Review by RCR Entertainment Reporter, Kevin Jahi Johnson follow him on Twitter & Instagram @nivekj1
Queen of Katwe is a film from Walt Disney Pictures and director Mira Nair (The Namesake) about a girl named Phiona who adopts the sport of chess to lift her spirits and perhaps raise her family out of the Ugandan slums of Katwe.
The film is based on a true story by ESPN sportswriter Tim Crothers. Phiona is played by newcomer Madina Nalwanga, whose arc from burnt-out village girl to exuberant chess prodigy is center to the entire film. She is flanked by two fantastic performances by Lupita Nyong’o, who plays Phiona’s strict mother Nakku, and David Oyelowo who plays Phiona’s coach and mentor Robert. However, virtually everything outside of these two performances leave much to be desired.
Walking the Red Carpet at the Queen of Katwe Premiere
The film is, when it’s all said and done, a Disney sports movie. There’s a rulebook – nay, a playbook – that is followed when it comes to these types of movies, from the recent Million Dollar Arm all the way back to The Mighty Ducks. In Queen of Katwe, Nair brings a remarkable sense of place to the film, making it feel like a documentary or travelouge at times. This is a real strength that keeps the film from being more than Cool Runnings: Ugandan Chess Edition. Nair has dealt with Uganda in the past with films like Mississippi Masala about the displacement of Ugandan-born Indians during war. Queen of Katwe is a gentler film, definitely a much more sanitized depiction of Uganda, but it shows the difficulty Phiona’s family faced without trivializing it wholesale.
The film’s predictability and obvious story points would feel less irritating if the entire cast was up to par with Nyong’o and Oyelowo. A story well told after all is a story well told, even you’ve heard that story before. While I applaud the behind-the-scenes to employ African crew and cast members, especially the rest of the child cast that forms Phiona’s chess team, the acting is so wooden and stilted that it makes an impact. Perhaps this is a good start for several involved, and the amateurish nature of the kids’ acting melts away when they are simply allowed to be themselves. The team singing on a bus, or dancing to peddle corn and fish are fine examples of this.
The film is strange in that it gets better, much better, as it progresses. This is doubly for Nalwanga, who doesn’t truly get to show range or personality until after the middle of the film when Phiona stands her ground and starts accruing victories and weathering defeats. I remember saying to myself, “why wasn’t she this good in the beginning?” The script also forces Nyong’o’s character Nakku to be an obstacle to Phiona unnecessarily. This may have happened in real life, but it feels like such a cliché that it comes off as a sports-movie playbook manuever instead of a realistic concern for one’s daughter.
Outside of that, Nyong’o is always a treat to behold on the screen. As Nakku tries to hold her family together, she is equal parts fierce and determined, desperate and exhausted. Oyelowo’s Robert, on the other hand, is a warm and steadying presence. It’s definitely in line with the “Great Teacher” roles that Disney loves to put on film. These two are magnetic poles that keep the film spinning while it tries to find itself. Without them, I probably might have walked out of the theater.
The film is saved by the little details of life in modern-day Africa and the mere fact that African children in the slums of Uganda are the ultimate underdog. I’m talking third-world underdogs; even Underdog isn’t that much of an underdog compared to a starving African child trying to win an international chess tournament. I commend Disney for making a film like this and focusing on a corner of the world seldom seen in Western media. And it’s true, Disney does not do subtle and they’re known for creating a formula and sticking to it. But I haven’t been this restless in a movie theater in YEARS, waiting for this film to finally become interesting. And I sat through Independence Day: Resurgence.
I sincerely wanted to give Queen of Katwe higher marks than I’m about to give it. This film fits my agenda, it’s aligned with my worldview and frankly we need more movies like this. But we also need more movies like this to be better than this. While the bouyant, inspirational second half does not lift up the uninteresting first half, there are two fine performances for those interested along with a slice of life in Uganda for those curious. And the credits may, just may, bring a smile to your face.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
“Queen of Katwe” is based on the vibrant true story of a young girl from the streets of rural Uganda who becomes an international chess champion. Watch for it starting this September 23rd in Theaters.
More about “Queen of Katwe”
Disney’s “Queen of Katwe” is based on the vibrant true story of a young girl from the streets of rural Uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion. Directed by Mira Nair from a screenplay by William Wheeler, “Queen of Katwe” is produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher, p.g.a. and John Carls, p.g.a. with Will Weiske and Troy Buder serving as executive producers. The film stars Golden Globe® nominee David Oyelowo, Oscar® winner and Tony Award® nominee Lupita Nyong’o and newcomer Madina Nalwanga.
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Cast: David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o, Madina Nalwanga
Director: Mira Nair
Screenplay by: William Wheeler
Producers: Lydia Dean Pilcher, John Carls
Executive Producers: Will Weiske, Troy Buder
