When the closing credits roll at the end of Viola Davis and Thuso Mbedu’s new film The Woman King, I remain still and seated as the dark theatre empties.

Not that it was a full house; after all, it was a private screening for members of the press of the historical drama (inspired by true events in 1800s), opening in South Africa on 30 September.

Looking to either side, I find no one with whom to exchange my thoughts about how epic the film was. I am left mesmerised by myself, and to further immerse myself in that world I sit a while longer, staring at the big screen.

The first name that pops up before the scrolling credits is that of Davis. Then Mbedu follows in big, bold letters. I am intoxicated with pride, and suddenly I find myself dealing with a difficult emotion in public.

Tears of joy leave my eyes watery, but for the sake of my street cred, let’s just say I have a terrible case of hay fever. Something inside of me says to scream with excitement, but I don’t want to cause a scene — I’m in the posh end of Hyde Park.

It then dawns on me that I’ve closely monitored and reported on Mbedu’s career from the beginning, when she was introduced in the small role of Kitso Medupe in eTV soapie Scandal!.

When I get home, Mbedu’s unflinching portrayal of Nawi stays with me and I think, “Why not write her a love letter?”

Mbedu gives a career-defining performance in The Woman King, filled with vulnerability, ingenuity, and strength.

The South African-born actor uses every colour in her box to deliver a stunningly nuanced performance that can only be described as a tour de force. Sure, Mbedu was terrific in her breakout role of Winnie in Is’thunzi (earning two International Emmy Award nods) and a revelation in the emotionally draining The Underground Railroad.

But her approach and acting here — often starting in her eyes and then signalling the rest of her body to react — are more grounded and refined. Mbedu introduces Nawi as a doe-eyed, curious, and naive 19-year-old eager to become a fearsome warrior like Nanisca (Davis), Amenza (Sheila Atim), and Izogie (Lashana Lynch) belonging to all-female squad Agojie. From there Mbedu delivers an emotional character study of Nawi as she comes into her own with the assistance of her three mentors.

Along the way she forms strong female bonds, unearths family secrets, and finds romance, while protecting the Kingdom of Dahomey. Mbedu is soft where she needs to be soft, hard where she needs to be hard.

From the minute she’s handed a sword to when she finally enters battle, it’s believable that she belongs in that world. At her very best, Mbedu radiates hope, especially when she laughs and dances — you can’t help but root for her upbeat optimism.

Davis is a powerhouse, as always. In true Davis style she sinks her teeth into the dialogue, with many quotable moments: “We are the spear of victory! We are the blade of freedom! We are Dahomey!” It’s going to be fascinating to see which horse Oscar voters back for the best actress award, Mbedu or Davis.

While Davis is remarkable, it feels as though you’ve seen her play this character before, and Mbedu holds her own. So, my vote goes to Mbedu, but we still have a long way to go to 12 March 2023.

Another pleasant surprise is Lynch, who is fast making a name for herself with roles in No Time to Die and Bulletproof. While her characters are usually simple and straightforward, here she is given more room to play, as the wise-cracking Izogie with a love for whiskey.

Gina Prince-Bythewood directs the film with confidence, passion, and vision. African women will undoubtedly find themselves in the gentle, yet punchy and pacey script, co-written by Prince-Bythewood and Dane Stevens.

The friendship bond formed between the characters of Mbedu, Masali Baduza (Fumbe), and Adrienne Warren (Ode) underscores that, even in battle, you stop to fix your sister’s crown. The script pays homage to the multifaceted power of women.

For example, Jayme Lawson, as the cunning wife of King Ghezo (John Boyega), never lifts a sword or goes into battle. But she uses her femininity, beauty, and sharp tongue to get ahead and manipulate the king.

And while the characters played by Makgotso M and Zozibini Tunzi don’t get a lot of screen time, they do justice to the marvellous hair and makeup story — not forgetting the dreamy sartorial picks of costume designer Gersha Phillips.

The fight sequences are electric and badass. There is a deftly choreographed fight scene that is reminiscent of the iconic “Battle of Stirling Bridge” scene from Mel Gibson’s Braveheart or a modern classic like the beach battle from Patty Jenkins’s Wonder Woman. And what about the accents? The less said about that the better.