Black Panther

2018’s Black Panther, directed by Ryan Coogler.

Starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Sterling K. Brown, Angela Bassett, Forrest Whitaker, Andy Serkis, and Florence Kasumba.

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Musical Score (Ludwig Goransson), Best Musical Song (Kendrick Lamar, Mark “Sounwave” Spears and Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith), Best Costume Design (Ruth Carter), Best Production Design (Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart), Sound Editing (Benjamin A. Burtt and Steve Boeddeker), and Sound Mixing (Steve Boeddeker, Brandon Proctor and Peter Devlin).

 

What is it about?

Black Panther is the tale of King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), ruler of the fictional African country, Wakanda. Secretive and unknown to the majority of the world, its most valuable resource is vibranium, the super metal used in Captain America’s shield, Ultron’s Sokovian asteroid, and in the suit of the Wakanda Nation’s king protector, the Black Panther. As King T’Challa takes the throne and mourns the passing of his father, he and his tech savvy sister (Letitia Wright), old flame (Lupita Nyong'o), and gang of bad ass protectors (the Dora Milaje, lead by Danai Gurira) must get to the bottom of protecting their isolationist kingdom. They discover a rogue vibranium smuggler (Andy Serkis, last seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron), who has mercenary intentions- but he may not be as threatening as rogue Erik Killmonger (Michael B Jordan), who is connected to T’Challa in ways unanticipated. Will T’Challa be able to protect his people and repel the threats to his nation’s ways of life- and all other nations too?

Why is it worth seeing?

Black Panther is the 6^th film in the Phase 3 stage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which is parent company Disney’s changing the face of franchise films and their interconnectedness as we know them. With Panther being Marvel’s 18^th film in the MCU, it would be easy to slap together something cat-like and call it a day before smashing the MCU together for Infinity War (an event a decade in the making)- instead Black Panther has facets to it that are more interesting than your average comic book movie.

As Thor has convincingly shown, showing off a homeland that feels authentic and lived in can be difficult. While Wakanda isn’t exactly Ridley Scott’s futuristic Los Angeles, it does feel like a place that was ripped from the pages of very comics that have been adapted for the MCU. Steeped in an insular Afro-culture full of tradition; the buildings, costumes, and futuristic technology all speak to a place that feels unique and genuine.

Last seen directing the underrated Creed, director/co-writer Ryan Coogler, brings his skills in the more intimate battles, such as a bravura single take in a Korean casino, or in singles combat. While he occasionally struggles with the more elaborate CGI battle scenes (the climatic fight is a dud), cinematographer Rachel Morrison (the first female to be nominated for an Oscar in that category in Mudbound) keeps everything looking clean and luminous.

Black Panther’s greatest strength is in its memorable villain, Killmonger- played to perfection by Micheal B Jordan. His portrayal of the antagonist is that of dynamic energy, with patient restraint. In a film that apes James Bond, Killmonger does everything a Bond villain would never do- radiate fierce calm, explain as little as possible, and bring a perspective to the fray that makes the protagonist look silly at times. In terms of being woke, Killmonger’s only contemporary in terms of highlighting the inherent hypocrisy of the dominant society would be that of the Joker.

But Killmonger isn’t painted in makeup and laughing hysterically. He comes from a place that we all know of and as a society have marginalized- and is a instrument that we have created. Possessing experience from his time as an American soldier working to destabilize third world countries, he understands the deck is always stacked against the oppressed. In his quest to change that, Killmonger’s character is so dynamic and provocative in his arc, that in a parallel universe, he could be Tony Stark. As it is, he believes he is the hero of his own film. It’s to this film’s detriment that he’s not, especially after watching him own the allegedly super powered and super dull T’Challa.

It’s hard to argue with the stylish Killmonger. With the isolated robust nation historically refusing to help others, he brings up questions of fairness and comeuppance from a position of violent strength, to counter systemic oppression. Watching the various kings clumsily try to stick to outdated orthodoxy, only strengthens his point. That could be a larger theme at work here in the MCU universe: that in sticking to the format of stand alone films that have to feed into gigantic team up extravaganzas, truly dynamic outliers have to be minimized in favour of corporate franchise synergy.

Rating:

4/5

Trailer: Click Here.