Missed opportunity

Rating: 3/10 (29 July 2018)

I only watched this film due to a review of the 'must see' movies of 2018, I have to say I was disappointed. I think in many respects this was a missed opportunity to create something completely different in the Marvel pantheon. The initial premise of having mainly black actors and a strong female presence is laudable, but sadly I felt this became simply a token gesture. I think the cultural and political messages could have been much stronger and this would have created a far more absorbing and challenging storyline. Some other reviewers expressed disappointment in the fight scenes and poor cgi; this didn't bother me too much, but at times it felt very derivative and a regurgitation of set pieces from other films, and at times became all a bit Lord of the Rings. All in all, I felt the film lacked the depth and inventiveness that it promised and if it had been a bit more daring, could have added a new perspective to this genre.