As Spectacular as Advertised

Rating: 10/10 (27 April 2018)

This movie is awesome. Let's get that out of the way first. It's not the best movie ever, as some claim. It's probably not even the greatest superhero movie ever made, but it is at least worthy of that conversation, which is saying a lot.
Black Panther ascended to levels of hype and promise that seemed nearly unreachable-and it reached them. It's virtually unprecedented for a movie to live up to these outlandish expectations, but that's exactly what it did.
So, what is this movie that climbed all the way into the top five all time at the U.S. box office?
Enter Wakanda, a fictitious African country posing as just another third-world nation, but it is secretly the technologically advanced nation in the world because it rests on a mountain on vibranium, the strongest metal in the MCU. Wakanda's king, T'Chaka, was recently killed in an attack, so his son T'Challa is set to assume the throne. T'Challa also fulfills the role of Black Panther, a cunning and powerful warrior featuring superhuman powers supplied by a Wakandian plant and stylish and functional suit made of vibranium.
Wakanda is fiercely loyal to its traditions and to its people. It opts to interact minimally with the outside world and lets in no outsiders, as to protect its secret wealth. This way of life is threatened by the resurfacing of buried stories from the past and the arrival of an outsider who believes Wakanda can no longer sit comfortably as billions in other countries across the globe suffer. T'Challa is forced to deal with the challenges of being a good man and a good king as he navigates the dilemma of staying true to Wakanda's rigid tradition or adapting to a more progressive philosophy.
Chadwick Boseman plays the role of T'Challa with exceptional poise, grace and an absolutely regal accent. He would have been the true standout of the movie if not for several other standout performances.
Danai Gurira (Michonne of The Walking Dead) shines as General Okoye, the king's go-to warrior. Her love, W'Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya), though on screen less, plays just as significant a role, as he is one of the strongest voices pushing for change to Wakanda's international policy. And, of course, Kaluuya steals a few scenes with his remarkably expressive acting.
Additional shouts to Winston Duke for his role as an intimidating leader of a Wakandian tribe with a dark sense of humor, a low-key warmth, and a penchant for barking. And another one to Sterling K. Brown for playing T'Chaka's brother, a spy dispatched in Oakland who sees the struggles of people firsthand.
The greatest standout of the all the standouts is Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger. His intense presence fills the room in every scene he enters. He exudes such charisma with his American street manner of speaking and swagger that I almost found myself rooting for him, despite his violent and murderous tendencies. Even in his worst moments, he is always sure of his purpose and his message, which is a compelling one. This message, paired with his backstory, make him easy to empathize with.
Another thing: Killmonger is powerful and scary. He's more than a worthy adversary for Black Panther. At times he appears to the be Black Panther's better. Like Bane in Dark Knight Rises, an intelligent villain capable of physically overwhelming the hero, he feels like a real threat. We legitimately believe he can win. It comes as no surprise that his fight scenes with Black Panther will leave you breathless.
The action sequences deliver all the thrills you would expect from a Marvel movie and from a Ryan Coogler movie (he's now 3 for 3 in his directorial efforts). But the deeper social themes and inner conflicts of the key characters are what elevates this movie to elite status. Yes, seeing a movie with predominantly Black actors and a Black director is also important. It's important to viewers, young viewers most of all, and it's also important to movie studios. Hopefully Black Panther's booming success will finally dispel the myth that movies with Black lead actors don't do well in the box office.
Before I wrap up, I have to give credit to Andy Serkis for his rare non-CGI performance. The guy comes in and throws 100mph from the jump and manages to be hateable, funny, and fun throughout. And final shout outs to Angela Bassett, for playing the royal and majestic mother of T'Challa, and to Letitia Wright, for playing T'Challa's wisecracking tech genius little sister, Shuri.
Apologies to anyone I didn't spotlight. This movie is flooded with incredible performances, so I had to omit a couple mentions to keep this review to a reasonable word count.
Bottom line: go see Black Panther. If you already saw it, see it again. It's that good. It deserves all the praise, and I hope to see it next year at the Oscars.