Black Panther (Spoiler Free Review)

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Into the jaws of a hero

By Adam Parker //  The Marvel Cinematic Universe starts its tenth year with release of Black Panther. The film is an excellent representation of the way the MCU has developed over the last decade and a true celebration of many of the aspects that make the franchise the success it is.

Black Panther was introduced in Captain America: Civil War. T’Challa the man behind the mask loses his father T’Chaka in the bombing that occurs during the signing of the Sokovian Accords. Black Panther picks up almost directly after Captain America: Civil War with the ramifications of King T’Chaka’s death on the leadership of the country Wakanda, and his heir, the current Black Panther, T’Challa.

World building at its best

The country of Wakanda is a perfect example of the production values behind an MCU film. As the country is introduced both visually and through the sharing of its customs, a fully realised lived in world is presented. Wakanda is a hidden country, its leadership choosing to step away from fully exposing all of its wonder and resources on the world stage. The creation of Wakanda by director Ryan Coogler and his creative team is world building at its best. The hidden country sitting within the heart of Africa feels like it has always been there. The country appears to have developed over time and posseses a real sense of where it sees itself sit currently in the world. The visuals are stunning and repeated viewings on the big screen will reward viewers with new small details each time.

What does a nation of farmers have to offer the world?

The tribes and people of Wakanda are as fully realised as the country itself. Each tribe is presented through the film, and several play key roles as the plot unfolds. The people and tribes are integral to the country itself. The way the production meshes the people and the place together is well thought out and presented wonderfully. Each tribe has a distinct look and role in the society and this is shown subtly through behaviours and visual cues. Each tribe is different and if this had been handled using a less adept hand they could have been but together using a narrow creative pallet and been jarring. As it is the Wakandan society that has developed over thousands of years is shown with the necessary distinctions each tribe deserves. While each tribe comes from a comic book setting the heart of their development comes from the tribes of Africa, each tribe may be larger than life but the traditions and customs shown truly reflect the vibrancy of the continent.

Community spirit

The story has its roots based in themes of community, family and honour. Each plays a pivotal role in the plot. The conflicts and frustrations of a long-lived society are played out through the interactions of the tribes. There is a real sense of the interdependence throughout the community with the tribes relying on and supporting each other. Wakanda has a ruling monarch but each tribe has leaders who contribute a voice to the countries political direction. A change in monarch will often lead to a change in direction, or a desire for a change in direction. With the death of the previous king this is dealt with as the succession takes place. The political aspects of the film are played front and centre. They are handled adeptly by director Ryan Coogler, at no point is the film dry which could have been the case with a heavily political plot, especially when presented in a super hero setting.

With great power comes great responsibility

Honour is the backbone of the film. This is played out mainly through the royal family of Wakanda. As the leadership of Wakanda changes the ramifications of the former kings actions have long reaching implications for individuals and Wakanda as a whole. Spider-Man as a character is well known for the phrase ‘with great power comes great responsibility’. As a concept this is the core message throughout Black Panther. The responsibilities of families, the community and the state are looked at. The film shows the positive and negative implications of decisions made by each, and the impacts they have elsewhere. As the sun sets on the film the sentiment of all the issues comes to a head in a single scene that left me thinking about life in the wider world and my role within my family, my community and my work. When a super hero films makes you reflect on your own life, you know as piece of art it is doing its job well.

All the parts make the whole

Black Panther truly has an ensemble cast with each member of the principal cast having significant roles supporting and directing the plot. As the lead Chadwick Boseman role as T’Challa the Black Panther drives the main plot forward as he is shown dealing with the aftermath of the death of his father and his place in taking Wakanda forward. Lupita Nyong’o plays Nakia, she is a Wakandan special forces operative and T’Challa’s former lover. Through the film her characters arc sees her role change. She begins the film working outside of Wakanda before moving closer to its centre. While she could be seen as T’Challa’s love interest her role is much more than that, as is her desire to make a difference to life in Wakanda and beyond. Letitia Wright plays Shuri, T’Challa’s younger sister. She is the lead developer for Wakanda’s technology and is an excellent role model for young woman. Ambitious, creative and constantly looking to push boundaries with the technology she is developing and using. She often provides laughs in the script with her wit and attitude especially towards her older brother. Danai Gurira is exceptional as Okoye the head of the Dora Milaje, a team of women who are the special forces of Wakanda. The character exudes calm leadership and is a touchstone for the honourable history of Wakandan tradition. Without spoiling plot points each of the key cast including Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Angela Bassett as Ramonda and Martin Freeman reprising his role as Everett Ross are all integral to the overall story. There have been large casts in MCU movies before such as Avengers: Age of Ultron but this is the best representation of an ensemble cast the MCU has seen.

Does Killmonger steal the show?

One of the greatest highlights of Black Panther is the character of Erik ‘Killmonger’ Stevens. Michael B Jordan’s portrayal of the character is top notch throughout. Killmonger is played as the villain of the film but he is as much a villain as Nakia is a love interest. In the recent Spider-Man: Homecoming the character of Adrian Toomes, the Vulture, played by Michael Keaton worked so well as he was more than a by the numbers comic book villain. The audience has some empathy for the situation Toomes is in, supporting his family as the machine of government jeopardises his livelihood. In Black Panther Killmonger takes the concept of a villain you connect with up a notch. As a character there is a high level of empathy with him, by the time he is fully revealed. Killmonger’s motivations are also not without merit. Watching the film you can see the points of view of both T’Challa and Killmonger. Neither T’Challa or Killmonger approach the core issues presented in the film in the correct way until the final lessons are fully learned. This grey area between the concepts of right and wrong make the narrative such a success. While I wouldn’t subscribe to Killmonger’s solution, I can certainly empathise and agree with his overall ideal.

First steps on to the world stage

Black Panther is a rousing success. Ryan Coogler and the creative team have excelled in the creation of Wakanda. The script by Coogler and Joe Robert Cole is a complex political film, that has a real social awareness. As a directorial debut in the MCU Ryan Coogler has knocked it out of the park. The exceptional cast all shine both in performance and their roles with the narrative. The middle section of Phase 3 of the MCU has gone from strength to strength, with each film since Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 adding something new to the genre and surpassing its predecessor in some way. While the quality of the films keeps increasing and the way the super hero stories are presented constantly progresses I see a strong future for the MCU. I am excited to see where the franchise moves over the next ten years and I hope to see in that time at least one Black Panther sequel from the same creative team.