|
This movie is being marketed like it was it was a historical action flick. And while there's plenty of action, they didn't cast Viola Davis because of her swordfighting ability. This movie is an excellent and moving character study about trauma, both generational and direct, and how it affects people's lives and relationships, set in a historical context of the kingdom of Dahomey near the end of the triangle trade. The production values are excellent and you never see anything that feels out of place in terms of sets, costume, props. I can't speak to the historical accuracy but my impression is they do take some liberties, to tell the story. The action sequences are excellent and don't feel too hollywood. The real star here is the acting. Viola should have won the oscar for Ma Rainey and she should win here as well. Just an absolutely stellar performance. Everyone else in the cast is also on their A-game, there is not really any bad acting to be seen despite several opportunities to chew scenery. The writing and direction make sense and refuse to fall into several easy tropes, though some of the scenes may be expected. There's a scene near the end that entirely doesn't need to be in there, as far as most movies go, but is hugely important for characterization. Spoiler: the scene where she talks to her daughter at the shrine, and the daughter is overcome with conflict and leaves My only complaint is that they introduce a ton of interesting characters that don't get enough breathing room, and I'd love to have seen a limited series version of this story. 5/5
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2022 19:36
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 3, 2024 19:52 |
|
|
Was very interested in this film until I saw it. The story was muddled and went on too long. The movie itself looks cheap, has all the quality and aesthetics of a BBC series. Any historical story is buried under hours of Hollywood extra drama. Some performances are good at times but nothing made this movie worth sitting through the 2+ hour slog. 2/5
|
|
#
?
Jan 10, 2023 12:41
|
|
