an examplary Marvel movie, as original as it is entertaining

Rating: 9/10 (16 February 2018)

"Black Panther" (PG-13, 2:14), debuting in the second month of 2018, is the 18th feature film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is the first MCU film featuring a predominantly black cast. It's focused on the titular comic book character who was introduced briefly in 2016's "Captain America: Civil War". Building on that set-up, T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) takes over for his deceased father as King of the fictional Wakanda and, with the title, inherits the abilities and responsibilities of the Black Panther.
It appears that the most technologically advanced country on earth is not the U.S. or any country in Asia, but is that nation in central Africa which has been able to develop incredible technology from a rare metal which is found nowhere else on the planet (which also helps the country to remain hidden from the rest of the world, which assumes Wakanda to be just another Third World nation in Africa). In the midst of their high degree of development, the people maintain their ancient culture and traditions which, in this film, represent a rich array of real-world influences from peoples across the continent.
Now that he is the king, T'Challa is responsible for safe-guarding Wakanda's unique capabilities from falling into the hands of evil doers from the outside world. (You know what they say, with great technology comes great responsibility... or something like that.) To do his job, T'Challa sometimes must become the Black Panther and use an impressive array of gadgets developed by his sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), who is best described as MCU's Tony Stark meets James Bond's "M". Backing up T'Challa is a formidable army led by female warriors like Okoye (Dania Gurira) and loyal officials like Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), W'Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya), a spiritual leader called Zuri (Forest Whitaker) and T'Challa's mother, Ramonda (Angela Bassett). T'Challa is going to need help from all of them (as well as from neighboring tribes and even a CIA officer, played by Martin Freeman) if he's going to stand against the likes of the evil Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) and the lethal and power-hungry Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan).
"Black Panther" is unique and terrifically entertaining. It fits nicely into the MCU canon, but still charts a course all its own. Its hero is every bit as able and impressive as any other MCU character. As in the plot of most superhero movies, lives are in danger and the fate of the world hangs in the balance, but in a new and creative way. The stakes may be the same, but the tone is different - because of the film's Africa-centric setting - but also in the issues raised and the questions asked. Enhancing it all, we get exciting action, terrific visuals and awe-inspiring cinematography, not to mention a fantastic cast which includes several Oscar winners and Oscar nominees. This a Marvel movie through-and-through (complete with Stan Lee cameo and cross-pollinating end-credits scene), but it's one of the most fully-realized and enjoyable MCU cinematic achievements to date. "A"