Hey guys! 2018 is here and what better way to start off blogging this year than reviewing what is easily Marvel's most anticipated film to date (aside from Infinity War)? That's right folks! Today I'm reviewing Black Panther.
Taking place directly after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Prince T'challa returns home to the nation of Wakanda to be crowned king after his father was tragically assassinated. But things soon get heated when a man known as Killmonger soon challenges T'challa for the throne of Wakanda. Now T'challa is put to the test as now not only does he have to keep his nation safe but the world as well. Guys ever since Black Panther made his cinematic debut in 2016, the world has been hyped to see him in his own solo outing. But now that the Black Panther has arrived, is this a movie worthy of a king or this an over hyped piece of kitty litter? Let's find out.
The Good
Hoo boy where do I begin? First of all let's talk about the story. This is easily the most serious of the Marvel films, even more so than the Captain America films, as the humor than Marvel films are known for really takes a backseat to the drama. The story of Black Panther really tackles some serious issues such as race, the relationship between Africans and African Americans, and whether the fortunate should build bridges and help the oppressed as opposed to keeping to themselves. Unlike previous Marvel films, this one truly felt challenging and trust me when you leave the theater you'll be asking yourself which side was truly in the right.
Then we have the characters, because this film has a lot of them. Let's start off with the Darmisa Sarki himself, Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman. When we last saw him, the prince turned king of Wakanda was driven pure revenge for his fathers murder but now that the true culprit is behind bars, we get to see him try and settle into his new role. Boseman really captures T'challa in this movie masterfully. He's every bit as cunning, cool, and powerful as he is in the comics while also showing a more venerable side to him as Wakanda faces what is possibly the biggest threat in it's history (at least until Thanos shows up).
The next most notable performance in this film is Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger. Folks, when I heard Jordan was playing a villain I was a bit skeptical as most of the roles he's had so far were very likable protagonists. And then when the news broke that he was playing who is possibly Black Panther's biggest villain aside from Klaw, it got me to raise an eyebrow but I ultimately decided to reserve all judgement until I saw the film and let me tell you guys, I was blown away! Jordan said in various interviews that he studied Magneto from the X-Men films and Heath Ledger's Joker in order to prepare for his role as Killmonger and it shows. Killmonger is easily Marvel's best villain to date as he has a complex backstory, oozes with swagger, and actually has sympathetic motivations for his actions in the film.
Lastly, another standout performance was that of Letitia Wright as T'challa's younger sister, Princess Shuri. Now this is a performance that really caught me off guard since in the comics, she's just as serious as T'challa is (especially in Ta-nahesi Coates' run). But here Shuri is portrayed as snarky yet full of life, and I really loved this change for the film. Wright easily delivers some of the more funnier moments in the movie not to mention that she is officially the smartest person in the MCU as she is behind some of the impressive technology that we see in the film. All in all, Shuri in my eyes is easily the biggest breakout of this movie right after Killmonger.
Not to mention that rest of the supporting cast knock it out of the park with their roles, from the lovely Lupita Nyongo as Nakia, to Danai Gurira as the loyal and strong Okoye, and Winston Duke as the intimidating yet surprisingly hilarious M'Baku. Marvel shows us yet again that the casting for their films are always on point.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has always given us some interesting locations to look at, whether it be Avengers tower, the kingdom of Asgard, or the far reaches of the galaxy. And to say that the kingdom of Wakanda looks absolutely gorgeous would be the understatement of the century. This movie does not pull it's punches when it comes to the afrofuturism. From the design of all of the buildings, the gadgets, and even the clothing of the different tribes, the crew made sure to showcase the afrofuturism aesthetic in nothing but it's full glory. And the score, my god the score. Ludwig Goransson truly outdid himself by mixing African tribal music with an epic sounding orchestra. Trust me, the music that plays when T'challa, Okoye, and Nakia fly into Wakanda is still stuck in my head. It was every bit as memorable as seeing the sun rise over the savannah while hearing the opening Swahili chanting in the beginning of the Circle of Life number in The Lion King. Guys, if this movie doesn't get a nomination for best score at next years oscars then something is seriously wrong with the academy.
The Bad
Now while this movie did blow me away, it isn't perfect. By far the biggest gripe I had with the film is the CGI. I mean the CGI is good throughout the film but it is pretty dodgy in some areas, especially whenever the rhinos are on screen. No seriously, there is a scene where T'challa visits a ranch where they keep rhinos and let me tell you, they look every bit as convincing as those rhinos in freaking Jumanji. Not to mention the CGI starts to look like a straight up video game during the climax. But the action and story were good enough to balance out this negative of the film.
Conclusion
I have been hyped to see Black Panther on film for years, and after an amazing debut in Captain America: Civil War, Ryan Coogler and company have delivered. Black Panther is one action packed, epic, and challenging film truly fit for a king. And this is easily my favorite MCU film to date. Scratch that, it's my favorite MCU film period. And I'm looking forward to seeing the King of Wakanda again to fight with his fellow avengers against Thanos in May.
Final Verdict: 9/10
Taking place directly after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Prince T'challa returns home to the nation of Wakanda to be crowned king after his father was tragically assassinated. But things soon get heated when a man known as Killmonger soon challenges T'challa for the throne of Wakanda. Now T'challa is put to the test as now not only does he have to keep his nation safe but the world as well. Guys ever since Black Panther made his cinematic debut in 2016, the world has been hyped to see him in his own solo outing. But now that the Black Panther has arrived, is this a movie worthy of a king or this an over hyped piece of kitty litter? Let's find out.
The Good
Hoo boy where do I begin? First of all let's talk about the story. This is easily the most serious of the Marvel films, even more so than the Captain America films, as the humor than Marvel films are known for really takes a backseat to the drama. The story of Black Panther really tackles some serious issues such as race, the relationship between Africans and African Americans, and whether the fortunate should build bridges and help the oppressed as opposed to keeping to themselves. Unlike previous Marvel films, this one truly felt challenging and trust me when you leave the theater you'll be asking yourself which side was truly in the right.
Then we have the characters, because this film has a lot of them. Let's start off with the Darmisa Sarki himself, Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman. When we last saw him, the prince turned king of Wakanda was driven pure revenge for his fathers murder but now that the true culprit is behind bars, we get to see him try and settle into his new role. Boseman really captures T'challa in this movie masterfully. He's every bit as cunning, cool, and powerful as he is in the comics while also showing a more venerable side to him as Wakanda faces what is possibly the biggest threat in it's history (at least until Thanos shows up).
The next most notable performance in this film is Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger. Folks, when I heard Jordan was playing a villain I was a bit skeptical as most of the roles he's had so far were very likable protagonists. And then when the news broke that he was playing who is possibly Black Panther's biggest villain aside from Klaw, it got me to raise an eyebrow but I ultimately decided to reserve all judgement until I saw the film and let me tell you guys, I was blown away! Jordan said in various interviews that he studied Magneto from the X-Men films and Heath Ledger's Joker in order to prepare for his role as Killmonger and it shows. Killmonger is easily Marvel's best villain to date as he has a complex backstory, oozes with swagger, and actually has sympathetic motivations for his actions in the film.
Lastly, another standout performance was that of Letitia Wright as T'challa's younger sister, Princess Shuri. Now this is a performance that really caught me off guard since in the comics, she's just as serious as T'challa is (especially in Ta-nahesi Coates' run). But here Shuri is portrayed as snarky yet full of life, and I really loved this change for the film. Wright easily delivers some of the more funnier moments in the movie not to mention that she is officially the smartest person in the MCU as she is behind some of the impressive technology that we see in the film. All in all, Shuri in my eyes is easily the biggest breakout of this movie right after Killmonger.
Not to mention that rest of the supporting cast knock it out of the park with their roles, from the lovely Lupita Nyongo as Nakia, to Danai Gurira as the loyal and strong Okoye, and Winston Duke as the intimidating yet surprisingly hilarious M'Baku. Marvel shows us yet again that the casting for their films are always on point.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has always given us some interesting locations to look at, whether it be Avengers tower, the kingdom of Asgard, or the far reaches of the galaxy. And to say that the kingdom of Wakanda looks absolutely gorgeous would be the understatement of the century. This movie does not pull it's punches when it comes to the afrofuturism. From the design of all of the buildings, the gadgets, and even the clothing of the different tribes, the crew made sure to showcase the afrofuturism aesthetic in nothing but it's full glory. And the score, my god the score. Ludwig Goransson truly outdid himself by mixing African tribal music with an epic sounding orchestra. Trust me, the music that plays when T'challa, Okoye, and Nakia fly into Wakanda is still stuck in my head. It was every bit as memorable as seeing the sun rise over the savannah while hearing the opening Swahili chanting in the beginning of the Circle of Life number in The Lion King. Guys, if this movie doesn't get a nomination for best score at next years oscars then something is seriously wrong with the academy.
The Bad
Now while this movie did blow me away, it isn't perfect. By far the biggest gripe I had with the film is the CGI. I mean the CGI is good throughout the film but it is pretty dodgy in some areas, especially whenever the rhinos are on screen. No seriously, there is a scene where T'challa visits a ranch where they keep rhinos and let me tell you, they look every bit as convincing as those rhinos in freaking Jumanji. Not to mention the CGI starts to look like a straight up video game during the climax. But the action and story were good enough to balance out this negative of the film.
Conclusion
I have been hyped to see Black Panther on film for years, and after an amazing debut in Captain America: Civil War, Ryan Coogler and company have delivered. Black Panther is one action packed, epic, and challenging film truly fit for a king. And this is easily my favorite MCU film to date. Scratch that, it's my favorite MCU film period. And I'm looking forward to seeing the King of Wakanda again to fight with his fellow avengers against Thanos in May.
Final Verdict: 9/10
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