Written by: Kevin Berge
Somehow Marvel sat on this concept for a decade before finally putting it on the big screen. (Image Courtesy of: wallpapersite.com)
Quick Take: Black Panther stands atop the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the premiere film, both a Greek tragedy and social commentary with dramatic flair that stands beyond superhero film status. While overly ambitious at times in its scope, it is a breathtaking, action-packed, and captivating experience.
***Most of this review will be spoiler-free for Black Panther up to the grade. However, the review will spoiler an element of Captain America: Civil War. There will be additional warnings before spoilers of this film are discussed. Feel free to read ahead without fear as long as you are up to date on your Marvel films before this.***
The greatest superhero films follow a simple formula: find influence in another genre. I could list off all the influences of various great comic-book-inspired flicks, but all that truly matters is what helped Black Panther: Greek tragedy.
The story of Black Panther follows T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) in the aftermath of Civil War as he must take over the throne in Wakanda after the death of his father T'Chaka, only to be challenged at every turn from outside forces (Michael B. Jordan and Andy Serkis) and internal (Winston Duke).
Luckily, he has the support of his family including his sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett), former lover Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), his general Okoye (Danai Gurira), and best friend W'Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya). With their support, he must face these great challenges as king and as a grieving son.
This is a story of great adventure and heroic actions, but it is more importantly a tale of family and duty. Black Panther has always been a character with deep motivations with his stories guided by its struggle to balance who he is and what he must be. It's political intrigue as its most intense.
This movie captures that with influences that just make too much sense. Director and writer Ryan Coogler (Creed) (co-written by Joe Robert Cole) pushes this movie to its emotional extremes throughout. Even while these characters are having fun in the action, they are driven by deep-seated fear and understand the gravity of circumstances.
This does not feel like a Marvel Cinematic Universe production often, and that difference is welcome especially after a trio of films very much driven by the light-hearted fun of the MCU. Everyone especially the villain is wholly invested in this complex web of a story.
The action scenes are some of the best in recent memory even when the special effects get a bit wonky. This is the most notable showcase of how this movie occasionally seem to be trying to do too much, but it hits on too much not to be great.
The greatest superhero films follow a simple formula: find influence in another genre. I could list off all the influences of various great comic-book-inspired flicks, but all that truly matters is what helped Black Panther: Greek tragedy.
The story of Black Panther follows T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) in the aftermath of Civil War as he must take over the throne in Wakanda after the death of his father T'Chaka, only to be challenged at every turn from outside forces (Michael B. Jordan and Andy Serkis) and internal (Winston Duke).
Luckily, he has the support of his family including his sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett), former lover Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), his general Okoye (Danai Gurira), and best friend W'Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya). With their support, he must face these great challenges as king and as a grieving son.
This is a story of great adventure and heroic actions, but it is more importantly a tale of family and duty. Black Panther has always been a character with deep motivations with his stories guided by its struggle to balance who he is and what he must be. It's political intrigue as its most intense.
This movie captures that with influences that just make too much sense. Director and writer Ryan Coogler (Creed) (co-written by Joe Robert Cole) pushes this movie to its emotional extremes throughout. Even while these characters are having fun in the action, they are driven by deep-seated fear and understand the gravity of circumstances.
This does not feel like a Marvel Cinematic Universe production often, and that difference is welcome especially after a trio of films very much driven by the light-hearted fun of the MCU. Everyone especially the villain is wholly invested in this complex web of a story.
The action scenes are some of the best in recent memory even when the special effects get a bit wonky. This is the most notable showcase of how this movie occasionally seem to be trying to do too much, but it hits on too much not to be great.
Having your career put in jeopardy by the terribleness of Fan4stic would make anyone a villain. (Image Courtesy of: digitaltrends.com)
While Chadwick Boseman (Get On Up) continues to be an ideal choice for T'Challa, the star of the show in this movie is Michael B. Jordan (Creed). Carrying himself with unceasing swagger, you believe every word he says, and he makes Killmonger the most fully realized Marvel villain since Loki.
The whole cast is phenomenal. Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave) and Letitia Wright (Urban Hymn) both give energetic likable performances throughout. Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead) also could not be better in a role that could have easily felt stiff and stoic.
The cinematography in this movie from Rachel Morrison (Mudbound) is fantastic throughout. It's a colorful and beautiful flick with multiple shots that I will likely still be able to recall for weeks to come. The music in the movie particularly those curated by Kendrick Lamar is also incredible and heart-pounding, driving the action.
While this movie could easily be enjoyed as a pure tragedy, it also has some important and powerful social messages that come with this being the MCU's first African-American lead adventure. This is a movie set in Africa that feels like it set in Africa, a rarity in Hollywood.
The importance of African or black culture is integral to the tale being told and defines the characters. Without preaching, the film encapsulates the power dynamic shift that Black Panther gives the fantasy. The responsibilities of the mighty but hidden wealth of Wakanda constantly weigh on T'Challa.
The new Black Panther is the most politically powerful superhero in this world, making him responsible for more people and lives than anyone in the MCU. As the movie puts it, it is hard to be a good man and a good king. It could also be said it is difficult to be a perfect hero and a leader of men.
Where the movie falters somewhat is in its ambition. The story roams far and wide, and it can occasionally feel like Ryan Coogler is trying to tell too many tales at once, getting in everything he could with the time he had. It comes together into a cohesive and captivating final act, but it takes a while to get there.
I had the highest of expectations going into this movie thanks to Ryan Coogler's impressive filmography to this point and the great characters involved, and I was still blown away. The storytelling, thematic focus, and character depth all lend themselves to creating the best film in the MCU.
The whole cast is phenomenal. Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave) and Letitia Wright (Urban Hymn) both give energetic likable performances throughout. Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead) also could not be better in a role that could have easily felt stiff and stoic.
The cinematography in this movie from Rachel Morrison (Mudbound) is fantastic throughout. It's a colorful and beautiful flick with multiple shots that I will likely still be able to recall for weeks to come. The music in the movie particularly those curated by Kendrick Lamar is also incredible and heart-pounding, driving the action.
While this movie could easily be enjoyed as a pure tragedy, it also has some important and powerful social messages that come with this being the MCU's first African-American lead adventure. This is a movie set in Africa that feels like it set in Africa, a rarity in Hollywood.
The importance of African or black culture is integral to the tale being told and defines the characters. Without preaching, the film encapsulates the power dynamic shift that Black Panther gives the fantasy. The responsibilities of the mighty but hidden wealth of Wakanda constantly weigh on T'Challa.
The new Black Panther is the most politically powerful superhero in this world, making him responsible for more people and lives than anyone in the MCU. As the movie puts it, it is hard to be a good man and a good king. It could also be said it is difficult to be a perfect hero and a leader of men.
Where the movie falters somewhat is in its ambition. The story roams far and wide, and it can occasionally feel like Ryan Coogler is trying to tell too many tales at once, getting in everything he could with the time he had. It comes together into a cohesive and captivating final act, but it takes a while to get there.
I had the highest of expectations going into this movie thanks to Ryan Coogler's impressive filmography to this point and the great characters involved, and I was still blown away. The storytelling, thematic focus, and character depth all lend themselves to creating the best film in the MCU.
Grade: A
***From this point on, I will be discussing spoilers, particularly important moments in the story. Those wanting to see the film should not read ahead as it will spoil important story and character moments in the movie.***
T'Challa's great and all, but I still wonder if he could take either Nakia or Shuri if they wanted the throne. (Image Courtesy of: vanityfair.com)
No film has more clearly showcased to me just how two-dimensional too many characters are in the MCU than Black Panther because this is the first movie that avoids that almost entirely. So many of these characters are completely fully realized.
Obviously, no one more clearly benefits from this than Killmonger. The long-lost cousin of T'Challa, his anger at the world is well-earned. While he is a monster, he is a believable one. His intent to help those of African descent all around the world is one he has to help T'Challa find through his extreme measures.
In fact, you could argue that the past history of Wakanda is just as much a villain here as Killmonger with T'Challa forced to take charge against tradition that has hurt the world, continued by his own father. He is helped to see this by Killmonger but also Nakia whose progressive stance is exactly what the land needs.
Other characters that shined through far better than I expected were Shuri and Martin Freeman's Everett Ross. Shuri's relationship with T'Challa feels so real as the two play off each other as good friends. She's often the comedic relief, but it never weighs her down. Ross is also finally a real character here especially in the climax as he risks his life by returning to the pilot cockpit.
I do wish Andy Serkis's Ulysses Klaue played a bigger role in the story. Serkis is just a force of charisma in this film, chewing up the scenery at every moment. He would have been a phenomenal villain in a different movie. Here he takes up perhaps too much time for a guy who gets killed off to just set up Killmonger's arrival to Wakanda.
Taking a moment to gush, the action scenes in this movie are truly unbelievable. The car chase scene in South Korea was worth watching the movie all on its own. T'Challa's struggle with M'Baku and domination at the hands of Killmonger both in ritual combat are breathtaking moments of intensity.
I have rarely been more invested in a Marvel film than when Killmonger just casually stabs Zuri (Forest Whitaker) in front of T'Challa who then does not have the strength to even fight back as Killmonger then promptly throws him off the cliff. Plus the entire climatic fight scene is amazing even with the CGI not entirely holding up.
This is a movie filled with so many highs that it could be hiding its flaws. Most MCU films do not hold up too well to scrutiny even if they are always fun. However, the spark of this film and storytelling depth has me far more certain of my ratings than with a movie like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 last year.
Obviously, no one more clearly benefits from this than Killmonger. The long-lost cousin of T'Challa, his anger at the world is well-earned. While he is a monster, he is a believable one. His intent to help those of African descent all around the world is one he has to help T'Challa find through his extreme measures.
In fact, you could argue that the past history of Wakanda is just as much a villain here as Killmonger with T'Challa forced to take charge against tradition that has hurt the world, continued by his own father. He is helped to see this by Killmonger but also Nakia whose progressive stance is exactly what the land needs.
Other characters that shined through far better than I expected were Shuri and Martin Freeman's Everett Ross. Shuri's relationship with T'Challa feels so real as the two play off each other as good friends. She's often the comedic relief, but it never weighs her down. Ross is also finally a real character here especially in the climax as he risks his life by returning to the pilot cockpit.
I do wish Andy Serkis's Ulysses Klaue played a bigger role in the story. Serkis is just a force of charisma in this film, chewing up the scenery at every moment. He would have been a phenomenal villain in a different movie. Here he takes up perhaps too much time for a guy who gets killed off to just set up Killmonger's arrival to Wakanda.
Taking a moment to gush, the action scenes in this movie are truly unbelievable. The car chase scene in South Korea was worth watching the movie all on its own. T'Challa's struggle with M'Baku and domination at the hands of Killmonger both in ritual combat are breathtaking moments of intensity.
I have rarely been more invested in a Marvel film than when Killmonger just casually stabs Zuri (Forest Whitaker) in front of T'Challa who then does not have the strength to even fight back as Killmonger then promptly throws him off the cliff. Plus the entire climatic fight scene is amazing even with the CGI not entirely holding up.
This is a movie filled with so many highs that it could be hiding its flaws. Most MCU films do not hold up too well to scrutiny even if they are always fun. However, the spark of this film and storytelling depth has me far more certain of my ratings than with a movie like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 last year.