Movie:
Black Panther
Director:
Ryan Coogler
Starring:
Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira
Verdict:
Black
Panther
strides
into theaters on a wave of anticipation, and minus a few narrative
follies and scenes that dragged on way
longer
than needed, Coogler and co. have definitely delivered, spellbinding
fans with an action-packed and thoughtful meditation on a number of
relevant social topics, all bolstered by a strong cast, stunning
visuals, and perhaps the MCU's most brilliantly conceived villain to
date.
In
depth:
Hype
always nurtures caution in the thoughtful, and the tidal waves of
hype riding
Black
Panther's
announcement
nursed some pretty strong reservations on my end. I had
flashbacks of Chadwick Boseman’s one-dimensional and somewhat
lackluster Civil
War
performance,
and wondered how the heck you can feature a whole movie around him.
Source material was another concern; though the Black
Panther franchise
in and of itself was a step forward in comic diversity, neither the
skin-tight superhero, nor his advanced nation of Wakanda, ever found
the right voice to give the premise a fresh turn. It didn't
help that so many people had already invested the film with a slew of
hopeful aspirations way beyond the typical winter blockbuster. My
worries eased a bit when Boseman’s cast mates were revealed,
especially the lovely Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira, but I still
eyed the hype train with caution, dreading a fiery crash at the end.
All for naught, though; Black
Panther
not
only delivers a thrilling and enjoyable movie experience, but it also
goes beyond the confines and limits of Marvel’s previous releases
through its stellar cast, complex villain, and satisfying narrative
scope.
We’re
treated to the now standard cold open, explaining the origins of
Wakanda and how it grew into the technological marvel of Stan Lee’s
verdant comic universe. We take a detour to 1992 Oakland, where
Wakandan king T’Chaka, played by Atandwa Kani, pays a visit to his
undercover brother N’Jobu. But this ain't no courtesy call;
he's there to confirm rumors that N’Jobu was working with Ulysses
Klaue (played by the incomparable Andy Serkis), a shady arms dealer
who had recently launched a terrorist attack on Wakanda, looting some
of the country’s valuable vibranium in the process. Flash
forward to the present, where current black tabby tussler T’Challa
(Boseman) contends with the fallout of his father’s death and the
daunting process of becoming the new king. With the support of
Okoye (Danai Gurira), leader of the Wakandan royal guard, and old
flame Nakia ( Lupita Nyong’o) the prodigal prince ascends to the
throne amidst much pomp and circumstance, but immediately faces a
bevy of challenges. Wakanda’s relationship to the outside
world is a hot topic, especially concerning whether or not to open
their borders to potential allies, or reveal their true wealth and
majesty. Worse yet, old nemesis Klaue is back, stealing
Wakandan artifacts and selling them on the black market. But as
the new king sets off to confront this old nemesis, a much greater
threat looms ahead: Klaue’s young accomplice Erik (Michael B.
Jordan), a skilled soldier whose own dark secrets will threaten the
very stability of Wakanda itself.
Black
Panther
blends
a healthy mix of ritual, action, and drama to create a superhero
flick that tears away from the Marvel mold. It helps that what
Coogler and company crafted with so much care is less a superhero
film than an ideological struggle for the heart of a nation. He
skillfully weaves a narrative that has less to do with T’Challa
himself, or a trite battle between good and evil, and more with the
history, rituals, and traditions of a kingdom currently at a
crossroads. For that, Coogler takes the long view in the
beginning, sparing no detail in the dances and battles accompanying
T’Challa as he takes his rightful place. Some of this
admittedly comes off as a little paddish; much of the coronation was
mere dressing, with only pieces of it bearing any relevance to events
later in the movie. But, even this has its purpose. Wakanda is
as much a mystery to movie goers as it is to the plebeians of the
Marvel Universe, and by giving us a peek inside its vibrant culture,
the setting feels that much more alive. Under his guidance,
Wakanda breaks away from the stilted limitations of its Mary
Sue-topia comic depictions, becoming a fresh, Afrofuturistic vision
as sleek and well-made as T’Challa’s suit. Coogler has a
real knack for giving a condensed but thorough overview of a
location, and Wakanda bristles with vibrancy under his hand.
But
what really breathes life into the film are its characters, who
somehow all come off as strong and well-rounded without the icky
residue of appearing to pander to people of color hungry for positive
on-screen depictions. A lot can be written on Okoye and Nakia;
they are strong, dynamic characters in their own rights, driven by
loyalties not necessarily connected to T’Challa. Gurira
brings strength, warmth, and a mild but welcomed sense of humor to
her role, while "War Dog" Nakia almost successfully averts
Marvel's epidemic Girlfriend Syndrome. Ironically, they're both
a more solid and down-to-earth depiction of strong, independent
heroines in the current over-saturated superhero market than even
Wonder Woman herself. But the real standout in the female cast
is young Letitia Wright. As Shuri, T’Challa’s genius little
sister and the Q to his James Bond, Wright is a total natural in her
role, keeping the humor up without losing her competence or slipping
into buffoonery, and playing the teasing little sister without
fostering homicidal thoughts towards her. Wright and Boseman
have arguably the best chemistry in the film, and I look forward to a
sequel just for the chance to see her shine again.
But
the true cast show-off award unquestionably belongs to Michael B.
Jordan. The creators gave Killmonger a much-needed modern
facelift, morphing him into a tragic figure with close ties to
Wakanda and T’Challa personally. His presence is the main
culprit behind Black
Panther's
narrative
graying, shifting from the usual Marvel formula of good guys and bad
guys (even if the "bad guys" are somewhat sympathetic) and
into the uncomfortably muddy ethics of international and domestic
politics. In addition, Coogler does for him what Marvel rarely
does for its villains: give us a glimpse into his inner world, his
struggles and drives, and in the process paint a stirring portrait of
a wounded man swaddled in contradictions. Under Jordan’s
powerful and emotional performance, Killmonger becomes the closest
thing the MCU has had to a Magneto: a charismatic “villain” who
elicits both anger and understanding, whose motives are not without
some justification, even if his means warp him into an indefensible
hypocrite. Marvel has its share of strong villains — from
Michael Keaton’s blue-collared supercrook, Vulture, to Hiddleston’s
Loki, the perfect portrait of a man twisted by his own insecurities
and inner demons; but Killmonger stands above them all in how almost
perfectly he scribes that misused and misapplied appellation, “tragic
villain.”
There
are, however, a few lurking shadows to put a damper on the praise
parade. Boseman, I’m sad to say, didn’t inspire much from
me. Not that he was bad by any stretch, and his rendition of
the hero this time around is a vast improvement over Civil
War.
But he still felt somewhat flat to me, lost in the nexus of his
character type,
as opposed to the character himself, and derives most of his screen
energy from the interactions with his cast mates. That’s not
necessarily a bad thing, as it speaks well for his charisma, but I
hope his steady growth will eventually lead Boseman to taking
ownership of the character and making him his own. While I
appreciate all the effort that went into making Wakanda a living,
breathing society, there were stretches of the film that felt a bit
boring because of the padding. I probably shouldn’t count
that against them too much, but a movie fan more impatient than I
might find themselves shifting in their seat if they're not otherwise
invested. Somewhat less forgivable is the film’s reliance on
coincidence to resolve a few thorny plot points - a narrative
cardinal sin, in my book. The most egregious offender here is a
major movie spoiler, but let’s just say that it involves a
physics-defying fall, a snow coma...and an even
more
unlikely
happenstance.
But
these foibles hardly take much away from
Black
Panther's
power
and emotional impact. The effects are spectacular; the fights,
stylish and well-produced; and the film cleverly lays the groundwork
for all sorts of future potential. Black
Panther
touches
on some pretty heavy and relevant topics: immigration, isolationism,
and the general relationship between a powerful nation and a global
diaspora who look to it for guidance and aid, all fall under its
umbrella. But aside from the brilliantly executed Killmonger
story, most of these avenues remain unexplored. Here’s hoping
that in future films, the ideas and magic remain as fresh and
engaging as in this first agile step, with T'Challa and the rest of
his crew leading Marvel down the forest path to a bright new
franchise.
Grade:
B+
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