On August 28, 2020 the world became a darker place. Chadwick Boseman passed away due to colon cancer, and the world mourned his death. On a significantly smaller scale, but important to the world of cinema nonetheless, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was tasked with figuring out what to do with the beloved Black Panther character and how to honor the late Boseman. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was the MCU’s first opportunity to truly honor Boseman–and they take every possible opportunity to pay homage to the beloved actor.
With T’Challa (Boseman) gone, his family, Shuri (Letitia Wright) and Ramonda (Angela Bassett), and the rest of his kingdom must find ways to cope with his death. For the first time in generations the kingdom of Wakanda is without a protector–and a new threat arises. Namor (Tenoch Huerta), king of Talokan, presents himself to the Wakandans, and his presence is sure to shift the hierarchy of power. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sees the Wakandans, post T’Challa, trying to protect the world they love and honor their beloved protector the best that they can.
The way in which Black Panther: Wakanda Forever begins is beautiful. It’s aesthetically pleasing, and it is the perfect way to pay respect to Boseman, which, for all intents and purposes, is the point of this film. Much like the opening sequence of the film, the rest of the film, too, is gorgeous. From lighting, to color, to setting, this is one of the more visually stunning films in the MCU (and that’s saying a lot considering entities like Eternals and Loki exist). I’m immensely impressed with what Writer-Director Ryan Coogler is able to create in this regard–as it’s inviting and ultimately invigorating. Unfortunately, my seat in the theater was a little closer to the screen than I would usually want to be, but sitting as close as I did I became mesmerized by the things that transpired in front of me. Not a moment passes throughout Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that the physical beauty is incapable of reaching viewers, where it doesn’t add to the story present in the film, where it fails to be nearly perfect.
Sadly, beyond that physical beauty (and the ability of Coogler and team to pay beautiful homage to Boseman), not much else about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever works well. Furious 7 was my least favorite of the entire Fast & Furious franchise, and that’s because it’s unable to ever establish itself as a result of pushing the envelope and trying to go global throughout. Why mention this? Well, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever does the same thing, and traveling so quickly around the globe is dizzying. One minute we’re in Virginia, and the next we’re in Haiti–and we only stay there for mere minutes. Viewers never have the chance to settle in, never have the chance to actually take in all that they see and become present in the story. Coogler would have been better off choosing one lane and remaining present there throughout, but the fact that the team was so overzealous and far too overreaching hindered Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s ability to work the way that many had hoped.
Phase four of the MCU has officially concluded, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was tasked with closing out a phase that focused on grief. In this regard, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the perfect choice–because while we all grieved the loss of a beloved character, we unfortunately had to grieve the loss of a beloved actor and person as well. What this film also manages to do, however, is leave a bad taste in Marvel fans’ mouths. While beauty transcends the entirety of the film, the story is never effectively established, and viewers are taken on a nauseating journey. I wanted more, I expected more–but all that I had hoped for never came to be. I struggled to appreciate the characters present in the film, I never fully understood the direction in which the narrative was headed, and so much is left to be desired in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This film will ultimately play an integral role in the greater MCU, so it’s important to see–but don’t expect what you’ve come to love about the groundbreaking franchise to exist here.
Directed by Ryan Coogler.
Written by Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole.
Starring Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michala Coel, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
Comments