The Disney-Marvel movie that has taken the world by storm and the one everyone has been talking about. ‘#WakandaForever’ is Black Panther. Grossing a whopping $500 million thus far, it has been smashing all box office predictions and for good reason.
The star-studded cast is an almost all-black ensemble, which is important to note as that rarely ever happens on a film of this scale. In fact, I could even go so far as to say it has never happened before. The cast includes Chadwick Boseman taking the lead role as King T’Challa, Michael B Jordan as the evil, yet strangely relatable Erik Killmonger and Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia. Forest Whitaker and Britain’s very own BAFTA award-winning Daniel Kaluuya also star, along with Andy Serkis, Martin Freeman and many others.
As previously mentioned, there has been a lot of talk and excitement regarding this film and it can safely be said that Black Panther lives up to all the hype. It is an excellent film and stands alone as part of the Marvel franchise. Although the Black Panther is a superhero who will be playing a role in the upcoming, and also highly anticipated, Avengers: Infinity War in April, it is easy to watch this and forget it is even a part of the franchise.
Personally, I wasn’t expecting to like this film. I thought it might not be for me but I ended up loving it and saw it twice in the space of 6 hours. It was that good!
The film has been described as an “Afro-futuristic fantasy” because takes place in the fictional nation of Wakanda which appears to be a developing country yet, unbeknownst to the rest of the world, it is actually the most technologically advanced place to exist. It is also a great source of Vibranium; a fictional substance which forms Black Panther’s suit and even Captain America’s shield.
The people of Wakanda have chosen not to disclose their treasures and when T’Challa becomes king he must decide whether this is the right decision and also what kind of king he wants to be. This comes especially as his claim to the throne is challenged by adversary Erik Killmonger who has other, more uncompromising plans.
Chadwick Boseman has said in an interview that he doesn’t view Killmonger’s character as the villain, necessarily. Rather, he went on to say that “everyone is a hero” in Black Panther. He justifies this by explaining that Erik Killmonger came from a background where he had to struggle to survive and was not born into wealth and power, in total contrast to T’Challa’s upbringing. This is an interesting point made by the actor.
Michael B. Jordan gives a compelling performance as Killmonger, which has drawn comparisons to Heath Ledger’s Joker in terms of the audience’s empathy for him. You almost want his character to thrive.
It wouldn’t be right not to mention the women in this film. They play strong characters, both physically and mentally. They are warriors, scientists, inventors and humanitarians. They play just as important a role as the men, which is refreshing to see. In fact, T’Challa needs the help of his little sister to design his equipment and she comes up with gadgets that would put James Bond’s ‘Q’ to shame.
Some very powerful lines are delivered by the cast of Black Panther, not least towards the end. Sensitive topics that you wouldn’t usually expect to be covered in an action movie are touched upon too. Speaking of the end, be sure to wait to see the 2 post-credit scenes. You won’t be disappointed.
Black Panther was directed by Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station and Creed). It has a 2 hour, 14 minutes running time.
In my opinion, Black Panther is definitely worth a trip (or more) to the cinema. It is entertaining, exciting and funny. In fact, I’m tempted to go back and watch it for the third time.
By Narzra Ahmed