Marvel’s recent “Black Panther,” directed and written by Ryan Coogler, was a great example of the impact that a film can have when it combines great actors, stimulating visuals and a deeply rooted cultural theme. However, it pains me to say that the film did not entirely live up to the hype.
Don’t get me wrong; “Black Panther” was a great film. Not only were we exposed to African-inspired culture, something we have never seen before in previous Marvel films, but we were also entertained by prestigious and Academy Award-winning actors and actresses such as Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa/Black Panther), Michael B. Jordan (Erik Killmonger), Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia), Daniel Kaluuya (W’Kabi) and many more.
The visual representation of the fictional African country of Wakanda, the wealthiest and most advanced country in the Marvel Universe, was absolutely stunning, and the use of CGI to display certain technologies was, in my opinion, unmatched by any other Marvel film. My favorite aspect of the film was the way that black people were portrayed. There was so much empowerment centered on these black characters, and you could almost feel the energy they were giving off through the screen. This made a huge statement in the black community, with people raving about “Black Panther” all over social media.
And while watching “Black Panther,” I have never felt more liberated and culturally represented when viewing a Marvel film. At the same time, I was torn between those feelings and the fact that I am also a film major. Personally, I didn’t enjoy everything about it. I felt as though some parts of the film, as well as a few characters, were not really needed. I also think that the story could have been crafted a little better to truly show off the intelligence and tenacity of T’Challa as he is portrayed in the comics. I feel as though some lines of dialogue felt forced, and while it may be hard to act while using an African accent, some characters were able to pull it off better than others.
Lastly, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about the two credit scenes at the end of the film. I was expecting to see something I have never seen before, and while I’m not trying to spoil it for those who somehow haven’t already seen it, but if you have kept up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) since the beginning, nothing is revealed that you don’t already know.
Overall, I really liked “Black Panther,” and I think that Coogler was able to do something influential with this film within the MCU, but even greater, within the black community. It may not have been my favorite Marvel movie or the best Marvel movie made so far, but it will be the one that I will remember most. This film is exactly what we needed during Black History Month. And for those of you who may have felt the same as me or actually didn’t like the film all that much, no need to fear, Infinity War is just around the corner.