Here we go again. Some folks just can’t let it go.
Last night Viola Davis was feted via the Film at Lincoln Center’s 48th annual Chaplin Gala. Of course, somebody just had to address the elephant in the room, it was inevitably going to happen.
Ladies and gentleman, I present to you an excerpt from Jessica Chastain’s speech:
“When I see a movie like ‘The Woman King,’ it has Viola’s fingerprints all over it. A movie like that with a female director and a cast of powerful Black female leads can get made in Hollywood today because of Viola’s lifelong advocacy for women of color. Maybe one day a movie like that can get nominated for an Oscar.”
Predictably, the crowd in attendance cheered to no ends. Chastain elaborated on her remarks with IndieWire’s Eric Kohn. “Someone had to say it,” she told Kohn. “I mean, come on. Not a single Oscar nomination for that movie? There had to be some Academy members in that room, right?”
No, Oscar voters were not racist, sexist, they didn’t display any sense of “misogynoir” when they opted to snub “The Woman King.” It just wasn’t a good movie. It’s that simple, really.
I didn’t feel the same high certain critics felt with “The Woman King.” It was a mostly bloated and messy epic about black female warriors. Any momentum that gets built up in this 134-minute movie is quickly destroyed by constantly unnecessary narrative interruptions. The action is also very choppy.
Director Gina Prince-Bythewood did a better job directing the thrills in Netflix’s half-decent “The Old Guard.” However, Viola Davis was fine as General Nanisca of The Dahomey army. Ditto Lashana Lynch, who easily gets best in show here, but too bad she had a supporting role. At least the costumes were great?
I’ve been called racist, sexist and even, weirdly, homophobic in regards to my dismissal of this film. Imagine being a critic for one of the big city newspapers and having to admit that the movie is mediocre?
At TIFF, I spoke to one of these people, who will obviously remain nameless. They dismissed the film after the premiere, but then, a few days later, I check Rotten Tomatoes and their review for ‘Woman King’ was positive. What gives? Have some balls, man. Be courageous and honest.