Marvel Studios continues to produce films for their Cinematic Universe that transcends the basic superhero formula of good versus evil and elevates it to a social commentary that reflects our world with its latest film, Black Panther. Warning, spoilers ahead…
Following the events of Captain America: Civil War and the assassination of his father, Black Panther follows T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) as he returns home to his native Wakanda, a sophisticated technology advanced hidden kingdom deep in the jungles of Africa to claim the throne as her King and the mettle of becoming Black Panther. However, his birthright will be challenged when sins of his father’s past resurface in the present with the arrival of Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). To complicate things more is the reappearance of an old enemy Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) that threatens not only Wakanda but the world .
Unlike some of its predecessors, Black Panther has political and world overtones much like the Captain America trilogy. Is it the responsibility of an advanced society to help the crumbling world around their hidden sanctuary? T’Challa faces such a dilemma and puts him at odds against Klaue who wants to steal Wakanda’s greatest resource of vibranium, an energy-manipulating ore. Assisting T’Challa is his female bodyguard Gen. Okoye (Danai Gurira), his ex and spy Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and his sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) who reminds us of the character Q from the James Bond series with her technological skills as they set off to South Korea to try to stop Klaue’s deal of stolen vibranium. What follows is an amazing high-speed chase sequence that revivals anything we’ve seen in the Fast and Furious films.
Adding to that threat is the unexpected arrival of Erik who has spent most of his adult life as an American military combat veteran and challenges T’Challa not only for the throne but the right to become Black Panther. Erik’s defiance of T’Challa goes deeper as he has special plans for the vibranium ore that will have serious repercussions that could shift the power in the political landscape. Director Ryan Coogler does a wonderful and subtle job of adding social commentary that historically was the staple of comic books. The villain of Erik Killmonger is both literally and figuratively scarred which at times makes him also sympathetic. Those for me make for some of the better villains and judging by the audience I was with, it’s their type as well.
T’Challa is a cross between James Bond and Tony Stark and Chadwick Boseman owns this character to perfection. And speaking of perfection, the entire supporting cast led by Gurira and Nyong’o is first-rate including veteran’s Angela Bassett, Forrest Whitaker and a returning Martin Freeman as Agent Ross. Director Coogler’s visual style allows him to put his own stamp on the vast and ever evolving MCU and at the same time add his name to a growing list of African-American directors who will soon find himself as one of the better directors period.
