Black Panther movie review

Black Panther (2018) – rating (3.5/5)

Cast : Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong’O, Danai Gurira

Direction by Ryan Coogler

Review by Zulfiqar

            ‘Black Panther’ is long awaited tribute for Africa, which has given much to the world in terms of its resources and natural beauty. Marvel studios with the pertaining theme of inclusivity gives its due to the black community by this superhero comic adapted novel and it is given in the richest way possible.

            Ryan Coogler, who has given the boxing epic, ‘Creed’ and critically acclaimed ‘Fruitvale station’, is the man at the helm and you couldn’t expect anybody better. Chadwick Boseman reprises his role of T’Challa from ‘Captain America : Civil War’ and he is that ardent do-gooder in the skin of the righteous superhero, Black Panther. He is to be crowned as the new king of Wakanda, an economically flourishing nation (fictional) in central Africa. Its main currency is Vibranium, which we know as the famous indestructible metal in the whole Avengers Franchise. The writers give a sideline account of how Vibranium is incorporated not only in their everyday structural technology but also as an energy source. T’Challa’s sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) is a young scientist, who handles the gizmo angle. After being crowned as the king, T’Challa has to face the sins of his father, which will revisit him in the face of Killmonger (Michael B Jordan), the real element in the story.

            While Ulysses Klawe, the Vibranium smuggler who loses his hand to Ultron, is another threat to the metal and thereby to the nation of Wakanda, he is just a pawn considered to Killmonger. Ryan Coogler deceptively builds up the storyline and highlights Killmonger for his another version of greater good.

            Chadwick Boseman plays T’Challa as the upright hero, who has to face any challenge not only righteously but also because his throne demands it. T’Challa’s character is an uncompromising do-gooder and his trait to be the stickler for his code persists in rough weathers. Chadwick imbues this character of T’Challa rightfully to the screen and there are many sensible moments when he has to live with the past of his father or Black Panther, itself.

            Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira play the strong female leads of Nakia and Okoye, one a princess and the other, a royal bodyguard. Okoye has a tough shade to her character and Danai plays it plumb both in physique and in emotion. Letitia Wright has that youthful exuberance needed of any superhero movie. Andy Serkis is menacing as Klaue as we have already seen and he tries to be the red herring intended.

            But it is Michael B’Jordan, who steels the thunder as the Killmonger. The director’s previous association with the actor has given great results. Coogler definitely has written the part keeping him in mind and that shows with the ease with which Jordan wears the skin of Killmonger, which is ridden with scars of kills he had made. The role has a cruel tenacity to it to go for what he has come. In his swag and in his mannerism, he gives a debonair attitude to the role. But in his vulnerable moments, he fleshes out the real reason for the existence of his character.

            The production value of the movie is staggering staring from costumes to the art direction pertianining to the nativity of central Africa. There is a lot of nativity research done for assigning hierarchy in the ministerial and court structure of T’Challa’s council room. There are some fantastical shots of advanced railroad engineering using Vibranium and employing of rhinoceros in action set pieces.

            The plot though has a strong central line, meanders at the end and finishes a little weakly. It lives upto the marvel cinematic universe but passably just. It is certainly a relief that there is no universal cataclysmic apocalyptic climax as is found in every other movie, but at the same time, it fails in writing more interesting scenes like that of Hulkster in ‘Avengers 2’ or car chase in ‘winter soldier’, gladiator fight in ‘Thor : Ragnarok’ or something which describes the movie. However, with some interesting characters written, it is a prelude to the ‘Infinity War’ and is background info fodder for the whole franchise plot as such.