Black Panther is a legendary entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Black Panther is a game changer for the Marvel Cinematic Universe with its unique vision and storyline that allows the actors to shine.
With Marvel about to enter an entirely new phase of its cinematic universe, the time is now to show that the studios future is secured. And if its latest release, Black Panther (tickets), is anything to go off of, it’s ready to stretch into new territories. T’Challa isn’t the first black superhero to anchor a film franchise, but the film opens the door for the up-till-now rigid Marvel Studios to embrace new voices and perspectives. Director Ryan Coogler continues to show he’s one of the best working today, taking the techniques he cultivated with Fruitvale Station and Creed, and using them to create a superhero film that moves between epic, funny, heartfelt and thought-provoking. Black Panther isn’t just a great movie for the first half of the year; Black Panther is the best movie Marvel’s ever made!
Set in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, the new king T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) is forced to defend his throne when a usurper named Erik “Killmonger” Stevens (Michael B. Jordan) comes for it.
Black Panther is unlike anything Marvel has made since the MCU started. Ryan Coogler sets up the country of Wakanda immediately. Through animation “aided” by the country’s fictional element, vibranium, we’re told about the various tribes of the country, and how the nation keeps its advanced technology a secret from the world, preferring to live under the guise of being an impoverished, third-world country. Coogler, who also acts as co-scriptwriter alongside Joe Robert Cole, takes the trappings of America’s current issues with race and juxtaposes them with an emotionally complex message that doesn’t neatly conform to right or wrong. The opening, set in Coogler’s hometown of Oakland, California, introduces characters running guns, only to subvert the implications of those weapons with an emphasis on culture and whether a change of scenery causes one’s heritage to change.
The film is swathed in this concept of heritage and love for one’s country, even if you disagree with its decisions. T’Challa is foisted into the role of king after his father is killed in a terrorist attack. Instead of just putting a crown on his head and throwing him into the Black Panther suit, the film’s first half follows the ceremony necessary to cement T’Challa’s kingship. Coogler’s script doesn’t rush from point-to-point, trying to hit typical Marvel beats or introduce characters meant to pay off three films down the line. In fact, Black Panther lacks any large Marvel cameos until the requisite post-credits scene. A large portion deals with T’Challa in Wakanda, and how he must fight off any others who feel they have a claim to the throne. The world-building here is nothing short of spectacular. You believe these are traditions passed down through the ages, not items crafted specifically for narrative convenience.
Chadwick Boseman is the perfect T’Challa and a superlative Black Panther. The two halves of the character feel distinct, with the Black Panther allowing T’Challa freedom and indestructibility. The true comfort of the character is found when he’s T’Challa. He’s a strong ruler, a devoted brother and son, but he’s also suave as can be. A trip to Busan, South Korea comes off like an audition for James Bond, and Boseman could certainly pull it off. The Bond comparisons are apropos, especially when you factor in this film’s Q, the young Shuri (Letitia Wright). Wright is such a ball of fire as Shuri, a woman whose wit is as sharp as her intellect. She anchors the film’s middle with a variety of inventions that could easily be applicable to today.
In fact, Black Panther is just as revolutionary for its large female cast. Matriarch Angela Bassett as Ramonda doesn’t have a ton to do, but her regal bearing makes her intimidating with little more than an arched eyebrow. Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia could have easily fallen into the trap of being the girlfriend; she and T’Challa obviously have a history, with him so enamored he has a tendency to “freeze” in her presence. Thankfully, Coogler gives Nyong’o a character with a mission of her own. She’s seen liberating young women in a sting operation, and much of what makes Nakia amazing is her ability to hold her own alongside T’Challa.
But none them compare to the utterly astounding Danai Gurira as the head of T’Challa’s group of warrior women, Okoye. Outside of the fact that the military is predominately women, and how wonderful that is to see, Gurira’s Okoye is dominant without being militant, smart without being untouchable. Her relationship with Daniel Kaluuya’s character W’Kabi has serious stakes. And who else but Gurira could turn a wig into a weapon? By the end of this movie, you’ll demand Marvel greenlight a solo film for her.
Unlike other Marvel villains whose motivations are limited to egomania manifesting through world domination, Black Panther’s villain is fraught with complexity. Despite the intimidating name, the character of Erik Killmonger is situated as a man angry at the way black people are portrayed in America. Michael B. Jordan is utterly astounding, continuing the trend he’s been on when working with Coogler. He’s frightening, powerful, and commanding, but a moment with his deceased father (a brilliant Sterling K. Brown) shows the character’s weaknesses.
With rhetoric that will draw (and already has at outlets like Vulture) comparisons to Malcolm X, Killmonger’s mentality is to destabilize Wakanda and use its resources to redistribute power and wealth. This presents an intriguing clash with T’Challa, who fears alerting the world to Wakanda’s technology will bring in control from outsiders. The tension seeps well outside the zone of a Marvel movie and brings things back towards our own history of racial oppression.
On top of its mature and politically charged characters, the look of Black Panther feels completely unique. Rachel Morrison, currently our first and only female Oscar-nominated cinematographer, makes Wakanda lush and vibrant. The colors swirl when T’Challa visits the ancestral realm. The various villages all have their own unique looks. Ruth Carter’s costumes and masks create alternative personas for everyone. It may only be February, but this is a serious contender for Production Design and Costumes next year.
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Black Panther is a revelation and a revolution! The Marvel Universe finally shirks off the yoke of needing to perpetuate itself to tell a story that truly stands alone. Where last year’s Thor: Ragnarok showed Marvel as ready to embrace the fun, Black Panther shows story and direction are being valued. This is a must-see of epic proportions!