In the 1960s there was a social movement called The Black Panther Party for Self-Defence. It was a movement formed to protect and serve black communities from police brutality and to encourage progress through education and partnership with other progressive people, including non-racist white people. I will provide a link to an interesting article that goes into greater detail of their actions and history below this review. I bring this up because the Black Panther movement and the Black Panther character were formed right around the same time. Meaning one was very likely the inspiration for the other. While I may not have the ability to say anything about the movement from experience, I am confident in saying that, based on what I understand from research, if they had seen this movie, I think they would have been proud. Because not only is this a great movie with a lot of heart and passion, but it is a great movie that elevates a too often overlooked character in the Marvel Universe. This may very well be the most inspirational Marvel movie to hit the big screen since Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
For those of you who may not be as familiar with this character as I am, and in the interest of focusing on reviewing the movie proper, I will also leave a link to the Black Panther Wikipedia page so you may see for yourself what kind of a superhero he is. I can assure you, he is totally cool.
Anyway, the story of the movie takes place shortly after the events of Captain America: Civil War. T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to his home country of Wakanda, a fictional African nation in the Marvel Universe. Upon returning home, he is crowned the new King and takes on the mantle of the new Black Panther. Having been officially granted his title, T'Challa sets out to find and bring in a long time enemy of the state, Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis). However, while on the mission, he discovers that Klaue is answering to an even more significant threat named Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordon) who has a mysterious beef with Wakanda. Now, T'Challa must don the Black Panther suit and determine how best to protect his home and his family, and in doing so, discover what kind of King he is going to be.
While this is not the first superhero movie to star a predominantly black cast with a story that comments on the black condition (that distinction goes to Meteor Man), it is the first Marvel movie to finally bring some much-desired diversity to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In addition to breaking down race barriers, it also breaks down gender barriers, as this movie features more robust and three-dimensional female characters I have seen in a film, let alone a Marvel movie. Make no mistake: this is a more profound and more progressive movie than you might think.
What indeed makes this film so fascinating to me is how it spends less time with the superhero business and more time being a kind of political drama. Don't get me wrong, it still has plenty of superhero stuff to go around, but its real strength comes from being a deep story first and a superhero movie second. Without going into too many details to avoid unintentional spoilers, Black Panther goes into much more severe and full-bodied storytelling the likes of which is not often seen in a Marvel movie. While it still contains moments of levity, which is not commonly used well in Marvel films, in Black Panther it never detracts from the stories intentions, nor does it rob any scene of its importance.
The best aspect of this movie is the amount of time spent exploring the world of Wakanda, and by extension, representations of African culture. The world building and mythological creation in this movie are so textured and made so fascinating that you can't help but get sucked into its richness. So much so that you feel like you actually want to visit this place. It's an accomplishment in world building the likes of which I haven't seen done so well since Star Wars.
The acting is superb from every single person in the cast. Every character is played with an incredible level of nuance. It's especially fascinating when you consider how some of the cast can still play their role with such conviction despite them apparently standing in a green screen room. Remember that famous scene on the bridge in the first Lord of the Rings movie when Gandalf was facing off against the monster shouting "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"? That's pretty much what some of the actors in Black Panther are doing more often than in that one scene. Every character is three dimensional, sympathetic, and grows more so by the end of the film.
Special mention must go to Michael B. Jordon as the main villain. Who is not only one of the stronger performers of the film but also has gained the distinction as the first genuinely fascinating villain in a Marvel film. Up until now, the villains in Marvel movies have been too one dimensional mostly serving as a means to progress the plot. In Black Panther, however, Michael B. Jordon's character is more than that. He is one of those rare villains you can actually sympathize with in some ways. You come to understand his motivations and his reasons for being the way he is. He's not so much evil as he is tragically lost. Both emotionally and literally. All of this is conveyed by Michael's remarkable talent and ability. This guy is becoming the next great actor in Hollywood, and I can't wait to see more of him in other movies.
The film was directed by Ryan Coogler who previously handled Fruitvale Station and Creed. A director with a unique style that still shines through here. One of his signatures is his dynamic long takes. Ryan Coogler likes to occasionally leave the camera running and follow the action without cutting. This forces the camera to remain steady and focused on the most essential part of the scene, and it is used to tremendous effect in this film. There's a moment when the long take is used during a fight scene in a Casino and, despite having multiple things happening, I was never lost as to where anyone was or who was doing what. The action was fluid and cohesive and didn't rely on stupid gimmicks like shaky cam to artificially up the intensity. Add to that some excellent direction of the actors and framing, and you got a director who deserves to have as many projects to work on as he wants.
Another special mention must go to the film's cinematographer Rachel Morrison, who previously worked with Ryan Coogler on Fruitvale Station. Much like Roger Deakins, her background mostly consists of documentaries. Which means she has a great sense of natural lighting, something I personally love to employ in my own work. Also, despite this being her very first big-time high budget special effects heavy film, she still delivers gorgeous images that don't ever look amateur. I for one can't wait to see what she will photograph next.
Black Panther is, without a doubt, the most important, relevant, thoughtful, and groundbreaking film from Marvel Studios in a long time. It lays down the foundation for what is still yet to come from Marvel Studios and, hopefully, will go on to inspire and encourage more progress in movies and in society as a whole. We can all learn a lot from this movie, so please don't miss it.
Is this movie worth seeing?
Yes.
Is it worth seeing in theaters?
Absolutely.
Why?
It's a breath of fresh air and brings so many new and beautiful things to the table that it would be rude not to accept them.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you for reading.
The Black Panther Movement
Black Panther (the character)
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