DIR: Ryan Coogler • WRI: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole • PRO: Kevin Feige • DOP: Rachel Morrison • ED: Debbie Berman, Michael P. Shawver• MUS: Ludwig Göransson • DES: Hannah Beachler • CAST: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker
After more than two decades stranded in the depths of Development Hell, the much-anticipated Black Panther has finally made it to the big screen… which it graces with style.
The premise is refreshingly off-beat when compared to the rest of the Marvel Universe; Wakanda is an uncolonised and secretive East African nation, teaming with futuristic technology due to their resources of Vibranium. To the rest of the planet, they don the appearance of a Third World country, while behind their borders, they have spaceships, magnet trains and super snazzy spy-gadgets that would make Q drool.
After his father dies tragically, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) must go home to take his rightful place as King of Wakanda. His first act as his nation’s leader is, naturally, to go on a mission to South Korea to catch a manically gleeful South African smuggler, Ulysses Klaus (Andy Serkis). T’Challa enlists the help of his ex, Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o); badass warrior babe Okoye (Danai Gurira); and his genius sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright) – who steals every scene with her cheeky grin and one-liners. When their extraction plan fails, bloodless violence and neon-lit car-chases ensue, starting T’Challa down a path navigating levels of dissonance and betrayal he certainly wasn’t prepared for in King school.
In the great tradition of the superhero genre, Black Panther suffers from too interesting an antagonist. Uber-baddy Erik “Killmonger” Stevens (Michael B. Jordan) is complex, engaging and ultimately eclipses Boseman’s T’Challa. But it’s only a minor offence that’s easily forgiven. You know a casting director has done their job well when you only casually refer to co-stars with the calibre of Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker towards the end of a review.
What Black Panther does exceptionally well is to create an immersive and bountiful world. The distinct soundtrack elevates and modernises magical visuals, from ice mountains to the visceral glowing sunsets to the contrasting cityscape of Korea and Wakanda’s futuristic nod to space mountain. There’s something to keep everyone engaged – light self-referential comedy, fight scenes, action, on-point political commentary and Shakespearean-esque family drama. The scope of the aesthetics and the notably restrained violence mean it’s perfect for a family outing to the cinema in this ever-delayed Spring of ours.
Black Panther, a gleaming example of Afrofuturism, provides a unique perspective on a well-worn genre. As a piece of cinema, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it certainly delivers a polished spin on it.
Gemma Creagh
12A (See IFCO for details)
134 minutes
Black Panther is released 13th February 2018
Black Panther– Official Website
Comments
I loved the technology, the afro-futurism, the costumes and the music. It did feel genuinely revolutionary to watch an (almost) entirely black cast.
But somehow it felt a bit long, to me. I can’t quite put my finger on why.
The first hour was great fun. The villains are powerful enough to be interesting: and yes Andy Serkis is terrific. (By contrast I thought a few too many of the Wakandans played their nobility in a rather low-energy way).
Come the second half, Michael B Jordan’s appearance, playing Killmonger, I felt didn’t quite have the same menace: he didn’t, to me, seem to carry off the bitterness and ferocity that his backstory would suggest. The mountain tribe (what were they called?) were under-used: why were they kept out of political participation? It wasn’t really explained and wasn’t really explored. And yes, I agree that the third act – a big battle – got rather Star Wars – y and lacking in tension.
I found myself thinking – top marks for technology to Wakanda, but not so sure about their political system, it seems somewhat unstable, and a bit implausible that this is the first time in centuries that it collapsed into civil war.
Genuinely felt revolutionary though to watch.
Steven, thanks so much for the post.Really thank you! Great.