Early on in the new Marvel film Black Panther, Shuri, played by scene stealer Letitia Wright, asks, “How many times do I have to tell you? Just because something works does not mean it cannot be improved.”
She’s talking about the extraordinary technology of her homeland, Wakanda, but she might as well be talking about Marvel movies.
Listen ya’ll, I LOVE a good superhero movie. I even like a just ok superhero movie. But I have to admit, there’s a bit of a formula. And hey, that formula has worked. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved.
Take everything you’ve loved about other Marvel movies and multiply it by five. You like Loki? Just wait until you meet Erik Killmonger. Big fan of the cool gadgets in Guardians of the Galaxy? They’ve got nothing on the Wakandan technology. Remember that awesome airport scene in Captain America: Civil War? Black Panther has a big third act battle scene that blows it out of the water.
Here’s the spoiler free basics: The movie picks up with T’Challa, the Black Panther, right where we left him at the end of Captain America: Civil War. He is returning home to Wakanda after the death of his father, T’Chaka. Wakanda, you might remember, is known to the rest of the world as a nation of farmers and goat herders. But our glimpse of it in Civil War tells a much different story.
Wakanda is, in fact, the most technologically advanced nation in the world, due to the natural abundance of a substance called Vibranium. Vibranaium is to Black Panther as the Tesseract is to The Avengers. Prepare to hear that word a lot. The plot concerns itself with the declaration of the new king of Wakanda, the massive stores of vibranium, and the unhinged Klaw, last seen losing an arm in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
I can’t give you much more detail about the plot, because I promised no spoilers. And you really don’t want me to spoil anything. As an avid superhero fan, I thought there were few things left that could surprise me. Cut to me grabbing my friend Becca’s arm and whisper-screaming, “OHMYOGSHICANTBELIEVEITS—-XXX redacted for spoilers XXX.”
What I can talk about are the individual feelings that made me pump my first and want to holler “Wakanda Forever!” Ladies, remember that feeling you got when you were watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Rey picks up the light saber and you were like “Yaaaaaas, finally, our turn!” Prepare to be feeling a whole lot of that in Black Panther. T’Challa is protected be an elite group of Wakandan warriors called the Dora Milaje…who are all women. Strong, amazing women, led by the stunning Danai Gurira (Michonne from The Walking Dead). She has maybe the best physical gag of the movie, involving— XXX redacted for spoilers XXX. Wakanda’s tech guru is T’Challa’s sister, Shuri. For those playing along at home, she’s a princess, but she’s also a skilled inventor. She’s played by British actress Letitia Wright and is a delight in every scene she’s in.
As T’Challa, Chadwick Boseman (42, Gods of Egypt) brings a strength and empathy that was hinted at during the character’s introduction in Captain America: Civil War. The other side of his coin, the Joker to his Batman, is Erik Killmonger, played with fierce intensity by Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Fruitvale Station). Both of these performances are nuanced and thought provoking, in their own ways. You root for Black Panther, the hero, but you feel for Killmonger, a villain who, under different circumstances, could have been a hero himself. These two performances lead a film full of three dimensional characters with desires and flaws, played with great skill by an incredibly talented group of actors. Forrest Whitaker, Martin Freeman, Lupito Nyong’o, and Andy Serkis are all at the top of their games here. And don’t even get me started on Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda.
Everything about Black Panther just thrilled me on a level I wasn’t expecting. It was gorgeous to look at. From the aircraft journey into Wakanda to the museum where we first meet Killmonger to the lush ancestral plane T’Challa visits, everything is crafted with precision. You wouldn’t think a museum would be a major set piece, but the literally everything in this movie was visually interesting.
The action sequences were innovative and heart pounding. We come to Marvel movies for the spectacle and the big action sequences. There are few here that are next level. The final action sequence, the casino scene, and the car chase (featured pretty heavily in the trailers) all more than deliver. Oh, that car chase! It literally made me gasp aloud. I had a hard time remembering that it wasn’t a real person leaping over cars and onto buildings.
At the center of it all is a story that feels real and relevant to the times we currently live in. The movie asks us to consider themes that most superhero movies stay away from, but it’s all the better for it. Instead of feeling like a lecture, director Ryan Coogler presents us with real people who have different opinions and asks us to find a way to understand all of them. Secondary characters who might have been just “Minor Villain #5” in another movie are here injected with a purpose to the world of the movie and become compelling in their own right. I could watch a whole movie about M’boku. Are you reading this, Kevin Feige? I’m ready for the M’boku movie.
I knew there was a good chance I would like Black Panther, because I like superhero movies. So if you like superhero movies, good news, you’ll probably like this one, too. But there is a chance that, like me, you won’t just like it. You’ll love it. You’ll leave that theater stunned because you didn’t think a superhero movie could do that. Transport you so completely to a world that feels real and possible, at the same time familiar and brand new. One of my favorite moments was when T’Challa realizes that yes, no matter how great things are, there can always be improvement. This movie feels like Marvel reaching that same conclusion.
Black Panther is what improving the formula looks like.
Rated: PG-13, for some violent action sequences, one rude hand gesture, and (by my count) one swear word. Pretty accurate rating. I would say kids 11-12, depending on maturity level, would get a lot out of of this movie as well.
Running Time: 134 minutes.
Genre: Superhero, SciFi/Fantasy
Best For: Superhero fans, young girls who love Rey from Star Wars, families, people who love great movies.
Secret Scenes: There are two end credit scenes, so make sure you stay put in those seats. Longtime MCU fans will get a kick out of the second one. I about lost it.
Did you love Black Panther as much as I did? Are you as pumped as I am for Avengers: Infinity War as I am?? Gimme all your SPOILER FREE takes in the comments!
Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey three years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!