Directed by Ryan Coogler
Written by Joe Robert Cole and Ryan Coogler
Starring: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett
In 2018, Black Panther surprised even Marvel Studios when it made $1.382 billion at the box office and became the ninth-highest-grossing film of all time. It also became the first movie within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Philosophically deep, metaphorically clever and brilliantly acted, Black Panther was, frankly, unlike any other film in the MCU. It wasn’t the best thing to come out of the MCU, but it was certainly the most distinctive – at least until 2021’s Eternals. But while Eternals “felt” different – in the sense that it felt more like an independent film than an aspiring blockbuster – Black Panther felt like a product of the MCU, something that it used to its advantage. The story elements of previous superhero films are all there. The story is nothing special. Some may even call Black Panther formulaic. However, every frame of Black Panther feels inspired. It was a step above the rest. The soundtrack was incredible – enough to give one goosebumps – and the symbolism relating to the Black experience was illuminating. The acting was Oscar-worthy, too. Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, and Letitia Wright gave magnificent performances. It was only a matter of time before a sequel entered production.
In 2020, Boseman, who played the titular Black Panther, passed away due to colon cancer at the age of 43, an illness that he kept from the public. Marvel said it would not recast the role, and the narrative direction of Black Panther‘s sequel seemed uncertain. However, with the return of director Ryan Coogler and the formidable cast from the original, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever takes what works best from its predecessor and amplifies it exponentially.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever misses Boseman, but it is better than the original. With Boseman’s absence, the film holds more emotional weight as characters have existential crises, some more pronounced than others. Finding purpose is a key theme in this sequel and, as with the original, the thematics are handled quite nicely. For the most part, everyone feels grounded and tangible. This is largely due to great performances that give the characters and their emotions a sort of tangibility. Letitia Wright, who had a fairly minor role in the original, leads the film’s cast, and this was a great choice on the part of Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole. Wright is very much capable of carrying the weight of the film on her shoulders. Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, and Lupita Nyong’o also shine in their roles, and they arguably give stronger performances than they did in the first film. Angela Bassett also does wonders on the screen in her return as the late Black Panther’s mother.
There is only one thing worth complaining about: the film’s antagonist Namor, played by Tenoch Huerta. His performance definitely lacks range. Additionally, while there is nothing particularly wrong with the character of Namor in the comics, the design of the character doesn’t translate well to the screen. In fact, Namor’s appearance here looks rather silly. Namor has wings on his ankles in the comics, but it simply doesn’t work in the film when Namor is meant to be intimidating and antagonistic. What’s even more frustrating is that this relatively minor flaw is the most distracting thing about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Fortunately, how Namor and his people are introduced is perhaps one of the best sequences in the film and is reminiscent of a horror movie.
For those with “Marvel fatigue” – the sense of feeling not only overwhelmed by the sheer amount of content Marvel Studios is producing but increasingly tired and bored – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is still worth a watch. It won’t change anyone’s mind about whether or not Marvel should slow down for a bit, but it will act as a strong reminder that there are still meaningful and worthy stories to tell within the MCU.
Grade: A–
Headline photo from IMDb