A Reel Review: BLACK PANTHER

For director Ryan Coogler, the pressure was certainly on in bringing BLACK PANTHER to the big screen for the first time. Originally created in 1966, the character was the very first African-American superhero; a reaction to the Civil Rights movement, and over the years has come to mean a lot to a lot of people. The character represents equality and culture and a lot more, and deserved to be done right in the massive, and ever-growing series of Marvel’s super-films.

After the death of his father, T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) arrives home as the new king of Wakanda; a hidden, technologically advanced African nation which has remained secluded from the world for thousands of years. While being faced with the immense pressure of Wakanda’s future and living up to his father’s reign, T’Challa’s right to the throne is challenged by N’Jadaka (Michael B. Jordan), also known as Killmonger…who has big plans for Wakanda and its secrets.

BLACK PANTHER arrives as the 19^th (!) film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) since 2008, and right away makes the smart decision to focus its story on a single, isolated region which rarely ventures out, even though the eventual stakes have far-reaching consequences. It’s a battle for the throne and the future of Wakanda, with the latter point being the most important. Wakanda is a region of long-standing tradition; with the tradition of never interfering or assisting the world with its problems the hardest one to break. It’s a world-building exercise that gives T’Challa, his supporters, and his enemy Killmonger good territory to battle over, as the film leans heavily on a theme of what to do with old traditions when they seem obsolete; is it a betrayal of ancestry to adopt to the changing times, or a necessity to survive?

Far from a basic origin story (it’s not an origin story at all), BLACK PANTHER goes deeper with its characters for even more meat to chew on. T’Challa is struggling with the burden of rule and getting out of his father’s shadow, while Killmonger is a villain coming out of tragedy. Killmonger especially is given strong motivations to take over Wakanda, and his ideas of how the isolated kingdom should be using its riches and technology is debatably on the right side. This gives BLACK PANTHER an important depth.

Once the action starts BLACK PANTHER truly soars. The fight scenes, especially the hand-to-hand combat are a thrill, and every time T’Challa dons the Black Panther suit, the screen is commanded by his presence. The film is packed with tragedy with character deaths and lots of stabbing with spears and claws, and the stakes to every fight are always felt. The film looks beautiful and every shot is framed nicely. Editing and pacing could be a little tighter in some places; scenes leading up to a few action sequences needed some more energy and forward momentum. Ludwig Goransson’s score is excellent. The film is saturated in African culture; clothing, traditions, and music are a major part of the film’s identity and give it a uniqueness in the Marvel catalog and the superhero genre.

Chadwick Boseman is excellent as the struggling ruler and as the hero. The burden of leadership can always be seen on his face, but he switches from unsure to fierce in a blink, and his accent is perfect. Michael B. Jordan matches Boseman nicely, and is given a lot to do while nearly stealing the movie. Boseman is surrounded by a great supporting cast; Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett, Daniel Kaluuya, and Forest Whitaker are well-cast and are very good, and Jordan trades barbs with returning Marvel bad-guy Andy Serkis…who is always a joy to see. Martin Freeman also reprises his role as a government man; his character feels a little extraneous but his worth is eventually felt by movie’s end.

The final battle of BLACK PANTHER relies on way too much spectacle and becomes a bit of a CGI headache, but the film still wraps with a satisfying conclusion, and despite being firmly entrenched in the MCU, operates very well as a standalone film. As a superhero movie, BLACK PANTHER excels in action and character, and its few flaws don’t derail it as a fitting adaptation to an important hero.

BOTTOM LINE: See it