#i just want to appreciate micheal b jordan okay???

[melina-mellow]

Me when Killmonger shows up in the ancestors plane: God, why do have to so evil while also sexy at the same time.

[lolareviews]

Movie Review: Black Panther

Google Synopsis: After the death of his father, T'Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T'Challa's mettle as king -- and as Black Panther -- gets tested when he's drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.

My Synopsis: T’Challa returns to Wakanda to become King and the undisputed Black Panther. His time as king is anything but smooth however, when an old foe and the sins of his father come back to haunt him and his people. Betrayed and beaten, T’Challa must relay on his allies, the majority of which are strong female characters, to save his country and the rest of the world.

I know this is pretty late but still: Spoilers Ahead

Okay, so I actually had to take some time because I definitely rode the hype train to this movie. That being said, I still really like this movie. I think the characters were strong. I think the plot was interesting. I think the villain...I need to talk a bit more about the villain actually. The world building blows my mind, I don’t even think I can express how brilliantly this world got built around me as I watched. The hero is actually the least interesting person in this movie, and I still really loved him. So let’s break it down.

I think the women really stole the show this movie. Shuri, played by the brilliant Letitia Wright, was strong, funny, intelligent, and you really believe her love of her family and her work. She makes puns and that literally immediately made me love her. She knows she’s intelligent and she’s a little cocky about it, but not Tony Stark cocky and I’m here for it. But more importantly, she doesn’t fall apart when she’s faced with uncertainty. She keeps moving forward. She is obviously more of a scientist but she picks up weapons to fight for her country when need be and it’s so great. I just love her.

Okoye, played by the always dynamic Danai Gurira, is just the epitome of power and the reason I’m currently low-key questioning my sexuality. But more than that, I love that her love of her country, her convictions and what she swore her life to, were not overshadowed by her being in a relationship. There is a moment at the end, and maybe for me it was more powerful than it was to other people but, when she says “For Wakanda? Without question.” I got chills. Her unwillingness to budge when people try to manipulate her emotions, her unapologetic, unwavering strength of conviction...she’s torn when she’s faced with several issues, but she does not yield her convictions to her emotions and that’s everything.

While she’s not my favorite lady in the movie, I really appreciate that Nakia, played by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o, was very well written. A lot of the time the love interest is written with no convictions of their own or passions and beliefs they abandon to be with the main character, but Nakia was having none of that. The primary issue of the relationship was that Nakia refused to give up her belief to stay in Wakanda and be with T’Challa. And while he did hope she would change her mind, T’Challa didn’t force her to give up her beliefs. In fact he ends up finding a way to have her stay and keep moving forward with her mission. And her cleverness, strength and determination are a huge part of how T’Challa wins the day.

I would like to also give a shout out to Angela Basset, playing the Queen mother Ramonda. She exudes a the sort of calm grace and quiet power one would expect from her. She’s been through a lot, but she manages to hold it together to take care of her children.

The villain of this movie are really interesting too. Killmonger, aka Micheal B. Jordan, is the main villain, but the most interesting thing about this movie is quite a few people aren’t really innocent. The late King T’Chaka is actually directly responsible for the creation of this villain. Killmonger is sort of like Loki in that, at least part of his logic and backstory are relatable for a lot of people. Like, obviously he loses points for wanting to commit mass genocide, but demanding to know why he was left behind? Asking why people with the means aren’t helping their kin? These are things people have asked time and again. And you find yourself realizing that, on some level he’s not wrong, even if you don’t agree with everything he believes.

The most interesting thing though...is that Killmonger doesn’t completely lose. At the end T’Challa does create outreach programs. He goes to Oakland, where Killmonger grew up, and opens the first outreach in the house his uncle was killed. He tells the world about Wakanda and offers help to places in need. So, even though Killmonger’s methods were wrong and the hate fueled warping of his core desire was terrible and should definitely be stopped, the actual core desire he had, that kids like him aren’t left behind anymore, began to come to pass at the end of the movie.

On the flip side, T’Challa was everything I wanted from the new king. He is on the surface calm and composed, but he has a bit of a temper and sometimes he loses control. I think my biggest issue is a lot of this story just sort of happens to him and he has to react to it. There isn’t as much agency in him as I would have expected, but he is just becoming king and learning to deal with the responsibilities of that so it makes sense.

My biggest complaint for this movie is we don’t see the funeral of King T’Chaka. I would have loved that. Also, it seems weird to not see it, since T’Challa becoming king and officially becoming the Black Panther is such a big deal.

Overall this was a really fun, interesting and pretty poignant superhero movie. I loved the characters and the world building. I loved how real Wakanda feels. I also love the conversation, for the most part, around this movie. I think Wakanda and all of it’s characters add a lot of fun and interesting opportunities for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Final Verdict: 4/5