It’s been almost ten years since the Marvel Cinematic
Universe first took shape and forever changed the cinematic landscape for the
21st Century, and a lot has changed since then. Some have been
quietly revolutionary in their own way, but Black
Panther is the first to make its importance loud and clear in both the
superhero genre and the current cultural and sociopolitical landscape, treating
its arrival like a cross between the premiere of Roots and the original Star
Wars. Much of the hype surrounding it has been centered on it being the biggest
blockbuster to be helmed by a predominantly black cast and crew on both sides
of the camera, and there has even been a bit of a preemptive backlash, mostly
from racist assholes, but also from people who find the marketing of a piece of
the MCU, itself one of the many heads of the ever-growing hydra that is the Disney corporation as a
milestone of black culture inherently cynical. I myself was a bit cautious of
this since they had a similar strategy with Wonder Woman, which I was underwhelmed by. But this was going to be a big deal no
matter what, and thankfully, the final product is worthy of the exuberant
praise this time around.
Our story takes place in Wakanda, a fictional nation in central
Africa disguised as what certain individuals would label a “shithole country”
but is secretly a shining utopia thriving on technology centuries ahead of the
rest of the world built from an extraterrestrial super-metal called vibranium (the same
metal Captain America’s shield is made of) found only in a deposit beneath the
city. Their king, T’Chakka, was killed in the UN bombing during Captain America: Civil War, and it’s up
to his son, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), to take up the throne and bear the
mantle of Black Panther. But before he can settle into his royal duties, his
reign is challenged by an outsider named Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan),
the son of a Wakandan traitor who threatens to reveal Wakanda’s
secrets to the world and use their advanced weapons to exact vengeance on it
for the centuries of suffering Africa has endured under imperial colonialism.
There’s a lot going on in Black Panther, both narratively and thematically. This is the first
major blockbuster to embrace the Afrofuturist aesthetic, and since director
Ryan Coogler (Creed, Fruitvale Station)
fought to bring on some of his regular collaborators except now he has Disney’s
money to spend, it’s one of the few Marvel movies to have the unique stamp of
the director. The result is equal parts science fiction, spy thriller,
political drama and contemplative character study. While it’s absolutely packed
to the gills with cool gadgets and high-flying action, it’s also a masterclass
of worldbuilding, establishing Wakanda as its own unique world with its own
customs, values and culture. You could probably set an entire series of films
in this world wholly separated from the rest of the MCU.
But the main focus is on T’Challa, and unlike most of the
other Marvel heroes, his struggle is internal rather than external. He’s still
reeling from the death of his father and has doubts about whether he’s ready to
be king even though he’s been preparing for it his whole life, he struggles
with the burden of his ancestor’s sins, and Wakanda’s place in the world and
whether or not they should stay hidden. And that struggle is still present even
when the movie remembers all the awesome tech at its disposal and yanks him out
of his existential funk to go do some cool spy stuff.
A large part of its appeal is due to its cast. Chadwick
Boseman has made a name for himself by portraying important figures in black
history from Jackie Robinson to James Brown to Thurgood Marshall, so it’s no
surprise that he’d jump at the chance to take the lead here. But truth be told,
his performance is probably the weakest in the film, mostly because the rest of
the ensemble is incredibly well realized. The characters are all so unique and
distinct that everyone will walk out with a different favorite, and you can
make a good case for each of them. Lupita N’yongo is the emotional center as a
humanitarian agent, Danai Gurira is badass as T’Challa’s general/bodyguard and
the leader of Wakanda’s squad of elite warrior women, newcomer Letita Wright
has fun as his tech-savvy sister, Daniel Kaluuya is great as his pragmatic
friend who rides an armored rhino into battle, and Andy Serkis delights in
chewing the scenery as a sleazy arms dealer who conspires with Killmonger.
But it’s Michael B. Jordan who steals the show. Killmonger
is probably the greatest villain in the MCU yet, mainly because his motivation
is the most sympathetic. He’s seen how black people are treated in America and
all over the world, and resents Wakanda, a nation that has the resources to solve
all its problems, hid itself away and did nothing to stop it. Nothing more
compelling than a villain with a good point.
The movie isn’t without its faults, but they’re mostly in
places that are largely inconsequential. The special effects spotty at times,
especially during the big battle in the third act, with fake landscapes and
rubbery CGI figures against noticeable greenscreen compositing. It reminded me
a bit of the technical problems in Shadow
of the Colossus: the controls in that game were awkward and the erratic
camera was frustrating at times, but everything else about it was so amazing
and fully realized that they made up for those glaring flaws. There were also some characters and elements of the world that were more fleshed out and further explored, but when your biggest complaint is that you wished there was more of it, that's hardly a write-up against it.
Bottom line, Black
Panther is an absolute triumph. One of the best Marvel films yet, it sets
the bar high for this year’s blockbuster season, and is the best realized version
of itself that one could ask for. The fact that it’s one of the biggest, most
unapologetically black films ever was going to be a big deal regardless of
quality, but you can add “it’s a damn good movie” to the list of reasons why.
8/10, Full Price
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