Black Panther

Black Panther

Starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira

Directed by Ryan Coogler

The Story:
After his father, the King of Wakanda, is assassinated, T'Challa becomes the new King of the hidden African nation.  His early rule is met with increased stress after Vibranium - the most powerful metal known to man, and also exclusively housed inside the hidden country - is stolen by the villainous Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis), whom has evaded Wakandan justice since the days of T'Challa's father.  Klaue is aided by Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), who harbors ill feelings for T'Challa and wishes to rule Wakanda himself, leading to a struggle of ideologies that threaten to tear the nation apart.

The Synopsis:
Comic book superhero movies have always gone to the white man, with the likes of "Iron Man," "Captain America," "Thor," "Batman," and "Superman" gracing the big screen in decades of action-packed adventures.  Then, last year, "Wonder Woman" hit theaters and proved to studio executives that a superhero movie isn't just for the white man, but a woman can more than hold her own, making the film the biggest success in the DC Cinematic Universe to date and ignited a conversation about the power of minorities in superhero movies.  Now, the hero Black Panther - which has existed in comics since being created in the late 1960s - has finally gotten his own film to shine, and to say that the film is a cinematic masterpiece is putting it lightly: essentially, it's much more than a generic superhero movie, going farther into character development and differing motives and ideologies that prove that sometimes the biggest enemy comes from within.

Africa is the cradle of civilization, where all people hail from.  In the heart of Africa lies the hidden nation of Wakanda, a nation that has isolated itself from the outside world due to its vast amount of Vibranium - a rare element that exclusively grows in the nation.  The country has been hidden by a cloaking shield that makes it look like a third world country, but the country is actually decades ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to technology and weapons advancement.  Still, despite their futuristic look, they also hold to a deep sense of history that requires them to stay out of the affairs of the rest of the world, even as it crumbles around them.

It's in this futuristic, yet historic, nation that T'Challa becomes the Black Panther - the rightful King of Wakanda after the death of his father.  He rules with the concept that Wakanda must remain hidden, but struggles with knowing that the rest of the world is dying around them.  This comes from his on-again-off-again flame Nakia, who wishes to help the nations around them.  Still, T'Challa holds to the rituals of his ancestors, and struggles with helping others because he fears what would happen to Wakanda.

It's during this struggle for identity that Killmonger enters the picture.  Killmonger has a history with T'Challa and especially his father, and he desires for Wakanada to be a prominent force in the world - they have the weaponry to equip the underprivileged and lead a revolution that will result in Wakanda ruling the world.  Yet this goes against T'Challa's desires - Wakanda would only fight if necessary - and this is the central conflict the film poses.  No aliens from the sky, no gods, nothing but dueling ideologies - which can prove to be far more dangerous.

Director Ryan Coogler - who directed the master-works "Fruitvale Station" and "Creed" - has gone on record saying the central theme of "Black Panther" is "what do the powerful owe those in need?  It separates the good guys from the villains.  What value is strength unless you're using it to help someone?  Wakanda pretends to be just another struggling African country, but some of its neighbors are struggling for real.  If Wakandans don't stand up for themselves, who will?  But if they stand only for themselves, then who are they?"  The saying is true - "the struggle is real."  Does Wakanda stay hidden, staying true to their values and beliefs of old and staying out of the public eye, or do they use their vast amount of resources to help others in need?

To say the film is timely is an understatement, as this theme also affects Americans today - do we use our power and resources to help others in need, or do we seclude ourselves, build up walls, and keep out those who could threaten our heritage?  What's wonderful about "Black Panther" is that Coogler doesn't give us a spoon-fed answer: he leaves it up to us to decide which is better, and doesn't point out that one answer is necessarily wrong in and of itself, but rather the means one goes to achieve it.  To that end, "Black Panther" is the most intelligent, intellectual Marvel movie to date, making it deeply personal and timely.

That's not to say the film is devoid of action: to the contrary, there's a lot of it.  However, unlike other Marvel films where the action seem to overshadow the main concept, they're used here to provide excitement that only adds to the concept.  The sequences are beautifully shot and performed, filled with death-defying excitement and pulse-pounding action, on par with any Marvel film to date.

What also makes the film stand out is the exemplary performances and character development that we witness on screen.  The relationship between Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa and Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger parallel that of another symbiotic Marvel relationship: Professor Xavier and Magneto from "X-Men."  T'Challa is more like Professor X, in that he wants to shed away the age old tradition of hiding Wakanda away from society and allowing their technical prowess to help others in a more political, social aspect.  Killmonger - like Magneto - wishes to showcase Wakanda through violent means, giving their superior weapons to the other impoverished people around the world in order to overthrow their governments by force.  This casts both men in positive light depending on your viewpoint, and both Boseman and Jordan pull off tour-de-force performances.

With the exception of Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter, Scarlett Johnasson's Black Widow, Zoe Saldana's Gamora, Karen Gillen's Nebula, Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch and Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie, the role of females in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been mostly relegated to playing second fiddle to the superhero or their love interest.  With "Black Panther," we're given three powerful women who more than hold their own, and who uniquely co-star along with Boseman's titular character as pretty much every scene involves one or more of these characters.

Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o plays Nakia, T'Challa's ex girlfriend who also has a fiery side about her.  She's not afraid to get into the thick of the fight and is fearless in danger, going so far to go against the will of the people to avenge those she loves.  She's tough as nails, and Nyong'o dominates.

As the leader of the Dora Milaje - the all-female warrior special forces tasked to protect Wakanda and the King - Okoye's sole purpose is to protect the King of Wakanda by any means necessary.  Danai Gurira - who's best known for playing another female butt kicker, Michonne in "The Walking Dead" - more than encompasses this fearless warrior's heart, who can more than hold her own in a fight, and has the intelligence to match.  When conflicts arise, she chooses to protect Wakanda at any cost, and sacrificing anyone in the process as long as it preserves the country and its ruler. 

Then there's T'Challa's sixteen year old sister Shuri, played by Letitia Wright.  She has intelligence far beyond her years, but she's still a teenager who has typical teenage reactions to certain situations (such as seeing T'Challa's choice of footwear).  She makes Tony Stark look archaic in her technological advancements, serving as a more updated version of Q to T'Challa's Bond.  The stuff she invents is way beyond anything even the amazing Iron Man could ever dream of, and proves that she is as valuable in the thick of the fight as she is in her high-tech office.

Then there's the supporting cast, who's some of the best actors in the business today.  Oscar nominee Angela Bassett plays T'Challa's mother, who showcases both extreme grace and utmost respect.  Oscar winner Forest Whitaker plays T'Challa's uncle Zuri, who holds true to Wakandan traditions.  Golden Globe winner Sterling K. Brown plays N'Jobu, while recent Oscar nominee Daniel Kaluuya plays fellow warrior W'Kabi.  Each actor gives their heart and soul into their performance, and it more than shows on screen.

The two Caucasian men in the film are played by Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman, who both appeared together in "The Hobbit" - so you can say they're the "Tolkein White Guys" in the film (I found that joke online and am not even close to witty enough to come up with that on my own).  Serkis plays the villainous Ulysses Klaue, while Freeman returns from his stint in "Civil War" to play CIA agent Everett Ross.  Both men do well with their performances, and it's very interesting to see their scenes together because they played off each other previously in the first "Hobbit" movie.

Then there's the two scenes during and after the credits that you should surely stick around for.  One gives more insight into how the world would view Wakanda, while the other has ramifications for the upcoming "Infinity War."  Both scenes are just icing on the cake of a highly thoughtful, brilliantly directed addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Summary:
Blending tradition and futuristic thinking, along with some of the best performances in any Marvel movie, it's no surprise why "Black Panther" is so successful - it's a pitch-perfect film from start to finish, one that demands a second viewing - and a third, fourth, etc.

The Score: A+