Bow Down! The King of Wakanda has Finally Arrived!

   
   The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is celebrating their 10th anniversary this year. That's right. It's been ten years since the first Iron Man surprised audiences with its awesomeness, initiating what would eventually become a groundbreaking cinematic achievement. 2018 is going to be a great year for the MCU, seeing both Ant-Man and the Wasp and Avengers: Infinity War releasing in a matter of months. However, the first to kick things off this year is the highly anticipated Black Panther. When Captain America: Civil War came out, Black Panther was arguably one of the biggest standouts, and a personal favorite of yours truly. As a fan, I've been looking forward to this film since T'Challa first set foot on the screen in Civil War, and now he's here and it is amazing. This film is beautiful, engaging, intimate, and a thrill ride if ever there was one. It may be the initial buzz off of the first viewing, but I think Black Panther is one of my favorite MCU films to date.

    Set not too long after the events of Civil War, the story follows T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), after the death of his father--the reigning King of Wakanda--as he returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. Only, the road to the throne won't be as cut and dry as some might think. A challenger seeks the throne as well, and T'Challa must face the hardships that come from being a King of a country where past choices can weigh you down. There is a poetic, Shakespearean aspect to this narrative that is heart-wrenching on many levels, which is a refreshing take with yet another superhero film. The lore behind the character of Black Panther is explored in this film--like where he gets his powers--and it is beautiful and mystical all at the same time. I won't get into any details or spoilers, but there is a particular aspect of the mantle of the Black Panther that takes place on a different plane of consciousness that is truly a visual and emotional joy to behold.

   Boseman has proven his abilities as an incredible actor time and time again. As T'Challa, he is able to bring a sense of realism to a fictional character that is relatable and grounded...even though he dresses up like a giant jungle cat and beats the crap outta bad guys. His nemesis in this film, Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) is equally engaging, and arguably the best MCU villain since Loki. Jordan's Killmonger has an emotionally scarring past that brings a level of sympathy that I found unsuspecting. Even though he does some evil things, you can't help but sympathize with him as his story unfolds and his reasonings are explained. He's not just another CGI bad guy that has no depth, and through his performance, Jordan displays the kind of acting chops of a seasoned actor. I mean, here I was rooting on the good guys and I couldn't help but feel for this broken man who simply wants reconciliation for issues in his past. When you can engage with a villain emotionally just as much as your hero, the stakes become heightened beyond your initial expectations and the experience becomes much more than just a one-sided affair. The dynamic between these two is palpable, and it's enthralling to watch it play out on screen. Across the board the acting in this film is phenomenal, with performances from a host of talented and amazing actors, whom should I list I would be here forever. Everyone is sure to have their favorite, but the stand out performance by far was that of Letitia Wright, who plays T'Challa's sister Shuri, princess of Wakanda. She is funny, infectious, determined, resourceful, strong, and Wright's performance is an absolute joy to watch.

    Wakanda itself is another standout in this film. We've heard about this place now over a couple if films, and we caught a brief glimpse of it during the end-credits scene of Civil War, but now we get to see what this place is all about...and it doesn't disappoint. This fictional country in Africa is technologically advanced, greater than any other country in the world. The gadgets and gizmos on display are really clever and exciting, never verging on the point of being ridiculous. The people of Wakanda are a group of wonderful, loving, honorable, and proud people who love their country and will do anything to keep it safe. The aspect of secrecy is one of Wakanda's most intriguing characteristics, and some of the most interesting drama of the movie comes when that secrecy's justification is questioned. The story in this film is fairly contained within this location, offering a sense of intimacy that is often lacking in some of these larger films. I got to hand it to writer/director Ryan Coogler for creating such an amazingly small story wrapped inside a giant film. The man is amazing, and if you look at his filmography you'll understand why (Creed, Fruitvale Station, etc.).


   I feel like I have so much I want to say about this film, but doing so would be discussing spoilers. The more I think about this movie the more I love it. It's a gorgeously shot film that vibrant, and contains superb acting, insane action, clever writing, amazing music, with emotion dripping out the wazoo, and a message that could not be more relevant than it is today. I honestly can't think of one thing I didn't like about this movie (which most people who know me might think that's just par for the course), but in all seriousness I literally enjoyed every minute. Just go see this movie. Go see it multiple times. It's worth every viewing you can muster.

#WakandaForever