Another stunning and thouroughly entertaining movie from Marvel Studios who continue to gain momentum with each successive film. Delivering something new and original all within the framework of the same genre and universe.
A coming of age film of sorts that sees T'Challa return to his native Wakanda following the events of Captain America: Civil War to deal with the pressures of the thrown and fulfill his potential as both warrior and king, T'Challa and Black Panther alike. Thus being an origin adventure without the obligatory origin story.
Wakanda itself is visually breathtaking and looks as spectacular as one can imagine.
Wakanda itself is an unofficial character in the film with a rich visual palette and identity. It's people, along with most visuals in the movie, are brightly coloured and looks like an.artists dream, as rich and colourful as the comics that spawned them.
All the principle and supporting cast bring it. There's hardly anybody that doesn't stand out or get a moment to shine in this deep ensemble, so much so that T'Challa himself is almost outdone in the movie by the performances of Michael B. Jordan (Erik Killmonger) and the female supporting characters who are so good, I'd be disappointed if they didn't at least cameo in Avengers: Infinity War in a few months.
Highly recommended for any fan of Marvel Studios' movies, Superhero movies or action adventures with hints of political.drama thrown in for good measure. Not to be missed.
Without much surprise (but with much disappointment), the one word to describe Black Panther is: overhyped.
Black Panther in itself is not a really interesting superhero, but Marvel has proved in the past that it did not mean that the movie had to be dull. Captain America is even less interesting than Black Panther, but they managed to work around that by making the movies not about him but rather integrate them as a major plot arc in the MCU. No such thing here.
Actually the opposite, they tried to make it NOT a superhero movie. So you get your James Bond scene, your Fast and Furious scene, your Independance day scene, but not that many Marvel scenes. I think it lost its way by trying to look more blockbustery.
There are several good points, the movie isn't bad, it's just uninteresting. The whole middle half of the movie was actually boring.
The cast in general is good. The fight scenes are generally ok. The Wakanda city looks really impressive from afar. Too bad you never actually see it. Visually, everything is pretty neat (if you don't mind CGI everywhere, I don't).
Of the main characters, Shuri is definitively the more interesting. She's Bond's Q, but alot livelier and funnier. You also see her much more as you would another Q type character as she's also the main character's sister. Her role in Wakanda is huge. She seems to be the main engineer, urban designer, lead inventor, the vibranium reference expert, and all by herself as we never see anyone working in this huge lab. She seems also to be the person to go to when you need a doctor, instead of say, an hospital. That's maybe a little too much, but it's not like there are no equivalent in Marvel universe. Definitely would love to see her working with Stark and Banner.
The best character by far, although in a way too minor role, is Klaue. It seems he could have been one of the best villain of the whole MCU. Extremely original, fun, half crazy with a Joker-like vibe, every one of his scene was perfect. On a similar vibe, M'baku turned out to be a pretty cool vegetarian :) character.
So it sucked when he was quickly dispatched to be used as an entrance ticket to Wakanda. But Killmonger is actually a pretty cool antagonist too, obviously a lot less fun and original, but still. That is, if you totally ignore the ending where he turns out to be a little child crying on the inside that was just mean because he wanted his daddy and see a sunset in his homeland. COME ON ! Seriously ?? Way to fuck up an otherwise ok character.
The others are less interesting. Okoye is the cliche super loyal royal guard. Her husband sucks (what a waste of a good actor). Nakia is sold as an interesting character, but apart from picking up the plant, I don't think she does anything. Forest Whitaker plays Forest Whitaker as usual, a little less crazy, a little more mystical, but that's it. Martin Freeman's character looks like he could be interesting but firstly it's a little biased (because what character wouldn't be interesting with Martin Freeman ?) and secondly here he's mostly used to make the point that the token white guy should know to stay in his place when the black leads know best. I loved whrn it was mentioned that he was a foreign agent, with a duty to report what he saw, that's something that's usually blatantly ignored for plot reasons in this kind of situations. He wouldn't be a very good agent, or even person, if he didn't do his job. However, after that, nobody ever think of it again, least of all himself.
The plot, it can even be called that, was pretty weak. The intro scene looked cool. The whole Wakandian ceremonial stuff (which makes a huge part of the movie) is ridiculous. The casino scene was a rip-off of a rip-off of a Bond movie. The car chase was ok looking but boring. I kept waiting for the real story to start. The only time where a little story happens is when Killmonger takes power and Nakia and co go to find M'Baku. The final fight was ok, but a long way to be on level with other Marvels. The ID4 scene is totally out of place. The final duel is disappointing as it's in a full CGI place that's totally unadapted to make use of their powers.
There's a minor point about the place of Wakanda in the world, but it's just extremist protectionism, staying hidden not matter what, on one side, that goes directly to "let's conquer the whole world" on the other. Nobody seems to have though anything else about it until then.
A little plus: the kinetic energy absorption/emission added into the suit allows some really cool effects and fight actions, the only thing making it a little interesting. However he doesn't even use it against Killmonger when it's the one advantage his suit has over the other's. And what's the point of activating the train and the suit disabling thingie, they don't even fight once when it's on.
And a huge issue for me. I really don't buy Wakanda. Asgard actually makes more sense than Wakanda.
1) First the obvious: nobody knows about it. So no neighbouring country ever tried to go there. And nobody saw any sign of it growing. Because it should have been already pretty huge by the time they invented a technology that allowed to cloak the entire country!
2) They have vibranium, sure. But they don't sell it or exchange with other countries. Which means they are also self sufficient on absolutely everything else.
3) They're total non interventionist. So war and famine in other african countries ? Nope. World wars with tens of millions of deaths ? Nope. An alien race attacks the planet and they're the only ones with an equivalent level technology ? Nope. What a bunch of assholes.
4) We have a nice view of arriving in Wakanda, and then that's it. We never see the city. Well there's a scene where they walk in small streets full of dust, but that hardly fit with the skyscraper's skyline. Why would they keep streets this way with their technology.
5) Even if technology evolved, it does not seem the society did. Lots of antiquated tribal rituals and decorum. The kind of stuff that a society that advanced should leave behind. I mean sure it's fun for children and costumes and the once in a while ceremony, but advanced society usually get rid pretty quickly of superstition and religious ceremonial bullshit. The most important point of that being:
6) They still haven't been able to figure out that maybe, just maybe, having two half naked guys fight to the death with spears on a waterfall is not the best way to choose a leader ? Also the king~god thing. Isn't that weird when everybody knows that it's just due to a technology that only the royals have access to ?
7) They still need to collect the heart shaped herb and crush it with a mortar ? They haven't found a way to extract the active element, industrialize it, even synthesize it as it's vibranium based ? Though they probably miraculously will now, as it's supposedly completely gone.
Storywise it's definitely the weakest of the MCU. Because it looks good and I really enjoyed Shuri and Klaue, I'd rank it slightly above Iron Man 2 and Thor 2, but the only other time I felt bored watching a MCU movie was the Captain America part of Civil War, and the first half more than made up for it. Not here.
Now Marvel has officially made a blaxploitation film.
And before some liberal goes on about me being an entitled heterosexual white male and thus racist, let's set it straight.
I love black characters done right. Spawn is one instance. Static is another. Static Shock the Animated Series is an amazing instance showing black communities, their problems, gang violence - and the good people trying to help.
Black Panther is another thing entirely.
It's self-serious and unfunny.
It's ham-fisted in its message - using a stereotypical "African" accent just to nail in how "black" the characters are, and even the (quite terrible) song in the end sings "I hate people who feel entitled". The only white protagonist is referred to as "colonizer".
There's no character buildup for the villains - so much that they might as well be cardboard cutouts.
The mandatory strong independent female characters - remember, if you can only define a character as a "strong independent female", before defining who they are as a person, that is a comically bad character. As bad as the "testosterone-fueled bad-ass dude" and the rest of them.
The CGI is cheap, the soundtrack is bland and not memorable.
It is a sad time when movies think of not offending the overly sensitive audience, instead of telling a good story.
[8.1/10] Black Panther doesn’t have the aura of a Marvel Cinematic Universe film. Yes, it has the allies and enemies we’ve met in prior movies like Age of Ultron and Civil War. It has the jovial vibe among its main cast. And it has the mandatory, climactic third act battle, draped in CGI and the usual fanfare.
But it also stands apart from the rest of the MCU’s offerings. It is unabashedly Afrocentric in its focus and its approach. It is a plainly political film, meditating on the legacy of colonialism, the oppression of people of color around the world, and the push and pull of isolationism vs. global activism. Though squeezed into the standard, three act superhero structure, Black Panther takes its audience to a different space, one untouched by the rest of the world and, in some ways, untouched by the broader cinematic universe the film acts in concert with.
It is a uniquely, profoundly black take on the modern superhero film, one long overdue, if for no other reason than how it breathes new life into the familiar formula. There’s nothing wrong with comic book movies hitting certain standard notes of uncertainty, challenge, and self-realization. But Black Panther is a cinematic argument for broadening the franchise, showing the renewed, distinctive character these common stories take on, when they’re told from a fully-formed, confident, and different perspective.
That distinct atmosphere is the best thing about the film, alongside the clear camaraderie among its cast and characters. No hero is an island these days, and while the title character has a notable arc that’s done well, the most enjoyable portions of the movie emerge when the plot mechanics of that arc are set aside for Black Panther to chat, spark, and laugh with his tech-wiz sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), his altruistic ex Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), and his fierce, principled guard Okoye (Danai Gurira). So much of these films depends on the chemistry and connection between the people the audience is asked to spend two hours with, and Black Panther soars on that front, building a rapport among those core characters that carries the day.
At the same time, Chadwick Boseman gives one of the best dramatic performances to grace a Marvel film. Thematically, the film centers on the notion of whether someone with a kind heart but also uncertainty about how and where to guide his people can be a good leader, and Boseman brings the inherent decency and heft to make these ideas land.
Black Panther constantly puts its title character between conflicting choices and impulses. T’Challa has to balance his inherent sense of mercy, shown to the leader of a challenging tribe, with his desire to deliver swift justice, shown when he threatens enemy of the state Ulysses Klaue in public. He has to reconcile his deep love for his father and his deep respect for his people’s traditions with his growing realizations that his forebears were men, not gods, who made mistakes, and that his homeland may need to change and evolve. He must square his country’s tradition of isolation, with the competing calls to share the nation’s wealth and knowledge in order to help those in need, or to use those resources to bring down the oppressors around the world who keep them in that state.
If there’s one area where Black Panther excels, it’s in creating a central character who’s pulled in multiple directions, on multiple dimensions, leaving him unsure what path to take and what sort of man to be, until the right direction is forged in fires of challenge and hardship. The film is a political story, a cultural story, a family story, and a personal story.
It’s just that Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole seem not particularly interested in it being a superhero story. That’s not necessarily a problem. Films as tonally diverse as Logan and Deadpool have shown you can use the superhero framework to craft a multitude of different films with different approaches within the superhero framework. But there’s a sense in Black Panther that the comic book-y elements are perfunctory, that Coogler and Cole had a compelling story to tell about legacy, power, and obligation, couldn’t tell it without including the de jure superhero fireworks.
Black Panther is at its best when it shows its title character confronting his responsibilities as a citizen, son, and leader, or finding strength, challenge, and affection among his friends and family. And it’s at its weakest when it shows him punching and kicking those things in comic book movies that inevitably must be punched and kicked.
At times, Coogler and director of photography Rachel Morrison capture the same sort of raw intensity of combat that hews close to a boxing match from Creed. The close quarters combat of the challenges for leadership are tight and visceral, giving an immediate sense of the personalities clashing at the same time bodies are, and a digitally-stitched but nominally unbroken action sequence early in the film has the energy and fluidity of a splash page. But too often, the film’s fight sequences are a big jumble, edited to bits and nigh-impossible to follow from one blow to the next. Worse yet, the CGI is especially in these sequence -- digital characters move without weight, animated creatures and vehicles disrupt the immersion of a scene, and climactic fights between fully computer-generated figures in a computer-generated world feel like gameplay clips pulled from Mortal Kombat.
Despite the strength of the story that ends in that skirmish, the film ostensibly breaks little new ground in terms of its narrative. Notably, Marvel’s own Thor trilogy covers much of the same territory, from the prince questioning his place as king, to far off lands debating the appropriate level of engagement with the outside world, to unruly yet sympathetic relatives with an appetite to conquer angling for the throne.
But what makes Black Panther so refreshing is the perspective from which it approaches this material. There is a richness to the cultural wellspring that Coogler and his team draw from, one underutilized in big budget filmmaking. The film is rife with different hues, different pleasures and sore sports, that inform the movie’s sensibilities even as it applies them to the smash-and-then-find-yourself routine that the Marvel origin movies have nigh-perfected at this point.
It’s the critic’s crutch to see a film’s story as a metaphor for the film itself. And yet it’s hard not to see parallels between the story of T’Challa deciding to bring Wakanda into the rest of the world, and Coogler deciding to bring his Black Panther into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One of the wonderful things about the MCU is the way that it can create a cohesive sense of place among different films, and foster the sense, through minor easter eggs and the occasional team-up, that all of these events are taking place in the same world.
But despite having a few of those continuity nods and connections, Black Panther feels like it occupies a world all its own, one full of its own color, character, and vibrancy. At the end of the movie, T’Challa opts for outreach, he decides to open Wakanda’s borders, and share his nation’s knowledge and culture with the world. With this film, Ryan Coogler & Co. do the same for Marvel, telling their own story in their own, but also bringing such a distinctiveness and a specificity to it that makes the world of these films a deeper, richer, better place for Black Panther’s presence within it.
This did not live up to my expectations. This is just an average movie, to the point that is borderline bad. I would not recommend watching, unless you are super Marvel Fan or for continuity of the Marvel movies.
Story: Average. While there are some good aspect (e.g. superhero from Africa), with somewhat believable story of hidden country there, the rest of the story is just sub-par. Completely predictable, generic. The middle of the movie will bore you.
Characters: Below average. Again some positives (Ulysses Klaue, made me laugh), all other were just textbook, one-emotion/purpose shallow characters. Also some storyarcs that are supposed to have emotional climax, are just blank as there is not enough story/buy-in.
Acting: Generaly OK. As mentioned I liked Ulysses Klaue (Andy Sarkis), I also liked Okeye (Dania Gurira), but otherwise again just an average movie.
Visuals: Good. Something to be expected and the driver of the movie. I like that compared to other recent movies, the scenery does not change every 5 minutes. Also the African location is a nice change.
Music: Bad. Generic Marvel Universe music here again. Nothing memorable. The lack of good music is even distracting.
Other observation:
1. It is also a weird mix of other movies. There seemed to be a hint of a Bond movie (when they the Black Panther was preparing for an action) which did not sit well with me. Too similar.
2. At some points the movie tried to be funny, but you could feel them failing.
Saw Black Panther last night and I definitely enjoyed it. It wasn't earth shatteringly good, but it was a very nice change-of-pace from the usual superhero movies, especially those coming from Marvel. The entire setting of Wakanda was just amazingly done and is honestly the real star of the film. Black Panther has got its whole own mythos, culture, and set of vibes/themes that really sets it apart from the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I really dug the entire look and feel of the movie.
The story was pretty solid as well. Very-Shakespearean as others have described with family, betrayal, royalty, etc. I liked what they did in terms of the villain with Michael B. Jordan and how things progressed, but I feel like just a little something was missing in the last third of the movie or so. Perhaps the conflict could have allowed to develop a bit more intensely, and then we could have gotten a story that was truly special. Instead, we get a solid redemption story type thing at the end. I don't really know what could have been added or changed to the story (that's why I'm not directing a multimillion dollar movie), but I feel like something truly epic could have materialized (albeit time restraints are a real thing as well).
Anyway, Black Panther was still a great movie, and very much part of its own universe. I actually liked this path that Marvel took for Black Panther by limiting the Marvel cameos and trailers/lead-ins to other movies as much as possible, and rather focusing on the characters and people of THIS movie. It's kind of like the opposite of what happened with Spider-man: Homecoming. Definitely go and try to check this movie out. if you can get a ticket... :P
Black Panther is the Marvel version of any PornHub video titled "Black dick fucks very tight white pussy"
¯_(ツ)_/¯
No, but... really... this movie was the eye-candiest of them all.
There is NO objection whatsoever (from me) about this.
The picture was SYMMETRICAL PERFECTION.
Color palette was ORGASMIC.
Everything that is related to visuals was a 10/10.
Some of the shots were straight up MAJESTIC. The camera angles, the production, the way everything is placed was on point.
It was so mesmerizing at some point it looked like Wakanda actually existed.
The culture so vivid, so beautifully crafted and mixed to real life beautiful african culture.
Music, perfectly mixed between traditional african and current african-american. DRUMS! DRUMS ALL THE TIME!
It was not a bland, glorification of the relation between black people and hip-hop music.
It was a perfect and ear-gasmic balance of the two.
But... but, but but... it does fall short, and it's mainly because of movie scripting.
The story finds some difficuly into forging itself into something that is unique. You can clearly see the tentative but it does fail, it's not your simple superhero movie story, but it's not even a big sociological message, it's a weird combination of the two, at times wrongly mixed and neither one of them actually leaves you with the feeling the movie is actually over, it needs more. The part between the start and the end was a hit and a miss.
What this movie did horribly wrong - despite all previous Marvel movies - was the comedic part of it.
And you could really tell after you get to see a "Vine meme" inside a major feature film. All it needed for me to be completely disappointed was a "Deez nuts" joke. Gladly, Marvel is owned by Disney.
At the end of the day, for peace of mind, it was a very pleasurable experience and it deserves to be seen.
Still, my Marvel movie leaderboard - of which not a single one of you give a fuck about - is completely untouched.
It was a big challenge for Marvel to overpass the mediocrity of Captain America or Thor, but never underestimate Marvel, they always can surprise you!
A non-charismatic hero, a forgettable big vilain, a story already seen 200 times (except, they decided to be super original putting cousins where it usually is brothers)... The only interesting characters are the side characters: the king's sister, the chief of the montain tribe, the first (white) vilain. All the rest is easily forgettable.
A fairytale country in the middle of Africa nobody ever suspected they have more advanced technology than the Chitoris coming from outerspace.
I mean how is it even possible than nobody knew anything about that country during the colonisation of Africa? Or they would have be colonisated by France, England, or whoever else, and so they technology would have been discovered; or the explorers and armies sent to colonise them would never have return and raise suspicions...
The vibranium is supposed to be the strongest metal, but apparently in its raw form it becomes unstable and can be used as a energy source... I know it's a Disney movie, and I understand now the origin of the fairy power from Peter Pan or the Sleeping Beauty.
The first story arc in the movie is just useless, Warmonger working with Klaue just to kill him later for no special reason, stealing an old vibranium tool from a museum while he knows how to get access to an almost unlimited amount of it...
The realisation is just awfull.
The CGI is quite well done, as in most Marvel, but it would be the only good thing in the movie.
The fight scenes are just meh compared to most modern movies.
The music is incredibly bad and mostly don't fit to the scenes, I thought it was laughable to push tribal-ish music all the time mixed with more modern music just because it happens in Africa. I have nothing against African rythms but they simply don't fit in that kind of Western sci-fi action movie, or at least, not the way they did it.
The movie is full of stupid and sometimes disturbing stereotypes. I felt sometimes offended about the vision of black people in this movie.
As a conclusion I would say Marvel reached a new low. The good point is that it should be very hard for them to do worse.
Beautiful people trying to save a paradise. First and foremost this movie is a superhero backstory movie. I had to keep this in mind because I was distracted and put off by poorly written, undeveloped sub-themes. As much as it presented itself as African proud, a hidden culture built on science, technology and the idea of supercities, cloaked under rural Africa, there were constant failed attempts to connect these characters to the American Black experience, so much so they lost track of their own backstory. For example, toward the end of the movie there is a moment when a sympathetic villain thinks he is about to die and he defiantly says, something to the effect of, "throw me into the ocean as so many of my ancestors chose to die rather than to live in bondage!" This character's ancestors were never enslaved and shipped to America, his father went from a palace to America as a spy, and, he himself was an offspring of an aristocratic super society. So I hope you won't be distracted, as I was, from the driving force of the film which is the rise of a superhero, a celebration of heroism, strength and justice - the anthem of superheros. I believe there is inspiration in seeing people, who look like you, behaving nobly, and, so, I am glad to see a movie with a talented black cast telling super human stories. The acting was good, the CGI was spectacular as were the action scenes. The cast had many superstars, (British Martin Freeman, our token white person, playing a rough, tough CIA operative was remarkably convincing). I enjoyed the action adventure of the movie and the world it created. Beautiful people, beautiful production, adventure, action, inconsistent writing - but, on rewatching, despite the Oscar nod for best picture, I can only give this film a 7 (good) out of 10. [Superhero Action Adventure]
One of the worst movies in the entire MCU, mostly due to the script. And lets face it: the story isn't really the strongest point of any Marvel movie... but in this case it's really, terribly bad.
Let me start at the beginning. Why is Wakanda special? Well, you see, there was a meteorite made of vibranium, which is the strongest metal in the universe. M'kay.... So what? You can make better weapons and stronger armor, maybe build a shiny statute or something... and that's pretty much it. How does a "strong metal" allow you to develop advanced computers, futuristic weapons, or any of that stuff? Let alone "merging with the local flora" and creating a magical flower that grants you superpowers. No. Just NO.
You see, I'm all for fiction, and magic, and whatnot. I love the Harry Potter franchise. Even within the MCU, Doctor Strange and his mystical magic thingies were alright. If you make a movie where you accept that magic exists, then it exists and there is nothing to argue about. It's fiction and it's ok. But that's not the case here. There isn't supposed to be magic in Wakanda. No. They gave us a realistic explanation, "a meteorite". Only that explanation is completely garbage, and an insult to any person with half a brain.
By the way, while we are on the meteorite topic: how big of a meteorite are we talking here? Too small and you won't have enough vibranium to build a civilization; too big and you wipe all life on Earth... which apparently didn't happen, in fact it didn't even wipe the forest where it fell. So... pretty small, then? But it can't be, because the arms dealer stole "a quarter ton" of vibranium and that was only a small reserve of it...
Also, if it's made of the strongest material, how come it broke into a million pieces when it crashed into dirt and stone? :rolling_eyes: I know, I'm too knitpicky, but come on, it's only been 2 minutes of movie and look the amount of stupid facts I've been already forced to swallow. Anyway... lets move on, there are still another 134 minutes to enjoy!
I called Black Panther "An overhyped and overrated forgettable mess..." the first time I saw it, and not much has changed.
For a movie that looks this beautiful, has these great actors in it, and generated an insane amount of hype, it falls through both when it comes to CGI and story. Both would be more at home in a low budget indy flick.
I do like some parts of this movie...like the locations, the good job they did with fleshing out the Wakandan culture, and how beautiful it looks...when there's no CGI in play that is, but it isn't enough to make this even close to interesting nor entertaining.
The story is weak on so many points. The pacing is so off some parts feel like they go on forever, and some of the more interesting scenes are over in a flash without enough information. The worst is still how incredibly boring it is. I had to hold back so I didn't skip through the whole movie.
Anyway...it's still an overhyped and overrated forgettable mess, and not worth your time unless you are trying to get the "whole" MCU story.
Ok...so this was one of the most hyped movies of 2018 so far.
I'm not particularly impressed...
Oh sure...it's a pretty enough movie if you can get past some of the worst CGI I have seen in a Marvel movie to date, but it made the cardinal sins of action/adventure movies...it was boring. The pacing was all wrong, and some parts stretched on and on and on, and some just flew past without much explanation. Clear signs of a bad script...
The casting and acting were good enough, but there's only so much you can do when the script is this bad. Some actors looked bored, and some overacted to compensate for the cringy lines. I can't say I blame them...
I can see someone watching this just to complete their MCU viewing experience, but other than that this movie has little to offer.
In the end, Black Panther was just a little stop on the way to Infinity War. An overhyped and overrated forgettable mess...
"Did he freeze?"
So this is kinda late since the hype for Marvel's latest entry is slowly dying down, until 'Infinity War' hits and everything else will be history. Black Panther is a good movie, but sadly not a great one. There's a lot of great things about it and boy was it a joy to watch. The problems on the other hand aren't something to overlook.
Ryan Coogler is an excellent director with his previous work on 'Fruitvale Station' and Creed''. While I think he stumbled a bit with this movie since it's a much bigger movie and the studios breathing down his neck, but at least brought a brand new hero in style.
Chadwick Boseman is a great actor and the portrayal of T’Challa/Black Panther was pretty good. I do think he got overshadowed by everyone else, mostly from the supporting actors. After the death of his father, T’Challa goes through a dilemma when being face with taking over the throne and rule his land. However, not once do you feel his struggle and wasn't presented as a challenge. If I have to be honest, he was more interesting in 'Civil War'. Still this is just the beginning for him. Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, and Letitia Wright all three serve as supporting characters, but in reality are what glues the movie together and really hold their own in this big budget movie. Even Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman hold their own as well.
Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger is the best villain in the MCU so far. What makes him so compelling to watch isn't because he wants to take over the world or has any magical powers. Just like the Joker, you can't disagree with his arguments of honesty and truth, which is best served cold. Not saying Killmonger is up there with the Joker as the best, but pointing out an example of what separates him from bland. I'm glad Marvel is improving.
The villain problem being solved isn't just one thing, but the score as well. Taking influences from Africa cultural for it's score. Having a little touch of 'The Lion King' in the mix. I liked the technological side of Wakanda and how it blends with the costume designs which had a unique presentation. From any other superhero franchises out there, this is the most refreshing in terms of style. I'm starting to see a difference now.
For problems: The fight scenes are either too dark or anything memorable. Maybe both. The visual effects were shockingly bad and looked unfinished. There wasn't a single frame that I would call 'good'. Looking like cut scenes from an old video game. Wakanda itself didn't feel like a real place in this cinematic universe, because I'm just assuming there only used two build sets for the movie (that's not CGI), where you see characters walk around a street on repeat.
There's literally a scene in this movie where a character yells "what are those!" and I almost sunk into my seat from cringe. The plot is predictable, like most Marvel movies. There's a fake out death that lasts for 10 minutes, acting like they are gone forever. The reason why this doesn't work is not once do you buy into it and since it's a major character who's going to be in 'Avengers Infinity War', if you've seen the trailer.
Overall rating: Just a reminder, I enjoyed the movie a lot and I don't hate it. Heck, just forget what I just said right now. This is just another home run for Marvel and there's nothing stopping them. I mean, it's been 10 years guys, like wow.
T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) is a character that had a wonderful introduction in Captain America: Civil War. A graceful presence in that film, his revenge mission and the way he acted about it, with his seemingly calm and collected point of view, turned him into an interested new addition to that film and the MCU. After this, I felt I wasn’t really in need of another origin story, or a story that generally felt like a “character beginning”.
With that in mind, I think Black Panther was the ideal film for where we are right now with the MCU. Rather than a beginning, it continues T’Challa’s story almost directly from where we left off, but with a particular focus on bringing us into Wakanda and showing us what the destination has to offer… which is a lot. Hidden in plain sight (and appropriately referred to as “El Dorado” once in the film), it’s an absolutely stunning metropolis filled with incredibly advanced technology which apparently extends to all aspects of life.
What made the Wakandans interesting for me was the fact that they don’t show some sort of “sci-fi” character behaviour despite the futuristic advancements. Society remains deeply rooted into traditions, which is shown predominantly through the process of succession to the throne with the challenges presented to the heir. Aspects of daily life in the city appear to be “normal” enough, creating a rather unique blend of the most advanced technologies on Earth with present-day mentalities and cultures (such as their clothing/body features). It’s the ultimate in representation within a word heavy on science fiction.
The film has the necessary tie-ins you would expect, which are not too many so that it can exist and sustain itself on its own legs (personally, I couldn’t say the same for Spider-Man: Homecoming, for instance). Other than our hero, we have the return of Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) as a secondary antagonist, having more importance here than in his previous appearances; and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) echoing our eyes within Wakanda.
I suppose the biggest issue the film deals with is the hidden status of Wakanda. Though the majority of its citizens agree with it remaining hidden (and so it has been since the very beginning of the Vibranium development), others support revealing everything to the world, with the argument that all the advancements can be used to the benefit of black people across the globe as a weapon against oppression. In the middle of this, we have the main villain, Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), eager to allow Wakanda to become public as soon as he gets his hands (or claws) on the throne. The backstory and reasoning behind his actions turn him into a more compelling villain than a lot of previous, MCU villains.
Given the importance of following traditions set by ancient tribes, this works in their detriment, as Killmonger (which sounds better than “Iron Monger”) could simply swoop in, take over and immediately make decisions that affect everyone despite hundreds of years of history – it’s pure dictatorship, yet you can’t help but see his perspective as someone who was wronged by the Wakandans and their laws when he was but a small child. Now, after a life of war, all he does is use those very same laws against the ones who have been upholding them for centuries. The tensions created were good to watch, although the support Killmonger received from a whole sector of Wakanda came way too easily. Yes, it’s hard to argue against efficiency when Killmonger simply waltz in with Klaue’s body, something two Kings haven’t been able to accomplish – but I disliked how W’Kabi (Get Out’s Daniel Kaluuya) went from being T’Challa’s friend and supporter to fiercely opposing all about him within seconds.
Something very strange about Black Panther is that despite being a superhero movie with the titular character, it feels more like “Wakanda: The Movie”. And something I did feel was that after roughly a third of the film goes by, it feels like T’Challa somehow loses protagonism. In hindsight, other than some visually great fight scenes, I didn’t feel like there was something that specifically singled out T’Challa as the main character other than being “the heir”. What I mean is, as good as he was as Black Panther, I didn’t feel like he had enough moments to really shine – if anything, all characters surrounding him outshone him when Wakanda was in trouble. I think I was left with a more lasting impression of the character after Civil War than here, despite really liking the film.
Overall, I was happy. The only aspect I disliked, which I almost didn’t want to bring up, were the Disney comedy bits. I know at this point we just have to deal with it as it isn’t really something that goes away… but that comedy takes me out of the film instantly. Maybe there weren’t as many as in other films and I didn’t really mind the funny scenes with the sister – I’m not opposed to the designated “funny character” – but to me the rest were cringeworthy, such as M’Baku’s jokes (Winston Duke, who was Dominic in Person of Interest!!) after T’Challa was healed, which just felt off-character to me. But well, I suppose the majority of audiences respond well to it (in my viewing everyone was laughing their ass off).
Black Panther will return in Avengers: Infinity War... guess it’s time to wait once more!
One of Marvel's strongest films. Due to a terrific cast, solid performances, great action, good villain and just being a strong film for Black History month.
During watching a lot felt like a new path and something different from Marvel. However, it did dawn on me afterwards that we have seen similar villains as N'Jadaka (Michael B. Jordan). I mean Jordan is great but I did get Loki and Maximus (Inhumans) vibes. Of the usual "boo hoo, it should be my throne!"
While Martin Freeman's Everett K. Ross feels like the new Phil Coulson. Since apparently on tv Coulson is alive on tv but considered dead and buried still in the movies. If that makes sense.
The stand out performances are by Chadwick Boseman, Letitia Wright, Michael B. Jordan, Daneil Kaluuya of Get Out and of course Andy Serkis and Forrest Whitaker.
Wright is just adorable as Black Panther's tech girl sister. Jordan is badass. Serkis has some good side villain scenes. Whitaker is always good, well don't count Battlefield Earth.
While Kaluuya I think shows more range as an actor here than Get Out. I liked him in this more where he is trying to figure out who's side he is on. Due to being disappointed by Black Panther's failed efforts to bring Serkis' character to justice.
After Infinity Wars, we could see Black Panther take over the Avengers I think. Since the future of Captain, Iron Man and even Thor is unclear after Infinity Wars it is rumored. This film proves, that might not be a bad thing. Even if we will miss those characters and actors terribly.
Black Panther is a groundbreaking film that stands out among its comic book movie counterparts. With a nearly all-black cast and a unique visual experience, the film takes audiences to the technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda. The story follows T'Challa, who becomes the new Black Panther and king of Wakanda after his father's assassination, as he fights to secure the safety of his nation against the threat of Ulysses Klaue and Killmonger, an evil and ruthless enemy. The film is well-acted, visually stunning, and carries a unique and powerful message about heritage and tradition. The cast, led by Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa, delivers strong performances, and the women of Wakanda, played by Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, and Angela Bassett, are particularly fierce and impressive. Despite some inconsistencies in the CGI, the film's contained narrative and emphasis on character development make it an important, entertaining, and enjoyable movie.
Black Panther es una película innovadora que se destaca entre sus contrapartes de películas de cómics. Con un elenco casi completamente negro y una experiencia visual única, la película lleva al público a la nación africana tecnológicamente avanzada de Wakanda. La historia sigue a T'Challa, quien se convierte en el nuevo Pantera Negra y rey de Wakanda después del asesinato de su padre, mientras lucha para garantizar la seguridad de su nación contra la amenaza de Ulysses Klaue y Killmonger, un enemigo malvado y despiadado. La película está bien actuada, visualmente impresionante y transmite un mensaje único y poderoso sobre el patrimonio y la tradición. El elenco, encabezado por Chadwick Boseman como T'Challa, ofrece actuaciones sólidas, y las mujeres de Wakanda, interpretadas por Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira y Angela Bassett, son particularmente feroces e impresionantes. A pesar de algunas inconsistencias en el CGI, la narración contenida de la película y el énfasis en el desarrollo del personaje la convierten en una película importante, entretenida y agradable.
This is probably the third time I've watched this film, and I have to say that originally I really didn't like this film really that much. I previously gave it a 6/10, but now I'd give it a 6.7/10.
While I find Wakandan technology very cool and fascinating, that was originally the biggest selling point for me in this film. However, after a few more watches I was able to appreciate more what this film tried to achieve. Chadwick Boseman really was the perfect actor for the role of Black Panther (R.I.P.). He really had the strength of a true King.
The things that I enjoyed more the more times I watched this film:
- T'Challa as a character originally felt kinda boring, but I was able to understand him more as a character this time which made his healtfelt moments with both T'Chaka and Killmonger more emotional
- Okoye and Nakia's scene when they argued about loyalty vs. freedom was relly well done. Okoye as a character really grew on me more this time
- Killmonger, while still not one of the best villians in the MCU, has some really understandable motives that I sympathised more with this time. He's hurting, but he's using his newly found power as King of Wakanda to force others to carry out his revenge on his oppressers. T'Challa understood why Killmonger felt the way he did - just that he acted on those feelings the wrong way
Black Panther is MCU attempt at saying something important but it ended up as a very superficial product tapping into the zeitgeist of black empowerment only at skin deep. MCU movies seem to touch the feelings of a many kind of people regardless of age and culture, and that's why their products trying to tackle difficult subject like colonialism and racism, such as Black Panther, fail as a movie. They're close to saying something yet they have to appeal to audience as broad as possible that they ended up not saying anything at all.
In this film they wanted to take a jab at colonialism, racism and all but they also have to play it safe so it ends up with the black guy winning because of good heart but didn't say anything at all about how Western development aid has turned Africa for the worse. "Colonialism" only ends up as a catchy buzzword for the characters to shout at the white dudes. The antagonist seemed to want to do "the right thing" but ended up as a power hungry lord because of "bad heart". The problem of colonialism/structural racism is simplified into "we have to make peace with the rest of the world" like in the ending scene when T'Challa "open borders". Really, structural violence can be ended with a good heart? Very safe liberal take about colonialism. They only wear this black empowerment stuff in surface level only, perhaps due to their limited liberal understanding of violence or perhaps in fear of hurting the ego of some fragile white manchildren which they have to cater to. Compared to The Mission or especially The Expanse, Black Panther fails to say anything about colonialism.
Similarly, their portrayal of "good Africa" ends up with Wakanda having high tech, sleek white aesthetic just like in typical Western vision of tech, some cool kids tinkering with stuff so it appeals to startup geeks, and some pseudo-African tribal-esque motif that's familiar enough to be recognized by Africans but foreign enough to the rest of the world so that it doesn't convey the more indigenous parts of Africans, such as their kinship system (e.g. different familial structure, motifs). In the world of Wakanda, people just happen to be there, strolling, tribal but modern people doing their tribal but modern thing (like ritualistic battle to decide a leader). They're playing the classic orientalist trope people usually put on Japan: being "traditional" and "modern" at the same time, at the receiving ends of Western culture but still molding them into their own. There's nothing indigenous Africa in Wakanda - it's just how Western people imagine if they created Africa in their own image. The world-building is horrible. Compared to Altered Carbon, the world of Wakanda is the world of purely distilled sterile version of United States that just happen to be set somewhere not-in-the-USA with black folks doing some cool American but also tribal-ish stuff.
In short, MCU won't be able to be complex because of the exact reason many people like it. It has to appeal to audience as many as possible. It has to be "universal", not culturally specific, not having a certain strong message. They have to figure out the safest way of telling a story and keeping the childlike feeling alive.
Their only saving grace is some cool cinematic shots of Michael B. Jordan and Chadwick Boseman. Good performance also. But that's it.
Alright, I will be honest and start with that this wasn't a film that I wasn't a huge fan of when it released as I went in with really high hopes after all the reviews and then was underwhelmed. But after my most recent rewatch I can confirm that this is a perfect film to introduce this character but it also builds the country and culture of Wakanda perfectly, the thing this movie is best at is world-building as I can believe this is a place.
Also, Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) is absolutely perfect in this film and he brings so much to this character that I cannot imagine anyone else as this character, I also really liked the villain in this film played by Michael B. Jordan (Killmonger) as the character at points made you almost want to go over to his side and a good villain can always make you understand their point of view and almost make you understand their ideology.
The only reason this film doesn't have a super high rating is that some of the visuals can be a little bit so so and that is disappointing as this movie had a big enough budget to make sure that didn't happen and the end fight looked like something from a cutscene on Playstation 2. Otherwise, this is a film which I urge people to give a second chance.
"Did he freeze?"
So this is kinda late since the hype for Marvel's latest entry is slowly dying down, until 'Infinity War' hits and everything else will be history. Black Panther is a good movie, but sadly not a great one. There's a lot of great things about it and boy was it a joy to watch. The problems on the other hand aren't something to overlook.
Ryan Coogler is an excellent director with his previous work on 'Fruitvale Station' and Creed''. While I think he stumbled a bit with this movie since it's a much bigger movie and the studios breathing down his neck, but at least brought a brand new hero in style.
Chadwick Boseman is a great actor and the portrayal of T’Challa/Black Panther was pretty good. I do think he got overshadowed by everyone else, mostly from the supporting actors. After the death of his father, T’Challa goes through a dilemma when being face with taking over the throne and rule his land. However, not once do you feel his struggle and wasn't presented as a challenge. If I have to be honest, he was more interesting in 'Civil War'. Still this is just the beginning for him. Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, and Letitia Wright all three serve as supporting characters, but in reality are what glues the movie together and really hold their own in this big budget movie. Even Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman hold their own as well.
Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger is the best villain in the MCU so far. What makes him so compelling to watch isn't because he wants to take over the world or has any magical powers. Just like the Joker, you can't disagree with his arguments of honesty and truth, which is best served cold. Not saying Killmonger is up there with the Joker as the best, but pointing out an example of what separates him from bland. I'm glad Marvel is improving.
The villain problem being solved isn't just one thing, but the score as well. Taking influences from Africa cultural for it's score. Having a little touch of 'The Lion King' in the mix. I liked the technological side of Wakanda and how it blends with the costume designs which had a unique presentation. From any other superhero franchises out there, this is the most refreshing in terms of style. I'm starting to see a difference now.
For problems: The fight scenes are either too dark or anything memorable. Maybe both. The visual effects were shockingly bad and looked unfinished. There wasn't a single frame that I would call 'good'. Looking like cut scenes from an old video game. Wakanda itself didn't feel like a real place in this cinematic universe, because I'm just assuming there only used two build sets for the movie (that's not CGI), where you see characters walk around a street on repeat.
There's literally a scene in this movie where a character yells "what are those!" and I almost sunk into my seat from cringe. The plot is predictable, like most Marvel movies. There's a fake out death that lasts for 10 minutes, acting like they are gone forever. The reason why this doesn't work is not once do you buy into it and since it's a major character who's going to be in 'Avengers Infinity War', if you've seen the trailer.
Overall rating: Just a reminder, I enjoyed the movie a lot and I don't hate it. Heck, just forget what I just said right now. This is just another home run for Marvel and there's nothing stopping them. I mean, it's been 10 years guys, like wow.
After so many deeply interconnected chapters, it's relieving to see a film in the MCU that doesn't require much previous knowledge to enjoy. Referencing the preceding (and forthcoming) films in Marvel's repertoire only fleetingly, Black Panther is a largely self-contained, by-the-numbers superhero flick. Which works both for it and against it. In one respect, that enables the entire cast to establish themselves. Safe from the need to constantly pay homage to Tony Stark or Thanos, Panther's supporting players thrive and King T'Challa himself goes through a complete character arc. On the other hand, it often feels like we've been here before. Maybe not specifically, as the film goes to great lengths to set up Wakanda as a unique culture with authentic customs, but certainly thematically.
As a "back to basics" approach with well-timed, socially conscious values, it functions very well. Its flavor is like nothing else we've seen from Marvel so far - a bright, optimistic blend of tech and nature that really works - and the wide diversity of the on-screen population is both effective and appropriate.
A complete, enjoyable new entry in the publisher's stacked catalog of characters, and a short breath of fresh air, if not a complete breakthrough.
I have to say I approach this movie from not being a Marvel fan of any sort and not really caring about the extended universe, the storylines or the original comics. Some of this behemoth of a franchise I enjoyed others I did not. Thinking back I clearly preferred standalone stories that focus on a few characters and I care less about the massive three hours trials and tribulations of everyone that was ever created in the comics.
So as a ‘virtue signalling soy boy’ apparently, this film should have blown my socks off, well parts of it did, parts of it did not. I think in all honestly once the credits had ended, and of course I had to watch to the end because of the various little scenes you know are going to pop-up, I was left maybe unsatisfied. Entertained but unsatisfied.
The overall story is appealing, about Africans, in Africa, hidden away from the colonisation and exploitation by Europe and becoming advanced beyond the rest of the world but keeping themselves deliberately isolated. So there’s a message there and a lot of wishful thinking but hey how many times have the USA won the World War Two on their own and the Vietnam War? So there is absolutely no quibble here and nor should there be.
The usual Marvel problems pop up flat cardboard characters and a simplistic storyline that goes on too long. Giving a big window to an African-centric story is interesting in itself and kept my attention whereas if it were a standard white American hero story my interest would have waned having seen it so many times before. It did annoy me that this African nation, hidden away, developed a massive, technological, advanced society that looked a bit like the USA including the shopping and wandering about in the streets smiling and buying things…hmmm not exactly imagination gone wild in those scenes.
We have been here before though, many, many times. This is any old story, really old, the king dies, long live king, someone evil claims the thone deposing the king, the king wins back with allies. Nothing new.
The huge problems with my opinion of Marvel movies were still here. A long extended hero versus villain fight that I disengaged from after about a minute and a massive over CGIed battle where it looked like no one was really getting hurt because….well because it looks like CGI.
The acting varies but the good outways the mediocre and no one was so jarring it took me out of the film some of the dialogue is a bit hokey and cornball and pacing varies in part with some expository linking scenes skipping along and others just plodding along to the point where you could be forgiven for looking at your watch. The look and design of the film in Wankada is sumptuous and clearly some thought has gone into how an African nation left to itself would develop and look, although being isolated from the world, as I have said before, would they really go for shiny skyscrapers and the capitalistic wandering around rows of shops buying things model? There could have been other ways to go here.
Unfortunately, I have the sinking feeling that yet again this is another Marvel film I watched from start to end, would not watch again and I will mostly forget. Shame really the ball has been fumbled here.
I've seen this movie about 4-5 times and it basically lives up to the hype. It's not a perfect movie. The CGI in the final fight is terrible. The villain is killed when he doesn't need to be (has a poor ending). The romance is weak.
That's it. Everything else about the movie excelled. The only other Marvel films with this amount of creativity are films where they bring everyone together. Doctor Strange has a great final fight but outside of that it's literally beat for beat Iron Man. To the point where I was insulted. Black Panther is a villain that I care about. Not just understand one I can empathize with one I that resonates with me. It has a hero who can be funny and laughs at himself without making everything a joke. He's surrounded by a cast of characters that don't look like the other marvel characters. The baby sister who isn't just a tech genius but who runs technological development for the entire nation. The love interest who has already rejected our lead and doesn't accept him until he realizes she was right all along. There's an entire arc where the woman of black panther are already at that upper level. W'Kabi bristles under his royal restrictions where Okoye has already come to terms with her role.
As we all saw in Captain America: Civil War, the King of Wakanda has gone through a fateful bomb attack. The Wakandan Kingdom, secluded from the outside world, is therefore looking for a heir to the throne and logically T'Challa, the king's son, is trying to claim that luxury seat. However, others think the same way. Because of this struggle, the country is in danger of becoming more divisive. For years, hidden secrets could just emerge, with all the consequences. This last solo film for the cumulative showpiece Avengers: Infinity War dives into the world of Black Panther, but how much novelty can there really be discovered?
Just looking at the design a lot. At first glance, Wakanda is a typical third-world country, but whoever enters the hidden world will discover that Wakanda is actually a technologically advanced nation, feeding on the forces of fictitious metal vibranium (also responsible for Cap's shield). The peoples of this vibrant country are richly decorated with a wide range of cultural expressions, such as lip dishes and incised crocodile skins. The home front of the Black Panthers is a country where the primitive African tribal culture goes hand in hand with modern science. Certainly due to the effective use of jungle music, the total picture comes to life. Black Panther is already a candidate to bring in some Oscar nominations next year in the field of production, make-up, costumes and sound.
Wakanda, hidden deep in the rainforest, is therefore unrealistically beautiful and unprecedentedly modern. For those who have heard about it it sounds like a fairy tale. The psychotic gangster Klau (Andy Serkis) managed to penetrate and leave Wakanda as one of the few outsiders. He abuses his rare knowledge of the truth for his own criminal agenda. Together with T'Challa's hostile counterpart Erik Killmonger (played by Michael B. Jordan, who now has the chance to really flame on in a superhero movie), he creates the necessary tensions on the world stage, with which a political thriller unfolds that tone strongly reminiscent of the widely acclaimed The Winter Soldier. Jordan knows with conviction to put down an emotionally layered bad guy. Which is rare in this film universe.
Black Panther sometimes even shows a certain roughness reminiscent of Marvel's Netflix department. Where Marvel fell flat quite a few times last year with their shitty comedy, director Ryan Coogler knows how to use the jerk drum much more nuanced. Especially T'Challa's dog-hungry sister Shuri (played with 'swag' by Letitia Wright) and tribe leader M'Baku (portrayed perfectly by 'newcomer' Winston Duke) steal the show in that area. Honest is fair, protagonist Chadwick Boseman delft in the middle of such a strong ensemble. Furthermore, the social significance of the film should be considered. Black Panther is indeed a nice boost for the black community, especially in America, and shows the so desired role models of colored men and women with a meaningful position. In addition, the film also subtly addresses a number of current political issues such as the refugee crisis and discrimination.
So far there is no shortage of creativity. Coogler knows how to distinguish himself well within the genre with his unique and lively images. Unfortunately, that is less true for the tempo and the build-up of the somewhat meager story of his film. The story goes by too fast, but at times it comes to a near halt. Certainly the final fight, in which the CGI quality also goes down to the video-game level, has been spread out so long that it evokes associations with the miserably long battle in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Partly this will be because Coogler, unlike many of his colleagues, has cut little in the action scenes, which makes them feel somewhat tedious. What is also striking is that Marvel has revealed almost all major key moments - up to one of the two after-credit scenes - in her promotional campaign.
All in all, you secretly have the feeling that Black Panther is the last piece Marvel had to still color in on the world map of Marvel's fictional universe, making the base solid enough for Infinity War. Coogler has managed to create a rich, unknown world, but dropped a lot with the relatively poor story, in those same beautiful surroundings. Wearing a crown, doesn't make you king. If Coogler paid just as much attention to the story as he did putting the Wakana-world on-screen this might've been the best Marvel-production to date. Now it just takes a backseat to plenty of their other hits like Iron Man and The Winter Soldier, but it's definitely one of their best and most entertaining
7.7/10
The Black Panther is a fun romp, but it definitely has some issues. First, the good.
The action is fun, the emotions hit home, and the story isn't dirt-poor.
While the CGI gets ripped on from time to time, I thought it was solid enough for a Marvel movie. The fight scenes were relatively well-choreographed, as well. The ritual combat scenes were exciting and visually appealing. The fights in Korea were also fun to see, and while I'm not a fan of car chase scenes as a whole, I did enjoy this one. It was reminiscent of a James Bond movie.
In fact, that's another appeal, at least to me. The secret technology base and the fun action scenes were a great callback to James Bond-type movies. I do think the movie would have been complemented by giving T'Challa a similar vice as Bond's, although Marvel probably wouldn't veer down that line for the seemingly morally absolute King of Wakanda.
The story, well, it's a mixed bag. Everything seemed crammed together with major emotional keys being rushed through or somewhat ignored. The concept is fine though. A long lost relative comes to challenge the new king, wins, and shows his colors, becoming something amoral. The king comes back and takes down the usurper, realizing something about themselves/their kingdom in the process. It's tired, but not so tired it damages the movie.
This is where the issues begin to rise, though. The movie is really a movie and a half or two movies crammed into one. Wakanda has a ton of wonderful mythology, but almost none of it is explained. The movie never really explains how the Wakandans used vibranium was used to make themselves wealthy. It touches on it in some exposition, but there was much more that was just glossed over.
In addition, W'Kabi became radicalized by Killmonger much too quickly for such a pivotal relationship to flip. Some of the emotional aspects of the movie fell flat because they weren't given enough screen time.
Despite its flaws, Black Panther is a fun movie that adds to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It should have been two movies, but I doubt this is the last we'll see of Wakanda.
Masterpiece! 10/10
I love how the culture is represented! The movie shows the Wakanda culture in an astonishing and beautiful way! Every beautiful colour, music and way of the African people is perfectly represented here! Astonishing! Watching this movie you cannot not love the tradition and manners of the culture shown here! It makes me want to see more of this beautiful world of Africa!
Marvel has once again proven that they make the best movies! The plot was full and well expressed! The actors had the perfect chemistry! The characters were complex and well played!
The problem with movies with big names actors and legacies to fill is that the director and the writers focus on the characters building and forget the story. Marvel does not have this problem. They build the story and then they make the characters the best they can be in the story and this is what makes them great!
There are people that are unhappy that Marvel dominates every time they release a movie, but the truth is that the MCU release quality like none other! As a lover of movies, I am happy that there are so great movies like The Black Panther. Hollywood movies makers should stop whining that Marvel dominates the market and focus on giving us worth-while movies. This way there will be nothing to complaining about! Stop being cowards and rise to the challenge!
P.S.: This way the audience will have to choose between more than one great movie when going to the cinema!
First of all, I loved Black Panther so much. I'm sure you've heard many times so far how extraordinary it was for a Marvel movie, I don't want to tell you one more time. I just tell you what my perceptions were in good and in bad ways as well.
Wakanda is an imaginary country. Firstly, because this place obviously doesn’t exist. Secondly, because it's a unique way how African-Americans think about Africa nowadays. I mean under that they still have bad feelings and fear about how the colonists have exploited them for their rich natural sources and have divided the continent many dependencies. So the reason why they want to stay isolated for everything and everyone is totally acceptable. They own a high technology now which is wanted to keep for themselves. All in all, they absolutely don't want become victims again.
We can agree Killmonger was the best Marvel villain or at least he's in the top 3. He has a rightful reason behind his motives, and what he wants to accomplish. His hatred toward the people of Wakanda is well-established, because the former Black Panther basically made him orphan, and abandoned him, which clearly caused him serious trauma. Then, he's kept his whole life in wars, which made his judgment worse.
Also absolutely amazing they've kept their ancient rituals besides their technological development, which had some issues in my opinion. On the one hand, because it seemed so stereotypical but that wasn't the main reason. The rules of these rituals weren't crystal clear to me. How the descendent of the king is succeeded on the throne. At first blink I thought the king's first born son is the one, who follows him on the throne that's why T'Chala's came back to Wakanda. Then, pursuant to a ritual, he had to conquer of his challengers. Wasn't clear to me there is some law for dealing with these kind of questions. These two ideas are just in collusion.
However, this didn't ruin the experience.
Review by hlavaBlockedParent2018-02-17T23:11:24Z
Sorry folks but this one didn't go well for Marvel. I don't even know where to start. Acting was average, more like below average. Screenplay was as much ordinary as it could be. No surprise here. CGI was OK but it's somehow expected from Marvel. But I totally didn't like the idea of Wakanda. Hidden city in the center of Africa with tons of technology and advanced weapons and systems and so on. But how the hell did they build all of that? No explanation. It just happened. Yes, they have Vibranium, but they don't sell it. In fact they never did and for whole world they are just a bunch of shepherds and farmers. So where did they take all that money to build empire like this? I don't like movies without explanations and this is one of them. Almost nothing has been told about Vibranium whatsoever. Oh yeah, it's some super thing from the universe capable of anything. That's all the explanation you get. There are too many clichés we have already seen too many times. And we have to see them again. One example: I challenge someone for a fight because I want to kill him. And when I have the chance to kill him, what would I do? Kill him or throw him down from the cliff to the water where he can survive? But enough. If you hesitate if to watch this, I can recommend not to waste your time. Wait for the Avangers where you can also see the Black Panther. You won't miss anything if you miss out this movie.