When Marvel announced that Ryan Coogler was going to be the director of the upcoming Black Panther, you could literally hear a collective roar of excitement from fans of both the character and the director (me, on both counts). Following that initial announcement, it seemed like we were getting more incredible news about the film: Michael B. Jordan is joining the cast, Kendrick Lamar is producing an album, Donald and Stephen Glover are lending their creative talents to the script. With so much initial hype surrounding this film, Black Panther ended up setting such a high bar for itself that would be rather difficult to meet.
I am glad to say Black Panther not only lives to the hype, it shatters any expectations.
Taking place in the fictional country of Wakanda, Black Panther tells the story of T’Challa as he becomes the king of his hidden technological utopia. Reeling from the aftermath of losing his father during Captain America: Civil War, T’Challa comes face to face with his father’s legacy and the rulings of his predecessors. However, T’Challa does not face this alone: surrounding him is a cast of wonderful characters filled with personality and warmth. From newcomers like Letitia Wright’s Shuri to the return of Andy Serkis’ Ulysses Klaue, each character feels memorable and almost iconic.
Visually, Black Panther is astonishing and expertly crafted. Wakanda’s skyline and design shadows the likes of Asgard and New York City. Each ship, weapon and costume exudes classic sci-fi and celebrates African culture. The design of the film is paired perfectly with the stunning cinematography, which has always seems to be missing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The visuals, however are just a bonus: Black Panther does a fantastic job of keeping itself grounded in a world filled with armored-clad rhinos and sonic arm cannons. The film does little to set up the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War and instead focuses (smartly) on the story and world within Wakanda. It’s a story that revolves around a powerful royal family but focusing on the relatable ideas of legacy and identity.
Its main villain, Erik Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan, is the perfect antithesis to Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa. Killmonger’s charm and backstory alone nearly steal the show. His “evil” reasoning is justifiable, with it becoming almost scary how simple it is to sympathize with his cause. Although I’m not a fan of villains being just the “Mirror Universe version” of the hero, here it feels like the correct choice.
But despite Killmonger being one of my favorite superhero villains in recent cinematic memory, T’Challa still stands out as an ideal superhero. His kind heart and steadfast persona shines through, making it that much harder to see him falter and stumble when he fails. But when he shines … he shines brightly.
Black Panther is that rare film where you can just feel how much love was put into it. From the moment it starts to its after-credits sequences (of course, stay until the theatre lights come up), each scene feels worthy of cheering out loud.
