“Black Panther” is the 18th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is directed by Ryan Coogler (“Creed”). Following up on the events of “Captain America: Civil War,” T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman, “Marshall”), the Black Panther and newly crowned King of Wakanda, must deal with both his father’s legacy as well as how he will handle Wakanda’s role in the world going forward. But, when demons from the past start to show themselves on Wakanda’s door, T’Challa realizes that he must fully embrace who he is as both Wakanda’s savior and king in order to handle how he will play his part in the wars to come.
Not only is this movie fantastic and a cultural phenomenon in being the first superhero movie that has a primarily black cast, but it is also one of the most visually stimulating, sensitively engaging and overall relevant movies to hit theaters in the wake of everything that has happened in the last year and a half. And this is a Marvel movie. Just let that sink in for a minute.
One of the biggest problems with this most recent phase of Marvel movies is that now more than ever, Marvel is really sinking into the TV mantra and just utilizing its directors to further what felt like Kevin Feige’s vision, with the jokes really starting to take over and become unbearable. That is not the case here, however, as Coogler is given free reign to fully mark his place on this movie, making this the first movie since “Guardians of the Galaxy” to feel like it was directed by a person and not a committee.
The best element in this movie is the nation of Wakanda, in all senses of the word. Coogler does an amazing job of transporting viewers into this world within the already-established Marvel one and does something that most big budget movies miss nowadays. He takes time to show little facets of people just in their everyday lives. It really helps to flesh out this world and give it more personality and character than it already has, and it is something that most movies nowadays completely miss out on.
As for the cast, this is not only one of the best casts Marvel has assembled for one of their movies in a very long time, but also none of these characters feel like pointless side characters. Each and every major character has a part to play, an arc of some kind, and a very distinct personality. This is something that cannot even be said for “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Chadwick kills it once again as T’Challa, but the standout is Coogler’s right-hand man, Michael B. Jordan (“Creed”). His portrayal of Erik Killmonger is brilliant,but the way he is used in this movie is so sympathetic. Once the twist around his character is revealed, he ends up becoming quite possibly the best villain the MCU has ever seen, better than Loki and Vulture.
One of the biggest complaints about the superhero genre over the last couple years is that it is starting to feel stale and formulaic, falling into yet another phrase that millennials and think- piece writers love to coin in order to feel smart: “superhero fatigue.” Well, if Marvel plans on staying around another 10 years, then they are on the right track.
This film is an absolute Marvel, no pun intended, and refreshing that this was not just another generic holdover until “The Avengers: Infinity War” the way that “Thor: Ragnarok” was. There is amazing cinematography and gorgeous visuals. It is culturally and socially aware and the first MCU film since “Captain America: the Winter Soldier” to have real-world implications. Most of all, it is the first Marvel movie to not feel like a superhero movie and instead feel like an experience.
Image from Marvel Entertainment via YouTube.com
