Black Panther - Review Thread

It's PG-13 so I would be very careful.

50% of Star Wars movies are PG-13 at this point...

It’s that guy MovieBuff801.

Black Panther is not a contender.

I've been fairly critical of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but the house of M has been on something of a role lately and they continue that in a pretty big way with Black Panther. By far, the greatest asset the film has its afrofuture aesthetic. The country of Wakanda is beautifully well-rendedered and seamlessly blends science-fiction with African culture. The production here, particularly from the art and costume departments, should be applauded. The social aspects of Wakanda are also compelling and on that note, the concern with black culture and identity extends beyond aesthetic. The core themes and conflicts of the film are built around issues pertaining to the oppression of blacks historically and grappling with how a nation should interact with the rest of the world. T'Challa's own arc is built around grappling with the questionable legacy of one's ancestors, which is certainly relevant in an analysis of racism and colonial discourse.

However these conflicts emerge themselves most overtly with the villain. Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger is awesome, and easily among the top-tier villains of the MCU. The character is intense and determined, but what really elevates Killmonger is his all too sympathetic motivations. This is a guy who has lived his whole life as a second class citizen, himself oppressed and with an understanding of the oppression of black men and women throughout the world and throughout history, all while knowing that the means to end this oppression are there, they just aren't being used. It is this sense of injustice which drives Killmonger, and while his means are ultimately destructive and horrid, it's very easy easy to understand how the character got to this point. Crucial to this is Michael B. Jordan's performance, who is really awesome in developing a complete character who is both engaging and imposing, to the point that he actually steals the show.

Much as I admire Black Panther, I do think the movie stumbles in a few places, many of which are typical problems of the Marvel machine. For one, much as I dig most of the characters here, the cast is a little overstuffed. T'Challa himself, though a strong character, feels a little shortchanged by not having as much screentime as, say, Tony Stark in his solo movie. The film also falls into a lot of trappings these movies tend to in the third act. Big doomsday plot, overstuffed CGI infused action lacking weight, and the bad guy gets his sown super powerful Black Panther suit. In Black Panther's defense, many of these elements do arise naturally out of the story, but all the same it was disappointing to see the movie going down that path, especially at what is meant to be the height of the drama in the story. It's a shame because the elements of a very powerful finale are there.

So all told, Black Panther does fall prey to some of the typical MCU issues, but the sheer vision and ambition of the filmmaking is more than enough to make for a compelling superhero movie. Black Panther is not my personal choice for the best film of this shared universe, but it does rank very highly. What I keep coming back to is that amazing aesthetic, and the film's willingness to ask questions pertaining to race and global relations. That's some bold stuff, and I applaud Ryan Coogler and his team for making a large scale film that's also so steeped in a specific culture and ideas.

B+