojie, an all-female warrior unit that protected the Dahomey Kingdom. The film follows General Nanisca as she trains new recruits and prepares them for battle against enemies threatening their way of life. It explores themes of leadership, sisterhood, and resistance against oppression.

Parent Guide

Historical action drama with intense battle sequences and mature themes.

Content breakdown

Violence & peril

Strong

Contains intense battle scenes with weapons, hand-to-hand combat, and wartime violence. Characters are injured and killed in combat situations.

Scary / disturbing

Moderate

Warfare scenes and tense situations may be disturbing. Historical themes include slavery and conflict that could be emotionally challenging.

Language

Mild

May contain occasional strong language consistent with wartime settings.

Sexual content & nudity

Mild

Limited romantic elements and non-explicit references to relationships.

Substance use

None

No significant depiction of substance use.

Emotional intensity

Strong

High emotional stakes involving life-and-death situations, loss, and intense personal conflicts.

Parent tips

This PG-13 rated film contains intense battle sequences and wartime violence that may be too graphic for younger viewers. The historical setting involves themes of slavery and colonialism that could prompt important discussions about history and justice. Parents should be prepared to talk about the film's depiction of warfare, gender roles, and historical conflicts.

Parent chat guide

Focus conversations on the film's themes of courage, leadership, and protecting one's community. Discuss how the characters show resilience in difficult circumstances and work together as a team. You might explore historical accuracy versus dramatic storytelling, and how films can bring lesser-known histories to wider audiences.

Parent follow-up questions

What did you think about the warriors in the movie?
How did the characters help each other?
What was your favorite part of the movie?
How did the music make you feel?
What colors did you see in the movie?

What made the warriors brave?
How did the characters train to become fighters?
What does it mean to protect your home?
How did the characters work as a team?
What was challenging for the characters?

What historical period do you think this movie shows?
How does the movie show leadership?
What sacrifices did characters make for their community?
How did the movie handle conflict between groups?
What values were important to the characters?

How does the film portray gender roles in historical context?
What historical accuracy issues might exist in the film?
How does the movie handle themes of colonialism and resistance?
What leadership qualities did different characters demonstrate?
How does the film balance action with character development?

⚠️ Deep Film Analysis (Contains Spoilers) · Click to Expand

“ A historical epic that weaponizes sisterhood against colonial brutality.

🎭 Story Kernel

At its core, 'The Woman King' is less about military conquest and more about the painful birth of a new moral code. The Agojie warriors' conflict isn't just against the Oyo Empire—it's an internal war between their tradition of ruthless slave-raiding and the emerging consciousness that some human lives are sacred. General Nanisca's trauma drives her to dismantle the very system that built her kingdom's wealth, making this a story about revolutionary ethics. The film asks whether a nation can survive when it chooses humanity over economic survival, and whether warriors can become protectors rather than predators.

🎬 Visual Aesthetics

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood employs a grounded, tactile visual language that rejects glossy fantasy aesthetics. The color palette moves from warm golds during Dahomey's daytime scenes to deep blues and blacks in the Oyo confrontations, visually separating the two worlds. Combat scenes use wide shots that emphasize formation and strategy rather than superheroic individual feats—these are soldiers, not superheroes. The camera lingers on hands: hands training with weapons, hands comforting each other, hands breaking chains. This tactile focus reinforces the physical cost of both warfare and liberation.

🔍 Details & Easter Eggs

1

Early in the film, Nanisca examines a scar on her back while bathing—this mirroring foreshadows the revelation about Nawi's birthmark and their connection, visually linking trauma across generations.

2

During the final battle, notice how the Agojie abandon their traditional formation when protecting the escaped captives—their fighting style literally transforms as their mission changes from conquest to protection.

3

The recurring motif of doors and gates—from the palace entrance to slave ship hatches—serves as visual metaphors for both imprisonment and the thresholds the characters must cross psychologically.

💡 Behind the Scenes

Viola Davis trained for eight months in martial arts, weightlifting, and sprinting to achieve her warrior physique at age 57, performing most of her own stunts. The production built the Kingdom of Dahomey from scratch in South Africa, with researchers ensuring historical accuracy in costumes and architecture. Interestingly, the script underwent significant revisions to center the narrative on ending the slave trade rather than glorifying warfare, with historians consulting on the complex realities of West African kingdoms' involvement in slavery.

Trailer

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