A great comic book movie, and a great movie period.

Rating: 9/10 (19 February 2018)

As a comic book movie, Black Panther represents a rare feat - something that stands on its own without franchise tie-ins or guest heroes, something that works as both drama and adventure without going too dark, something that manages to be about something without ever slowing down. I could have complained about the plot's predictability...but I was too damn busy enjoying it. As a social moment, Black Panther represents something pretty unique too. Not to overstate things, but I have literally never been to a movie theater with this much palpable energy and anticipation. The whole place was ready and waiting for a different kind of superhero movie. But even with ALL the hype, the movie managed to surpass expectations. Put simply: this film was special.