Allan Watched "Black Panther"
Culturally and historically significant in more ways than you can count, Black Panther is not only one of the greatest superhero movies of all time, but it is also one of the greatest action films ever made.
Gut Feeling
2018 has lasted forever, and it is hard to believe Black Panther was released in this calendar year. The beauty in that is we get to revisit this superhero instant classic again during award season, as it was rightfully nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture. There is so much to sink your teeth into, from its beautifully complex villain, its stunning setting, and its picture-perfect action sequences, but the simplest take away is that there is no weak link in this film for the ages.
Next Level Talent
When you step back and look at this cast as a whole, it is jarring how much talent is stuffed into one movie. It is not like the Avengers movies that accumulate characters over time from multiple different stories that we love and enjoy, which guarantees a solid roster (kind of like a music festival). Black Panther is instead introducing us to almost a dozen new characters into the MCU, and each is played by a heavy weight.
More importantly, each new character is displaying the talent of the many world-class black actors, writers, producers and directors we have in the film industry today. In Black Panther we finally have a blockbuster that not just celebrates diversity, but exists fully in a culture that is essential to our society, yet has never received the credit it deserves.
Ryan Coogler Stays Hot
Imagine any entity putting out three movies in a row as quality as Fruitvale Station, Creed, and Black Panther, let alone a single writer/director. But Ryan Coogler has done just that, and at only 32, we are likely seeing just the beginning of a historic career. Coogler’s success in Black Panther starts with a great script, and a villain played by Michael B. Jordan (who also stars in Creed and Fruitvale Station) that is as complex and disruptive as any villain since Heath Ledger’s Joker. Killmonger makes a lot of sense, until, you know, he wants to wipe out the human race and start over (that’s usually where super villains lose me). At the end, you almost wish he would have survived.
The central conflict is a powerful one, and is elevated by the increasing drama Coogler’s script provides. It is essentially a civil war, and W’Kabi, played by Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out), is an intriguing turncoat and pillar of the conflict because Killmonger aligns with his very clear beliefs of bringing Wakanda’s gifts to the world. This makes the moment when he realizes during battle that he is fighting his friends and family extremely powerful. These nuances persist throughout, and makes Black Panther emotionally loaded.
T’Challa’s Not Your Everyday Superhero
OK, I have focused a ton on everything that is not specifically about our hero, so let’s get into what makes him unlike most Marvel characters we’ve seen before. Black Panther, as a character, is extremely well rounded. Chadwick Boseman, who has played so many big characters in the last five or so years, gives T’Challa a little bit of everything. He is very vulnerable throughout, and does not seem to shy away from the fact that he needs his peers to help him, which is a stark contrast (stark. Get it?) to his Avengers peers, who are all basically megalomaniacs.
Right and wrong also evolves within T’Challa, and he seems to be heavily influenced by the philosophy of his villain cousin, leading to him bringing Wakanda to the world. T’Challa is a perfectly made final piece leading up to Infinity War, and the film as a whole sets up the emotionally unprecedented Avengers that still has us all shook.
Random Thoughts
I am ready and waiting for the Nakia, Shuri, and Okoye spin-off. And I’m not talking movie, I want a full TV series. I could have written an entire review on just the three of them.
Speaking of Shuri, has there been a better introduction to the mainstream in the last decade than Letitia Wright? Shuri is easily in my top-five favorite MCU characters.
It’s a shame Klaw had to go. To see the brilliance of Andy Serkis in his actual flesh instead of CGI is a treat.
I was jarringly sad when Zuri dies during this viewing, maybe more so than when I saw it in theaters. It’s hard to believe it took me so long to mention Forrest Whitaker in this review, but that’s how dense this film is with greatness.
Multiple title drops, obvs, since the title is a character.
Quick Hits:
How many times have I seen this movie?
Three times, but this is the first time since seeing Infinity War.
Where was I watching it?
In my office while schooling kids in Fifa. I was drinking a plain grande latte, because that’s the person I have become.
Did Kellye Watch it? If Yes, did she like it? If no, would she like it?
Kellye LOVES this movie. The first time we saw it was together in theaters, and she vibes so hard with the music throughout. She did not watch this viewing with me, but did come in to watch the end and the post-credit scenes. I am pretty sure she still doesn’t know who White Wolf actually is though…
Favorite fact I learned from Wikipedia
Wesley Snipes almost made the first adaption of Black Panther in the early nineties. Snipes was ahead of his time, and he wasn’t happy with any of the scripts, so it never happened. This story deserves a captive audience, so maybe the timing worked out.
Favorite part
Everything with Shuri.
Least favorite part
There are some times when Michael B. Jordan uses modern American vernacular when in Wakanda that feels very clunky and forced. It is my only gripe with this film, and it is probably just me, but the moments feel like conscious choices, and they do not land well for me.
Would I recommend this movie?
Wakanda forever.
So What Does Allan Give It?
Two Gold Thumbs Up! Overall, a score of 97. I believe this is the best superhero film since The Dark Knight, and history may end up seeing it as the greatest of all time.
