It’s been ten years since the Marvel Cinematic Universe burst onto the scene with Iron Man and year after year the MCU has delivered one blockbuster after another with fans flocking in droves to see the latest installment.
As I type this, Black Panther is shattering box office records set by its predecessors. But do not for a minute be mistaken in thinking this is just another one franchise installment. because Black Panther is a movie unlike anything that came before it.
We are barely into 2018, but Ryan Coogler might have already delivered one of the best films of the year. Don’t be surprised when you see this film on many Top Ten lists come December.
Ryan Coogler steps into the big league director’s chair with a budget of $200 million dollars to make a superhero movie which focuses entirely on a black protagonist and a stellar black cast. Next month, Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time is released, another first as she becomes the first African-American female to helm a $103 million dollar film. (What took you so long to get here, Hollywood, with brilliant African-American film directors helming films as illustrious as these? We can save that for another conversation.)
Black Panther’s release could not have come at a better time. It’s premiere is of significant importance to our political and cultural climate. Moreover, Ryan Coogler does a phenomenal job delivering everything that a superhero movie should be.
Coogler immerses the audience in the beauty that is Wakanda, a town somewhere between Tanzania and Ethiopia that’s not presented as third world or impoverished as we so often see whenever Africa is the setting. In fact, it’s the opposite. Wakanda is a hidden gem, sitting atop mound of Vibranium a precious metal which provides the city with unlimited energy. As a result, Wakanda’s technology is superior to anything yet seen in the MCU. Cue the superbly visceral world where most of the film takes place and makes its vibrancy such a delight to absorb.
T’Challa has just been anointed king of Wakanda after the death of his father, but there’s no time for coronation parades because rival Erik Killmonger arrives with a link to Wakanda and a claim to challenge the throne. Michael B. Jordan is an antagonist filled with rage and fury, but as we learn more about his backstory, the reasons for his anger will have you feeling a measure of sympathy. His performance is magnetically powerful, as a villain with heart. Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole give the audience something we so rarely see, especially in the Marvel Universe — a deep and meaningful backstory that let’s us feel emotionally invested in the bad guy. Jordan’s Killmonger is the perfect opposite to Boseman’s T’Challa, the two are worthy and fascinating adversaries.
The cast of Black Panther is filled with richness. Every performance is fierce. Chadwick Boseman commands the screen with such regal demeanor. Daniel Kaluuya’s W’Kabi is fantastic. The women in the cast bring it. Lupita Nyong’o delivers yet another indelible performance, Letitia Wright’s Shuri is a scene stealer, and Danai Gurira’s Okoye is simply rapturous in every frame. In Black Panther, the women aren’t kidnapped, held ransom, or needing be rescued. In Wakanda, they’re spies, they’re commanders, and they fight their own battles. These are strong and powerful women in charge of their own agency. It’s Shuri who invented the train system of Wakanda and is the technical genius of the gadgets and weapons of the kingdom.
The film is on such a superb level of visually excellence, you may find yourself salivating. We have the Oscar-nominated Rachel Morrison to thank for much of this splendor. If you’re one of the many filmlovers that admired Morrison’s breathtaking cinematography in Mudbound, Black Panther will make you sit up straight and pay attention to her work as she gives Wakanda a feeling of grandeur saturated in the glorious colors of Africa while capturing a unique futuristic brilliance.
Ludwig Goransson’s rousing core holds us captivated as does Kendrick Lamar’s incredible soundtrack. Ruth Carter’s costume design and Hannah Beachler’s production design are thoroughly arresting as they capture the essence of Wakanda.
Coogler gives us spectacular action sequences including a thrilling car chase through South Korea with the women of Wakanda in the driver’s seat, and the fight scenes and battles are some of the best we’ve ever seen. The director of Fruitvale Station and Creed honors the Marvel legacy with the traditional Stan Lee cameo and post end credits teaser, and along the way he gives us a film that empowers and celebrates black excellence within the superhero universe. Black Panther is full of heart and action and brilliant from start to finish.
Black Panther is an astonishing film, a standout among the MCU films, a standalone where its characters and storyline are more developed, with enough action and showdowns to leave us cheering as we go on this spectacular ride.
This is a much-needed milestone for Marvel. Fans will be satisfied and non-fans will be left in awe, but more importantly, young boys, young girls will be able to go to the movies and see a black cast portray heroes. It sends a powerful message to see Hollywood glass ceilings broken by movies like this. If the box-office numbers are any evidence, there has long been a hunger for films like Black Panther, and this is just the beginning.
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Black Panther is on general release
Seven and a half years ago I watched Iron Man for the first time and remember being surprised that people thought that film was any good. The film wasn’t bad but what especially interesting, brilliant or even entertaining was there in it? I went to see Iron Man 2 about a week after that and felt as dispassionately about it.
As the years went by I kept becoming more baffled. Some of these Marvel movies were entertaining but especially after years of repetition even that effect felt diminished every single time and even after a successful one the idea that I’d have to go see the next one felt horrible. And they all felt exactly the same. They for some reason chose that these films need to have a somewhat uniform look and that look was bland, uninteresting and felt as if they had shot flat images that they forgot to do any color correction on in post production. The narratives felt the same and no one was bringing anything new to the structure of the stories or even felt actually interested in telling them. No film had any vision or tried to do anything interesting with the action sequences. The villains were always the same (even Loki started to sink into that hole after a couple of films), the heroes as well (purely good and built with the idea that they wouldn’t achieve anything even remotely close to actual character developement because if they’d develop the characters, depvelopable elements would eventually run out and that would threaten the amount of sequels about the characters), the female characters were always one-dimensional and their point always eventually became to be some male hero’s girlfriend, the music was always the same, the acting was always never notable and the climaxes always felt uninteresting precisely because they were trying to bigger than the climax of the previous one.
When any film would break an individual rule on this list, I’d be incredibly happy for the reason that it felt like someone was breaking the mold of these movies and maybe next time someone could actually do something that’s a little bit interesting. When The Avengers had some visual clarity in the action sequences, I thought: “Maybe they’ll learn from this and have better action sequences”, after Guardians of the Galaxy I thought: “Yes, maybe the music of these movies will change now to be a bit more interesting”, when Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarök were actually a bit funny, I thought: “Maybe these films have stopped having such stupid jokes”. But I learned to think that Marvel movies can’t be actually interesting as they have to fit the mold, they had to be marketable and liked by everyone who just came to stare at the screen for 2 hours without thinking anything. Marvel was bound to be bad. I wanted to keep seeing the movies because I feel like seeing the biggest movies is integral to understanding the film landscape and was hoping that maybe they’d get better and we might have intelligent big budget filmmaking three times a year but I kept becoming more convinced I was watching clowns that I didn’t care about at all that never had an idea for a narrative to begin with and kept repeating the worst elements of their performances, never learning a thing from their successes or their failures.
Today I was proven wrong as Ryan Coogler broke every rule on that list of Marvel movie problems and managed to do that so effortlessly and created a masterful film. Black Panther is phenomenal
Wow, just wow. You hit the nail on the head with my feelings about marvel. Actually, I had no interest in watching Black Panther because of the same reasons you pointed out. After this, I may give it a chance.
Kinda feel bad for Blade. Did it and was successful 20 years ago but that’s forgotten now.
Black Panther was great. It ranks up there in the top tier MCU movies. Some cgi was and at time too much was going on on screen but not enough to ruin it.
Can we talk spoilers? Cause this movie did something that most MCU movies do and it did it twice! And it pissed me off!
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved the performances. Loved the look of the film. Love that we see such a great representation of black heritage/art and the black experience … and all in a MCU film!
Speaking of that, while I think this is one of the best stand alone superhero movies that we’ve seen, it still did FEEL like a superhero film and not something as singular as a Mad Max or a Dark Knight, etc. Also, the final battle/CGI wasn’t as momentous or brilliantly executed as it could have been.
But other than that, wow. LOVVVVVED Danae Gurira as Okoye. What a badass, but then I loved her vulnerability in that scene with Lupita near the end, as well. Loved Letitia Wright. Michael B. Jordan deserves Supporting Actor consideration this coming year. Winston Duke was super fun in his scenes as that tribe leader. Andy Serkis looked like he was having a blast as that scumbag. Boseman was a solid center. I really did think everyone brought their A-game.
Beautiful production design, amazzzing costumes, good sound work. I think that this film could make a splash next awards season. How many noms it can get, though, TBD. Can’t wait to watch this again and revel in its complexities and beauty. 9/10
I second Michael B. Jordan as Best Supporting Actor nominee this year
Seven and a half years ago I watched Iron Man for the first time and remember being surprised that people thought that film was any good. The film wasn’t bad but what especially interesting, brilliant or even entertaining was there in it? I went to see Iron Man 2 about a week after that and felt as dispassionately about it.
As the years went by I kept becoming more baffled. Some of these Marvel movies were entertaining but especially after years of repetition even that effect felt diminished every single time and even after a successful one the idea that I’d have to go see the next one felt horrible. And they all felt exactly the same. They for some reason chose that these films need to have a somewhat uniform look and that look was bland, uninteresting and felt as if they had shot flat images that they forgot to do any color correction on in post production. The narratives felt the same and no one was bringing anything new to the structure of the stories or even felt actually interested in telling them. No film had any vision or tried to do anything interesting with the action sequences. The villains were always the same (even Loki started to sink into that hole after a couple of films), the heroes as well (purely good and built with the idea that they wouldn’t achieve anything even remotely close to actual character developement because if they’d develop the characters, depvelopable elements would eventually run out and that would threaten the amount of sequels about the characters), the female characters were always one-dimensional and their point always eventually became to be some male hero’s girlfriend, the music was always the same, the acting was always never notable and the climaxes always felt uninteresting precisely because they were trying to bigger than the climax of the previous one.
When any film would break an individual rule on this list, I’d be incredibly happy for the reason that it felt like someone was breaking the mold of these movies and maybe next time someone could actually do something that’s a little bit interesting. When The Avengers had some visual clarity in the action sequences, I thought: “Maybe they’ll learn from this and have better action sequences”, after Guardians of the Galaxy I thought: “Yes, maybe the music of these movies will change now to be a bit more interesting”, when Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarök were actually a bit funny, I thought: “Maybe these films have stopped having such stupid jokes”. But I learned to think that Marvel movies can’t be actually interesting as they have to fit the mold, they had to be marketable and liked by everyone who just came to stare at the screen for 2 hours without thinking anything. Marvel was bound to be bad. I wanted to keep seeing the movies because I feel like seeing the biggest movies is integral to understanding the film landscape and was hoping that maybe they’d get better and we might have intelligent big budget filmmaking three times a year but I kept becoming more convinced I was watching clowns that I didn’t care about at all that never had an idea for a narrative to begin with and kept repeating the worst elements of their performances, never learning a thing from their successes or their failures.
Today I was proven wrong as Ryan Coogler broke every rule on that list of Marvel movie problems and managed to do that so effortlessly and created a masterful film. Black Panther is phenomenal
Wow, just wow. You hit the nail on the head with my feelings about marvel. Actually, I had no interest in watching Black Panther because of the same reasons you pointed out. After this, I may give it a chance.
Kinda feel bad for Blade. Did it and was successful 20 years ago but that’s forgotten now.
Black Panther was great. It ranks up there in the top tier MCU movies. Some cgi was and at time too much was going on on screen but not enough to ruin it.
Can we talk spoilers? Cause this movie did something that most MCU movies do and it did it twice! And it pissed me off!
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved the performances. Loved the look of the film. Love that we see such a great representation of black heritage/art and the black experience … and all in a MCU film!
Speaking of that, while I think this is one of the best stand alone superhero movies that we’ve seen, it still did FEEL like a superhero film and not something as singular as a Mad Max or a Dark Knight, etc. Also, the final battle/CGI wasn’t as momentous or brilliantly executed as it could have been.
But other than that, wow. LOVVVVVED Danae Gurira as Okoye. What a badass, but then I loved her vulnerability in that scene with Lupita near the end, as well. Loved Letitia Wright. Michael B. Jordan deserves Supporting Actor consideration this coming year. Winston Duke was super fun in his scenes as that tribe leader. Andy Serkis looked like he was having a blast as that scumbag. Boseman was a solid center. I really did think everyone brought their A-game.
Beautiful production design, amazzzing costumes, good sound work. I think that this film could make a splash next awards season. How many noms it can get, though, TBD. Can’t wait to watch this again and revel in its complexities and beauty. 9/10
I second Michael B. Jordan as Best Supporting Actor nominee this year
I am quite happy and surprised to read this review. I personally disliked the movie and I feel it is overrated. May I be the only one? It seems so…
What’s something you disliked?
Honestly think there needs to be a discussion when the time comes around of Black Panther’s being a Oscar hopeful. If Wonder Woman could get that same push I know Black Panther could. Both fun and well made movies for sure.
I’ve never been so pumped for a MCU movie. Killmonger and the women who basically run Wakanda is what makes this a special movie.
When has there ever been an villian like Killmonger in a superhero flick, Joker?
This is the first time in a long while watching a movie I thought “wow that is some amazing costume design”
Here’s a cool twitter thread about its influences – https://twitter.com/i/moments/965082557879533568
Yes. I noticed it right away too and it was the first thing my mom mentioned.
I loved it, and I love that it could easily be a standalone film rather than a cog in the machine.
I only had issues with some of the action sequences, but other than that, I was wowed.
I am quite happy and surprised to read this review. I personally disliked the movie and I feel it is overrated. May I be the only one? It seems so…
What’s something you disliked?
Honestly think there needs to be a discussion when the time comes around of Black Panther’s being a Oscar hopeful. If Wonder Woman could get that same push I know Black Panther could. Both fun and well made movies for sure.
I’ve never been so pumped for a MCU movie. Killmonger and the women who basically run Wakanda is what makes this a special movie.
When has there ever been an villian like Killmonger in a superhero flick, Joker?
This is a bit OT: I’m watching Angela Bassett in 9-1-1 on TV, and I do not like her acting style. Too intense? I don’t know, but I hope she doesn’t stink in this movie.
Too intense? Guess that’s a real thing. I might need to check out this 9-1-1.
I loved it. Probably will get it on 4K Ultra HD when it comes out. Great movie!
I loved it, and I love that it could easily be a standalone film rather than a cog in the machine.
I only had issues with some of the action sequences, but other than that, I was wowed.
I liked it quite a bit. Even with its own identity it still felt limited by Marvel’s increasingly familiar structure. VFX were quite shoddy as well.
I did think the women and Michael B Jordan stole the film from Chadwick Boseman
Its funny because duvernay was the first choice to direct black panther but turned it down. It ended up in the hands of coogler surely thereafter. But yes I’m happy for both. Fruitvale station —> creed —> black panther. And middle of nowhere —> Selma —> a wrinkle in time. Hollywood sure doesn’t give you much room for failure to make it big, huh? Lol.
How do you know that Wrinkle of Time is better than Selma?!?
I think superkk is referring to their respective career trajectories, not judging the quality of the films themselves.
Lol thank you!
I saw it on Thursday night I liked everything about the film very much except for the visual effects. They look very phony most of the time throughout. There’s way too much green screen and CGI when they don’t need it in these movies, and this one was one of the worst examples of that so far . Luckily the story in this one makes up for the lack of visual effects quality that usually pushes a lot of these movies.
I thought the visual effects were fine except the sky sometimes. I also had that problem with LOTR in spots. A fake clear sky doesn’t ever seem to work. Maybe it’s because it’s too bright? Otherwise I didn’t see any bad effects.
WOOHOO! Saw it earlier today 10/10. Danai Gurira steals the movie out from these Oscar nominated/winning actors.
Do you think it has Oscar potential? I think it’s already a virtual lock for Costume Design even without having seen any of the competition, but does it have a shot in any other categories? Dare I say, Best Picture?
You never know. It depends on what the rest of the movies are like this year. It’s better than Wonder Woman and a lot of people thought that could get nominated. Unlike Derek I did like the Visual Effects but yes the Costume Design should be considered. Adapted Screenplay maybe now that the precedent has been set.
Sure, it could show up a lot. Chadwick Boseman is a great actor who should have been nominated for playing James Brown previously. He does an accent here but I’m not sure if they’re going to nominate people plalying supeheroes if Jackman wasn’t even considered after a lifetime as Wolverine. Everything’s relative so we’ll have to see how the rest of 2018 shakes out.
Heath Ledger’s Joker was a fierce and showy performance as well as downright chilling at moments. I know a lot of people were saying at the time that he was nominated because he died. Bullcrap. He was previously nominated and lost against Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s Capote and almost took him down he was so good.
I know it’s early, hopefully Michael B. Jordan gets a major push for best supporting actor. A Category that has really been lacking spunk and competition. He was top notch.
BP, I don’t think so. It’s quite good, and one of the best Marvel movies probably, but I still don’t think they’ve quite made a great movie. I could see it landing a production design nom, though.
Letitia Wright was my standout. It would be fun to see her Shuri talk to Tony Stark.
I loved it. Probably will get it on 4K Ultra HD when it comes out. Great movie!
I liked it quite a bit. Even with its own identity it still felt limited by Marvel’s increasingly familiar structure. VFX were quite shoddy as well.
I did think the women and Michael B Jordan stole the film from Chadwick Boseman
Its funny because duvernay was the first choice to direct black panther but turned it down. It ended up in the hands of coogler surely thereafter. But yes I’m happy for both. Fruitvale station —> creed —> black panther. And middle of nowhere —> Selma —> a wrinkle in time. Hollywood sure doesn’t give you much room for failure to make it big, huh? Lol.
How do you know that Wrinkle of Time is better than Selma?!?
I think superkk is referring to their respective career trajectories, not judging the quality of the films themselves.
I saw it on Thursday night I liked everything about the film very much except for the visual effects. They look very phony most of the time throughout. There’s way too much green screen and CGI when they don’t need it in these movies, and this one was one of the worst examples of that so far . Luckily the story in this one makes up for the lack of visual effects quality that usually pushes a lot of these movies.
I thought the visual effects were fine except the sky sometimes. I also had that problem with LOTR in spots. A fake clear sky doesn’t ever seem to work. Maybe it’s because it’s too bright? Otherwise I didn’t see any bad effects.
WOOHOO! Saw it earlier today 10/10. Danai Gurira steals the movie out from these Oscar nominated/winning actors.
Do you think it has Oscar potential? I think it’s already a virtual lock for Costume Design even without having seen any of the competition, but does it have a shot in any other categories? Dare I say, Best Picture?
You never know. It depends on what the rest of the movies are like this year. It’s better than Wonder Woman and a lot of people thought that could get nominated. Unlike Derek I did like the Visual Effects but yes the Costume Design should be considered. Adapted Screenplay maybe now that the precedent has been set.
Sure, it could show up a lot. Chadwick Boseman is a great actor who should have been nominated for playing James Brown previously. He does an accent here but I’m not sure if they’re going to nominate people plalying supeheroes if Jackman wasn’t even considered after a lifetime as Wolverine. Everything’s relative so we’ll have to see how the rest of 2018 shakes out.
BP, I don’t think so. It’s quite good, and one of the best Marvel movies probably, but I still don’t think they’ve quite made a great movie. I could see it landing a production design nom, though.
Letitia Wright was my standout. It would be fun to see her Shuri talk to Tony Stark.