TAS Reviews: Black Panther

This is what I posted a month ago:

Black Panther is just so meh. Nothing about the movie excites me.

This is also what I posted a month ago.

Nothing about this movie has led me to believe it's be more than 'yeah..... that was decent."

I was an idiot.

This movie is excellent. I don't mean this is another fun, forgettable Marvel movie or even just a good one: I mean this is a top-tier movie that at times, made me forget I was watching a Marvel movie. It's that good. I'm a big fan of the MCU, and I expected Black Panther to be "another Marvel movie" - a fun, forgettable blockbuster with enjoyable action, but an ultimately shallow plot, black-and-white morality and a refusal to say something important. I couldn't have been more wrong. With Black Panther, Ryan Coogler has made a truly mature Marvel movie, with moral ambiguity and a commitment to engaging in discussion with real-world issues, all the while still succeeding as an entertaining action movie with a handful of exhilarating, vibrant set-pieces. It's a tough balancing act, which makes the fact they pulled it off with finesse all the more impressive of a feat.

If you were to take 50 people and ask them "what do you think is the weakest aspect of the MCU?" a lot of them would answer "the villains." Most Marvel villains exist to give the heroes something to punch, and most attempts at humanising them - such as Zemo - haven't quite hit their mark. Even though Zemo's motivations were grounded and sympathetic, he was a blank slate for most of the movie, an by the time we learn his motivation, it's too late to acquire our sympathies. Loki is a lot of fun, and although we also understand his motivations, there's very little room for moral ambiguity with him. It is doubly surprising then, that Erik Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan, isn't just the best villain in the MCU, but also one of the most well-written, well-acted, complex and human characters in the entire universe. I'm not going to lie - there were times where I wasn't sure whether I was rooting for T'Challa or Killmonger. Michael B. Jordan's raw aggressiveness is the perfect contrast to the calm, peaceful nature of T'Challa, but his performance is also emotional, understated and impactful. I felt genuinely emotional for the villain, which is rare to come across.

The characterisation of Killmonger also allows the movie to explore serious issues and themes. This isn't just a dumb action movie with explosions and people in capes punching each other. This is a movie that comments on real world issues and leaves you thinking. I don't remember feeling this way about any superhero movie since The Dark Knight, and that was a decade ago. The Winter Soldier touches on real world issues, but eventually cops out in favour of a simplistic hero vs. villain conflict, reducing it to another fight with Hydra, and the ending becomes more about the triumph of heroism and willpower. Black Panther on the other hand is committed to exploring these ideas to the very end. Sure, the movie does end with a big action sequence, but at the heart of it is still the ideological conflict between Killmonger and T'Challa, wherein most of the themes of the movie are explored.

What about the man himself? Chadwick Boseman is fantastic as T'Challa, embodying the majesty, benevolence and goodwill of the character with his performance. I was afraid going into the movie that T'Challa would be a perfect character, but that turns out to be far from the case here. He is a fleshed out, flawed character. I loved seeing his conflict between being a hero and being a prince and doing what is right for his people. Marvel does, once again, what they're best at: humanising their characters. The banter between T'Challa and his younger sister Shuri in particular helps achieve this. The pacing of the movie is sublime - with a perfect balance between action sequences and quieter, slower moments that build character and explore the themes of the movie. This movie is loaded with excellent performances across the board, in particular from the female characters, who are some of the most compelling and badass female characters in any recent blockbuster, in particular Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia and Danai Gurira as Okoyo. These women are awesome, and I loved that even they had motivations of their own. Forrest Whitaker, Sterling K. Brown, Angela Bassett and Daniel Kaluuya also give great performances, adding depth to the world and the people in it. I love how despite this movie being called Black Panther, the focus wasn't only on the title character. The rest of the cast all got something to do, even the smallest of characters.

The visuals are absolutely breathtaking, showcasing not only the best worldbuilding in the MCU, but also the best worldbuilding in any comic book movie. Period. Even IF the rest of the movie weren't as good, I would still be eager to rewatch it, if only to revisit the world of Wakanda again. There are so many nuances, details, customs and traditions in this world. Ryan Coogler described this movie as Lion King meets James Bond, and unlike "Age of Ultron is the Godfather 2 of the MCU" and "Civil War is a psychological horror", this is actually an accurate description. It has the same mystical feel of The Lion King, and also the cool gadgets and action of James Bond: in particular an action sequence set in a casino, which is the absolute highlight of the movie in terms of action.

It isn't a perfect movie. Although the tone is mostly well-handled, there are a handful of comedic moments which feel out of place. There's a particular joke which might just be the cringiest thing I've seen or heard in recent memory. Shuri and M'Baku in specific are 2 characters who can often by annoying, and Andy Serkis's Klaw is a bit too cartoonish for the serious tone of most of the movie. The CGI could also be better at times. I don't know why it is, but I feel the CGI in Marvel movie has gotten progressively less convincing over the years. But this isn't all the time, and honestly, everything else is so great, that these flaws seem trivial in the grand scheme of the movie. Even the music, which is traditionally one of the weaker aspects of the MCU, is great here. It is very African-influenced, and unlike other films in the franchise, it is put at the forefront of scenes instead of being barely audible.

Since 2012, The Avengers has been my favourite MCU film. With Black Panther, the choice is no longer as clear. When it comes to subject matter, no other Marvel movie has shown such commitment to exploring real world issues. Not only does Coogler touch on these issues - he explores them from different perspectives and arguments. When it comes to morality, no Marvel movie has been as morally ambiguous. No other MCU movie has gotten me teary-eyed for the villain like this one did. When it comes to worldbuilding, no other MCU movie is as alive, fleshed out, lived in, beautiful and unique as this one. With Black Panther, Ryan Coogler might've just made the best MCU film: mature, character driven, morally complex, socially aware, emotionally resonant, and visually vibrant. Black Panther is a must-see, and sets the bar high for 2018 in cinema.