0
0
“Black Panther” is Marvel Studio’s latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Directed by Ryan Coogler, we follow Prince—later King—T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) shortly after the events of 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War.”
This film quickly grabbed my attention and maintained it until the very end. I constantly felt the weight of the situation with both the action sequences, as well as the slower-paced, dialogue-heavy scenes.
The fictional African nation of Wakanda, where the story is based, was handled exceptionally. They blend traditional African culture with the advanced technology that the nation has via the fictitious substance known as vibranium. The initial panning landscape shots and the later closer shots of the scenery quickly immersed me and made me want to visit this country.
This is a character-driven movie. Despite T’Challa being clearly the main character, in some ways, this is more of an ensemble film, a la “The Guardians of the Galaxy.”
Some standouts, as well as the main members of this ensemble are Shuri (Letitia Wright), Okoye (Danai Gurira), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman).
The characters are all fleshed out and perfectly cast. Distinct personalities are established and remain consistent, something many films have a hard time doing.
A problem that many have with MCU films is the lack of a compelling or memorable villain. “Black Panther” quickly subverts these expectations with the remarkable Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan).
Killmonger’s motives are clear, understandable, and can even be empathized with. At times I wasn’t sure who’s side I should be on, which was refreshing, especially for this type of movie.
On the surface, the conflict of this movie appears simple, your typical stop-the-bad-guy-from-doing-something-bad blockbuster archetype we’re used to. However, Coogler takes it a few levels deeper to make a big impact.
In reality, this is a moral conflict. Not everything is black and white. Killmonger forces T’Challa to question what he’s believed to be right for his entire life.
Making your main character dynamic in this way is something I have to give Coogler major credit for. It’s been some time since I was this invested and genuinely curious in the characters and their outcomes in a superhero movie.
If you’re simply hoping for a fun and entertaining popcorn flick, there’s plenty of that too. There are fun and high-energy fight scenes, as well as well-timed humor. Both of these elements are used illiberally, and only in the right spots. No joke feels out of place, and no fight sequence feels like it’s just there just to fill time.
Something to note about these fight scenes is Coogler’s style of long takes. These were refreshing to see among the infinite amount of jump-cuts seen in other action films, and it really gives this movie a distinct feel in that regard.
“Black Panther” with its diverse cast came at the right time both because of our current social climate and because we are in the middle of Black History Month. Its cast and important political and moral messages should be celebrated, and not only by those it’s representing.
