Black Panther: Movie Review

A new Marvel hero getting his own solo film, even though he was introduced in the insanely epic Captain America: Civil War (review here), it's finally time for the Black Panther to dig its claws into the MCU. After all the hype and the incredible teasers from the trailers, it finally came and it delivered in every promise of being an entertainment spectacle.

Chadwick Boseman returns as T'Challa, the King of Wakanda, aka Black Panther in a story that carries on from his introduction as the prince, who unveiled his badass vibranium black suit of armour while chasing the Winter Soldier. T'Challa is young but wise, a good man, and after his father was assassinated by Sargeant Barnes, it was his turn to take the throne. Wakanda has a massive reserve of the alien metal known as vibranium, the toughest metal on Earth and is the same stuff that Cap's shield is made out of. The meteor of vibranium had affected the land itself, making it fertile, while offering many more uses that allowed the Wakandan people to march ahead in terms of technology. Technology for building civilisations and prolonging life, and even for self-preservation. It is also shown to be the root of the superhuman strength possessed by the one bearing the title of the Black Panther - a mutated herb, purple and heart-shaped, which bestows the enhanced abilities to the one who consumes it. Advanced as they are, the nation is still grounded in its traditions and rituals and culture, hence the language and styling.

For centuries, the council of Wakanda, with the leaders of its 5 tribes including the Black Panther as their collective King, opted to keep their nation's abilities shielded from the eyes of the world, watching from the shadows as others continued to wage war and destroy the planet and each other. But their spies who settled across the globe saw the hardships that their African brethren had to endure for many, many centuries and begged for action, for change, for revolt against the colonizers. A revolt they could win easily, if they were to be equipped with Wakandan technology. In quite a few ways, it takes on some very prevalent and timely racial issues from a different context than your average Hollywood film.

That is where the main antagonist of this story comes in  - Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), son of one such Wakandan spy who had fallen out with the King's passive approach. Having been abandoned by his country, he was driven by his thirst for vengeance and was out to kill T'Challa and take over the throne by challenging him for it in a combat ritual. Erik used the assistance of the only white man to have seen and survived an escape from Wakanda, mercenary Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis).

That's about as much of the plot I can share without giving away any spoilers, and now to share what I thought of the movie. In one word? Exhilarating. I thought Marvel had done an impressive job with creating Sakaar in Thor: Ragnarok, but they really outdid themselves with creating Wakanda. The cities, the jungle, the palaces and most importantly the Vibranium mine inside the mountain, it is all an amazing visual experience, best enjoyed in IMAX 3D with seats reasonably close to the screen. It took my breath away, honest.

Then there's the trademark humour of the MCU which makes light of its own incredibly outlandish scenarios with some very real, human responses. That and a stellar support cast - Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia (fellow warrior of a Wakandan tribe and ex-girlfriend of T'Challa), Danai Gurira as Okoye (Wakanda's General), Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross (CIA agent from Captain America: Civil War), Daniel Kaluuya as W'Kabi (member of council and friend to T'Challa), Letitia Wright as Shuri (T'Challa's sister and Wakanda's leading innovator), Forest Whitaker as Zuri (aide to the King and like family to T'Challa) and many more brilliant performances for parts big and small.

It may be a Marvel movie, and it is definitely entertaining and exciting, but the Black Panther has its flaws. SPOILER ALERT. There were a lot of holes in the plot, regarding how exactly did Wakanda stay a secret from the world, how exactly did the country develop with the help of Vibranium, why the tribes still stick to a monarchical form of governance and how the Black Panther fits into the rest of the MCU. I really wish we had more of Andy Serkis and Michael B. Jordan on screen, which I'd say was an opportunity wasted for two very interesting characters. The music choice for the background score was debatable at times though never an issue that spoiled the experience. Director Ryan Coogler of Creed fame has done a brilliant job in making the Black Panther a memorable part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, maybe even the best part of it, both with the character and its origins and support characters.

It's time to score this Marvel movie and I'd give it 7 out of 8 fangs, best enjoyed in IMAX 3D but worth a watch and many a rewatch in any format for a good time. 

Ps, don't forget to wait for the MCU end of movie cutscenes after the rolling credits.