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| Image source: The Verge |
Director: Ryan Coogler
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Martin Freeman, and Forest Whittaker.
As the 18th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Panther delves into a much more reclusive world, an uncharted territory that has never before been explored. Opening to a beautiful sequence to Wakanda's origins, Marvel has set the stage on building their most technologically advanced nation and unravel its glory to the rest of the world.
Black Panther begins a week after the events of Captain America: Civil War, where in the wake of his father's death, T'Challa would eventually take his place on the throne. Challenged by his need to protect his nation from enemies beyond the border, T'Challa must take both the mantle of the Black Panther and the king of Wakanda.
Boseman is a revelation in this role. The film isn't rested solely on his shoulders, but he makes damn sure that he's giving it his all to play the prince turned king. His compassion and rigid principles become challenged once he realizes that an outsider has threatened to usurp the throne from him. This is some brilliant development from his already impressive introduction in Civil War. T'Challa might have been fully equipped for a fight, but leading and protecting his nation is another matter. Opposing our hero is Michael B Jordan's Killmonger. An outsider determined to usurp the throne from T'Challa, Killmonger has a heartwrenching history that becomes a vital arc for the film. Michael B. Jordan doesn't just kill the role, he owns the role like a true villain. He has a much more emotional and driven performance than Boseman's more precise and restrained performance, but that's part of what made Killmonger such an intriguing villain to see.
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| Image source: Vulture |
The standout would perhaps go to Letitia Wright as T'Challa's sister Shuri, who happens to be the smartest person in the Marvel universe, exceeding the intelligence of Tony Stark's or Peter Parker's; maybe even more than both of them combined. As smart as she is, Wright gives the character some flair and a whole lot of fun elements, such as when she enthusiastically gives her brother a tour of all the latest technology that she has, stating that "just because something works does not mean it cannot be improved," when her brother complains about how he doesn't need another upgrade.
The film opens a gorgeous sequence involving the origin of Wakanda, told as a bedtime story to a young T'Challa by his father. The secluded nation has five tribes, all shown with each of their own gorgeous garments that represents each of the tribe. From crowning ceremonies, ritual combats, to the spiritual world of the ancestors, briefly mentioned by T'Challa himself in Civil War; director Ryan Coogler embraces the different shades and palettes of Wakanda, and there's not a moment where I wasn't in awe of the world he has painted on screen. Wakanda is more than just a secluded nation with a chalkful of vibranium, it's also diverse when it comes to creating an effortless blast of color, a wicked immersion to their fully advanced technology; complete with some of the film's most immersive shots by cinematographer Rachel Morisson (most recently nominated for an Oscar for her work in Mudbound), the most impressive being a shot of M'Baku's throne room of the Jabari Tribe (seriously, that shot is just breathtaking).
Like Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok before it, Marvel is giving their directors plenty of creative freedom in bringing the characters and the world they live in to life, hence why Black Panther works so well. It is filled with beautiful imagery of a secretive nation that intends on keeping its traditional African heritage alive whilst being the most technologically advanced nation in the world. As we enter the world of Wakanda, places like its vibranium mine, Shuri's vibranium based workplace, to the home of the Jabari tribe, the poingnantly colorful colors of Africa is richly painted, and it just makes you so immersed in this world that they've brought that you might never want to leave once you're there.
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| Image source: Vulture |
Most of the arcs in Black Panther are solely rooted in Wakanda, and the conflicts within the nation. Just because it's the most advanced nation in the world, it does not always mean the most peaceful. The conflict between whether or not Wakanda should stay isolated from the rest of the world as well as Killmonger's arrival made sure of that. Marvel has incorporated personal conflicts in some of their films, but Black Panther goes beyond that. Black Panther deals with the politics of a nation, questioning what one should do in order to rule and protect, whether or not the truth could protect the legacy or destroy it. Coogler plays with these elements effortlessly, making for a much deeper meaning behind it rather than just having it be a superhero film.
Black Panther is of course, not without flaws. Some parts feel inconsistent, with scenes that were abruptly cut for another, leaving them incomplete. And for a film filled with great character arcs and development as well as some spectacular world building, the final battle sequence somehow lags compared to its other fantastic aspects. It doesn't feel as epic as other standout action sequences such as the ritual combat battle for the throne or the car chase in South Korea. The thrill from the previous sequences just feel more cohesive and epic than the final battle, and the final is the one that's supposed to be the culmination of all the previous action sequences.
Despite that, Black Panther just nails almost every single aspect of not only a great superhero film, but as a great film in general as well. Black Panther is one of Marvel's most gorgeous films to date, bringing the world of Wakanda from the comics to the big screen with an immersively aesthetic palette (I also want to mention the amazing score by Ludwig Goransson, because the score is just fantastic). It brings the best out of what makes these heroes special and turns it into a much more intimate, personal, and thrilling adventure. In the middle of it is a journey of conflict and loyalty to the throne. This is about a king who is thrust into the role of both a leader and protector. There's all kinds of potentials that Marvel could take in order to convey such story, and for the most part, they take those potentials and spark them into something special.
Stars: 4.2/5
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