Origin of a superhero. Rise of a king.
Marvel has been on a roll. They have consistently delivered on the superhero movie front and have constantly upped the ante when it comes to making superhero movies entertaining. Their latest outing, touted as the first major superhero movie featuring a cast that predominantly comprises of african-american performers is not just another good superhero movie, but is being touted as a turning point in the history of cinema. And for good reason.
Black Panther's history as being conceived at a time when racism was at its epitome makes him one of the most interesting characters in terms of fictional and non-fictional history. Named after the political revolutionary black party that is said to have made the biggest influence in history, and being published around the time, the comic features a black superhero who also happens to be king of an extremely secretive african nation with access to technology more advanced than others but keeps it hidden for their own protection, appearing as a third world nation to the rest of the world. He is ruler, protector, judge and executioner - the Black Panther.
The movie stays faithful to the comic's roots, but takes liberties to keep up with the times. Also completely reimagined is the villain, who will be detailed upon in this review.
An origin story, Black Panther follows the treaded path of a man becoming a superhero. But that is all that is similar to the rest of the origin stories. Black Panther is a superhero movie. But more than that, it is a coming of age film, a political thriller, an action movie, a family drama all rolled into one sleek shiny panther like package.
The film is set in Wakanda, a fictional African nation that has thrived on it's supply of Vibranium (the fictional metal that Captain America's shield is made of), unknown to the world and appearing to them as a third world nation. The king has died in a terrorist attack (Captain America: Civil War) and it is now up to the Prince T'Challa, played by an impeccable Chadwick Boseman, to step up to the throne and become King and also claim the mantle of Black Panther, protector of Wakanda. But the path to the throne, although straight, is one that is strewn with rocks and thorns. One of those is the international smuggler Ulysses Klaue (played delightfully by the master class Andy Serkis) who happens to be the only outsider that has seen Wakanda. He happens to be a threat and a well placed plot device to further the narrative, leading to our hero's true challenger and the movie's villain, Killmonger. And what a villain he is.... Killmonger happens to be the best part of a really good movie. Finally, we have a supervillain who breaks the mould and happens to be the best written character in the film. You end up rooting for him, and it is made easier with an incredibly charismatic performance by Michael B. Jordan. Evil and likable at the same time, this villain has a beautiful reason to drive his fury and his wrath on Wakanda. He is a revolutionary, radicalized by the hardships faced by his kith and kin outside Wakanda while those protected inside the nation are thriving. Wakanda has the means and the power, but still won't do anything about it. And this is one of the motivations this guy has to take over the throne.
Wakanda's women are the strongest. The elite guard is an all female outfit - The Dora Milaje. Also, the women in T'Challa's life feature all incarnations of women in life, mother - The Queen (Angela Bassett), the sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), the lover Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), the friend Okoye (Danai Gurira). All these characters are protectors to our King, making for a refreshing abundance of strong female characters. Each of them are played on screen exceptionally well, but Letitia Wright takes the cake with her hip, cool portrayal of Shuri, the kid sister who loves her big brother and has more of a playful relationship with the king rather than respectful which makes for some of the funniest moments in the movie.
The rest of the cast have done justice to their roles. Watch out for M'Baku and his quip that evokes the most laughter at one of the most sombre moments in the movie.
Cinematography, Editing and production design are top notch as with all modern superhero movies. But the standout technical feature is the music composed by Ludwig Göransson. The score is hip, evocative, epic and the best feature is its callback to the ethnic roots of African music. It is truly a masterpiece.
Ryan Coogler has my vote as one of the best new directors on the block. His previous outings, Fruitvale Station and Creed, were very intimate films and he has brought that aspect to the superhero movie genre. Hats off to him and here's to more.
Essentially, Black Panther is quite simply one of the best superhero movies that has come out in recent times. What makes it all the more significant is that it is a movie that celebrates and shines in ethnic pride. And that, in today's scenario where intolerance is on the rise makes for extremely compelling social commentary.
Verdict: 5/5