Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther follows T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) who returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king, after the death of his father (John Kani). T’Challa’s mettle as king and as Black Panther is tested when a face from his father’s past suddenly appears and draws him into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk, especially with the use of the strongest metal in the world, vibranium. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies, right the wrongs of the past and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes as well as secure the safety of his people.
This is one of the biggest and most culturally impactful films that has been made in recent years and certainly took some major leaps in terms of comic book films’ history. This isn’t the first time we have had a black lead superhero film, but this was the first time we’ve had a nearly full ensemble of black actors for a superhero film. And while people have had varying opinions on the film it still made its mark in history. As for me, I still love it as much as I did when I first saw it. While I do of course acknowledge the faults it has, there is no denying that it has a lot more good things that outweigh the bad, as well as themes that were relevant upon release and I’d say even more relevant now. And with the unfortunate passing of Chadwick Boseman, I and many other people have been looking back at this film and appreciating it more than we did before.
We have a wide range of characters in this film that each stand out in their own ways, not just because of the brilliant performances but how they are all written. T’Challa is a very different lead character from other MCU films, having a much more serious and adult demeanor. This was already established perfectly in Captain America Civil War, and it does continue here, however he has such great charm and charisma that you can’t help but love him.
Chadwick Boseman absolutely owned this role and he delivered a lot of really powerful scenes, especially the two in the Ancestral. The first one in particular (which is just so visually beautiful) hits much differently now, after what has happened.
His family and allies in the film are all fleshed out with their own personalities and always manage to have an impact on the story. With large ensemble casts you sometimes run the risk of forgetting to give life to some of these characters, and put them on the sidelines. And while this film does kind of leave one character a bit underdeveloped, Daniel Kaluuya’s character W’Kabi, everyone else did feel fleshed out in some way no matter how much screen time they had. They each have such memorable scenes that I can pick out whether it was because it was impactful, funny or so damn cool.
Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia is a great character on her own without having to be just labeled as the love interest and nothing more. Danai Gurira as Okoye is an awesome yet flawed badass that really made her mark on the film, enough that people were so damn happy to see her appear in other films like Infinity War and Endgame. And of course we can’t forget that funny as hell hair scene that may not be that meaningful to some people but is certainly meaningful to others.
Letitia Wright as T’Challa’s sister Shuri is a funny and intelligent character with great scenes of her own as well as great chemistry with Boseman’s T’Challa. The way they played off of each other made me buy them as siblings.
M’baku, played by Winston Duke, was a definite surprise to me. Despite not having as much screen time he was such a great character that felt so fleshed out that, like Okoye, people were happy to see him in more films like Infinity War and Endgame. Also he had some pretty funny scenes too that I think a lot of people had a great time with.
Then you also have Martin Freeman as Everett Ross, who was a decent character overall and while he may not have been that fleshed out he still had an impact on the story and had his time to shine.
Other family members of T’Challa, like Angela Bassett’s Romanda, Forest Whitaker’s Zuri and John Kani’s T’Chaka, also deliver fantastic performances that are almost Shakespearean in a way, which can also be said for the people of Wakanda. They have their own language and culture, and when you compare their dialogue to that of the outside world it is noticeably different, which shows exactly how isolated the country has been over the years. Details like that really enhance the story, especially when it comes to the main villain.
Many people had assumed that Klaw, played wonderfully by Andy Serkis, was going to be the main villain of the film, due to the history he had with Wakanda and its precious resource of vibranium. And while he certainly was an entertaining villain he was just the red herring for the real villain, which was Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger. And yes, like everyone else has said before, he is by far one of the best villains ever brought in to the MCU.
The motivations for all his actions are very understandable and even relatable in some ways, based on the things that have happened to him and the life he grew up with. And even though his motives have a dark purpose and threaten the lives of innocent people, the things he says and wants to achieve aren’t entirely wrong either. He does speak the truth a lot, especially when it comes to how flawed the history and government of Wakanda is, so much so that T’Challa himself ends up taking it to heart. He makes for a perfect arch-enemy for the film and next to T’Challa he has some of the most powerful and emotional scenes in the movie, thanks to Jordan’s incredible acting and the really good writing. The sunset scene and his talk with his father (played perfectly by Sterling K. Brown) are honestly two of the best scenes.
The narrative for Black Panther is really great and honestly a lot different compared to other Marvel films. Sure, it has some things you could expect from other MCU films, but I think what separates this from others was just how much more adult and serious the story is. Now to be clear, there have been adult and serious moments both in previous films and the films that became after this in the MCU, but I feel that Black Panther is the most mature among the films, especially with the content and themes it has. There are a lot of relevant topics brought forward in a very Shakespearean like story, but they aren’t shoved down your throat. There’s a few jabs here and there that deliver a laugh or two, but the film does present a lot of engaging topics and the characters’ various stances on them. Things are not always so black and white, and that is something I honestly love seeing in a comic book film. I love that this story has a much more serious and grounded tone, as well as a unique identity that makes it stand out on its own.
The action in the film, while executed a bit strangely in some places, is absolutely epic overall. From grueling tribal fights to well shot interior fights to full on superhero smackdowns, you can find a lot of variety of action here. My favorite action scenes were the two challenge fights, the casino scene, and the Korea chase sequence.
My least favorite action scenes were the first fight at the start of the film and some parts of the final act battle. The action itself in these scenes is good but the way they are executed is where the issues are. For the first fight scene it is very dark and hard to see, especially when it looks as if some really badass stuff is happening.
For the third act scenes this mainly has to do with the one thing people have pointed out the most, which is the CGI. The effects and CGI in the film fluctuate in quality over the course of the film. Some of it ends up being very well done, giving us drop dead gorgeous visuals, awesome action and great flair. Even the practical sets and environments are honestly amazing and make Wakanda a truly special place. And then some of effects end up looking very unpolished, noticeable enough that it can affect the impact of a scene. There has been much worse CGI in other films, but considering how the MCU keeps consistently improving in the effects department over the course of the franchise, Black Panther seems to be the only one that sticks out in some places (mostly in the third act).
The cinematography is amazing all the way through, featuring stunning shots that enhance various scenes and sometimes feature some subtle symbolism, although it does get partly hampered by the uneven CGI.
One thing that certainly isn’t uneven though is the awesome and beautiful score by Ludwig Göransson. This was the first film where I was introduced to his music, and from that point forward he’s become one of my favorite composers in the film industry. He really establishes the cultural and majestic landscape of Wakanda, as well as uplift action scenes and emotional scenes in a way that really stays with viewers. The score in the first Ancestral Plane scene, Killmonger’s theme and the sunset are among my favorites in the entire film.
Despite Black Panther’s missteps it still remains as one of the most impactful Marvel films to date, featuring an excellent cast, a great and relevant story with powerful themes and a lot of fun action to keep you engaged.
The film hits different for everyone now, after having lost such a truly amazing person. Not only did Chadwick Boseman play the part of Black Panther perfectly in all the films, but he truly became an icon not just for black people but I think for everyone. You can see just how many people have been truly impacted by him and came together to mourn his loss, even when the world is at a crazy place right now. No matter how you feel about Black Panther, I think all of us can truly appreciate the amazing man who played the part and ended up being a true superhero for all of us. Rest In Peace Chadwick Boseman. I’m going to give Black Panther an A.
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