Queen of Katwe (2016)

Ads for this movie jumped out at me because, for the first time to my knowledge, Disney was portraying native sub-Saharan African humans. Specifically set in Uganda, with a number of authentic Ugandans, tho they had to settle for South African backdrops and cast members much of the time. I appreciate that most of the actors, regardless of age, had little to no prior experience, so they probably gained a bit. And we the viewers lose nothing from it.

The story covers in brief the adolescence of real-life Phiona Mutesi (herein played by Madina Nalwanga) from 2007 to 2012. Coming from one of the poorest families in one of the poorest regions of an overall poor country, she doesn't expect to make much of her life. Then missionary Robert Katende (David Oyelowo) discovers her talent for chess and encourages her to compete as far as she can. Of course, in true Disney fashion, her mother (Lupita Nyong'o, evidently employed only by Disney nowadays), not without reason, does not readily see the value in having her stray from her assumed position in the world. And Phiona herself repeatedly doubts her worth.

I have no way of knowing how accurate the telling is, but I did detect a few things the filmmakers probably would've done differently if they felt no obligation to stick to the truth. For example, Robert plays soccer to raise travel money despite his wife's worries about his prior injury. A typical writer would return to that point; instead, it has no further bearing. If anything gets blown out of proportion, it's Phiona's habit of queening, in keeping with the title. This is not to say that the overall plot isn't predictable. After all, who would commit it to film if it didn't end happily?

Naturally, I was on the lookout for signs of political incorrectness, accidental or otherwise, like in Moana. I didn't see any, possibly because it's harder to get away with in a bio. Someone better acquainted with relevant stereotypes might find them, but at the very least, the Ugandans don't seem as...oversimplified as Moana's people.

Sanitized? Maybe a little. I mean, we don't witness any theft or gang violence in the Katwe slum, and the squalor is more told of than shown. OTOH, several lines heavily imply that Phiona's older sister, like many other local women, is a prostitute, and for all Mama's disapproval, others pressure her to do likewise when broke. Phiona could see herself going down the same path if her chess career doesn't pan out. There's not much charity to go around either; when a boy gets hit by a motorcycle, no one will help him without cash up front.

If this fairly unfriendly situation does not give you pause about inviting a six-year-old to watch, consider also the possible communication hurdle. The Ugandan accents run pretty thick; I had to listen more closely than usual (tho I wouldn't be surprised if they would normally be even harder for me to understand). Once in a while, someone says something in another language with fleeting subtitles.

I opted not to add a "racial" tag to this review, because race never really comes up. There is socioeconomic class consciousness, what with an urban principal openly denigrating visitors from Katwe, but it's not racism when they're all the same race. Only during a trip to the world championship in Russia do we see any non-Black characters, and we don't hear enough from them to gauge their opinions.

Think I shouldn't have bothered with the "sports" tag either? Well, apart from ESPN Films co-producing, and apart from the occasional clip of soccer, it just has that kind of feel. It's the tale of an underdog finding escape to glory via skilled competition, with a lot perceived to be riding on a game victory. Thankfully, there is some acknowledgment that the other kids and their emotions matter as well. They're not villains; at worst, they're spoiled brats who don't stand as much to gain.

I know the rules of chess but have no head for its strategy, so I could watch in mild admiration. The only other chess film I've seen is Searching for Bobby Fischer, which, in retrospect, doesn't look half as interesting. This is more like Akeelah and the Bee with an extra dose of poverty; a rarer setting, complete with an intriguing soundtrack; and a much nicer coach, even if I question Robert's reaction to Phiona physically attacking a taunter.

It's too bad QoK saw limited release in the U.S. Maybe not many Americans care to see a Uganda flick without the grit of The Last King of Scotland. But to me, it is at once familiar and refreshing.