Steve McQueen's "The Widows" review: a brilliant feminist thriller!

Steve McQueen, after his Oscar for 12 Years a Slave, is back in a genre he had not yet tackled: the thriller. For the occasion he surrounds himself with Gillian Flynn, the screenwriter of Gone Girl, and a stunning cast composed of Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Colin Farrell, Daniel Kaluuya, Robert Duvall and Liam Neeson among others. The Widows is undoubtedly a very successful thriller. Criticism!

A true feminist film that doesn't label itself as such

Often, what makes feminist films miss is its label of feminist film. When studios base their communication on insisting that it is a women's film. The latest examples remain the reboot of Ghostbuster and of course Ocean's 8. Unfortunately, these were a pile of female clichés, so much so that these films were no longer feminist. The prize goes to Ocean's 8 which accumulates stereotypes about women. Here, in The Widows, none of that. Steve McQueen promises a thriller, with women, nothing more. And the final rendering is in line with this promise. The clichés are shelved, and these female portraits are fascinating.

Helped by his imposing quartet: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki and Cynthia Erivo (Dirty Time at the Hotel el Royal), Steve McQueen portrays these four women without an ounce of clichés. Strong female figures, who move away from stereotypes to create independent and realistic protagonists. The mechanics of the film are exciting. Steve McQueen, from the beginning, and then sparingly throughout his history, subtly or violently replaces men with women. The latter, who live on the arm of their husbands, must free themselves, and act with conviction. It is this intelligent replacement that gives Les Veuves its feminist side. Here no need for men, women roll up their sleeves and demonstrate their ability to adapt, their intelligence and especially their courage. In this story, men are just dangerous or reassuring silhouettes, largely overshadowed. And this from the beginning with the death of a large part of the male cast. The message got through. This continues with female dominance over many male characters, even where it's not expected. There are still exciting secondary characters, including the violent gangster in the guise of Daniel Kaluuya imperial, or the crooked politician played by Colin Farrell always very precise. Finally we have an aging Robert Duvall who has not lost his superb.

A relatively slow plot at the service of the characters

Finally, the story is relatively classic. A story of mourning, of survival, followed by a heist that will inevitably go wrong. Nothing new. But Steve McQueen's staging has a crazy class. He manages to find the right balance between a very "authoric" approach that he couples with a very popular vision. It is this strength that allows Les Veuves to see wide, to seduce a heterogeneous audience. The pace is slow, but the action swerves are exciting, the dialogues are rhythmic, but their staging is always inventive, etc… In short , Steve McQueen has a personal and superb vision that serves the portrait of his characters.

Of course The Widows is also a story of cold and precise revenge. An imposing and perfectly controlled thriller that has here and there details and elements of the scenario that should provide answers to the outcome. In an anxiety-provoking approach, Steve McQueen distills a few moments of abrupt violence and above all a perfect artistic direction. Hehas nothing to envy to the great Michael Mann and Martin Scorsese whose codes and dough he applies without stupidly copying. Les Veuves has an impressive technical and artistic mastery. Remains perhaps a last twist slightly wobbly caught up by a final shot terribly touching.

Steve McQueen signs a precise, feminine and brilliant thriller. Widows is what Ocean's 8 could have been, a feature film that paints exciting, non-stereotypical female portraits. A total success that puts women back on the front of the stage in a violent and anxiety-provoking universe until an unexpected final twist.