Black Panther (2018)

This was one of the most anticipated films of the past few years, and while I can’t say that it truly lived up to its hype, I thought the film was fantastically done. My only true issue with the film was the fact that it was hyped up so much; typically a film said to be “the best” at anything falls short of expectations because of the fact that the bar was set so high. Having seen all of the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I can say with confidence that Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa/Black Panther is one of my favorite characters. His character is charismatic, funny and fearless. All of these traits make for a phenomenal character. However, I felt that Boseman’s T’Challa was overshadowed by three characters in his own film: Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger, Letitia Wright’s Shuri and Winston Duke’s M’Baku. Duke’s M’Baku and Wright’s Shuri were, without a doubt, the funniest and most down to earth characters in the film. Their characters were relatable and their dialogue with T’Challa made for incredible fun. Jordan’s Killmonger is easily top five on the list of Marvel villains. What makes him such a fantastic villain is the fact that he believes in his mission and believes that his goal is just, not just for him, but for everyone. Due to Jordan’s acting performance, the audience is able to empathize with him and understand his struggles, making him one of the most relatable villains ever to grace the silver screen. The acting in general was beyond what you’d expect from a superhero film (even though the MCU films typically present the world with remarkably acted films). Every minor character plays a distinct role in this film and the casting of every character appeared meticulous and was nothing short of perfect—the casting of Atandwa Kanu as Young T’Chaka and Denzel Whitaker as James/Young Zuri, in particular, stood out to me (they not only were great actors but they looked so much like the characters whose younger versions they portrayed). The film’s story was interesting; rather than a superhero that’s completely indestructible, we see a superhero, king and leader who struggles with many of the same things that average people deal with on a daily basis (however, obviously on a much more extreme and advanced level). T’Challa attempts to find his place and his way in a world that differs from what he is used to; and when he is faced with the greatest of adversity he rises to the challenge and emerges successful. One of the coolest things about the film is the fact that Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole were able to keep this film, a film that very much revisits the past and the struggles of Africans and African-Americans alike,  very current. A number of references and jokes are completely relevant today, which, I believe, helps make a film that focuses very much on the completely unrealistic (Wakanda’s entire existence) more relatable. The fight scenes were choreographed well. Unlike what happens in many films in today’s Hollywood, the scenes weren’t over dramatized and they weren’t smothered with the overuse of CGI (aside from what was necessary) or cheesy stunts. Specifically, the two fights between T’Challa and Killmonger were done astonishingly well. The fights almost appeared sloppy, which is most likely what would occur in real life. A hard-fought battle between two physical equals would be a struggle for both sides, rather than appealing to the eye. It is important to mention that the film’s soundtrack was one of the best I’ve heard. Overall, this film was done fantastically and it was, by far, one of the best films in the MCU. https://m.imdb.com/title/tt1825683/