“You’re telling me that a king of a third world country is running around in a catsuit?” Yes, I am, but the new Black Panther isn’t just that. This movie is a fresh take on the Marvel hero Black Panther, and how his story fits with the rest of Marvel’s cinematic universe.
Set after the events of Captain America: Civil War, King T’Challa/Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman, returns home to Wakanda, Africa, to serve as his country’s new leader. Not long after he arrives, he is challenged for the throne by a vengeful outsider.
His nation is then threatened by outside forces, hellbent on dragging Wakanda into a world war. T’Challa must then team up with C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross, save his people, and reconcile with old enemies.
This was Black Panther’s first standalone movie, directed by Ryan Coogler. This was not his first appearance on the big screen, however; Black Panther first appeared in Captain America: Civil War aligned with the Cap.
Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman reprise their roles as Ulysses Klaue (Klaw) and Everett K. Ross from Civil War respectively. The cast also saw the introduction of Winston Duke as M’Baku, T’Challa’s cousin who fights for the throne but winds up defeated. Erik Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan, played the main villain in the film, managing to drive the Black Panther out of Wakanda.
Black Panther is notable for having an almost all black cast, save for Serkis and Freeman. Also, Black Panther became only the fifth movie ever to have an over $200 million opening weekend.
The release of the movie also stirred up some controversy. Many people on social media have stated that they are happy that they finally got a ‘black superhero movie’. There have been several forgotten black superheroes, such as Blade, Spawn, Meteor Man, and Blankman, just to name a few. The true ‘first black superhero movie’ can be found on YouTube: Abar, The First Black Superman.
Whatever the case may be, Black Panther is definitely a must see for die-hard Marvel fans or the action/sci-fi seeking movie goer. It combines action and risk perfectly with suspense and spots of humor. Just be sure not to challenge T’Challa for the throne: “I did not yield! And as you can see, I am not dead! The challenge continues!”