Part 5/12:
Promotional materials and trailers for The Woman King suggest a story of African resistance against European colonizers. While resistance against colonial powers existed in many forms, the reality—according to critics—was that the Dahomey actively supplied enslaved Africans to European traders and participated in the systemic violence of the slave trade.
This has led to accusations that Hollywood is engaging in a form of historical revisionism, softening or ignoring the violent and enslaving actions of the Dahomey to promote a female empowerment story that appeals to contemporary social narratives. Some observers argue that the film is less about history and more about creating a politically correct, empowering narrative at the expense of truth.