Black Panther Lives Up To The Hype

Rating: 10/10 (18 February 2018)

SPOILERS BELOW!
Very few movies give me the thrill of discovery. Fewer still give me a sense of wonder or touch my heart. Black Panther ticked all my boxes. I throughly enjoyed this movie. True, there was a lot of hype going in. Marvel worked the numbers and made sure every person on earth with an Internet connection had access to snippets of the movie and trailers were released to keep the momentum going. I feared that this over exposure would work to the film's detriment. When the release date was announced, I thought, "cute. release it during Black History Month. heavy handed much?" I went in prepared to be disappointed.
I was NOT disappointed.
The level of excitement within the Black community where I live was high. Sure, we had Blade but that was over ten years ago. There was Spawn but, no reflection on Michael Jai White, who wants to identify with demon reject from Hell? I mean, really?? Other superheros of color? Don't think so. Sure, sidekick roles aplenty but nothing uniquely ours. I got to the theater in Vicksburg, Mississippi and was surprised at the lines waiting to get tickets. I bought my ticket on-line in anticipation of this very thing but the number of people waiting was more than I thought would be in attendance. Oh, and some people came dressed in their best Afrocentric garb. How cool was that?
Black Panther is more than a superhero origin flick. It is a genre bashing tour-de-force. It is indeed an origin story but it also includes some spy elements. There's some royal family hijinks and socio-political commentary. None of it is too heavy handed to get in the way of a rollicking good time.a Chadwick Boseman is on point as the titular character. We find him just as he is taking on the mantle of King of Wakanda and Protector The Black Panther. He survives a challenge by one of the leaders of a border tribe. But doesn't have time to settle into his role before he is challenged, again, by the long lost son of his uncle. A cousin he never knew he had. So the sins of the father are now visited upon the son. Michael B. Jordan wears the role of villain well. His Killmonger is filled with a justifiable rage. He challenges and 'kills' T'Challa' to secure the throne of Wakanda and the title of Black Panther. That's when his vision for Wakanda takes a turn for the worse. The supporting male actors led by Forest Whittaker are fully formed individuals with their own stories that weave into the tapestry that is Wakanda.
My favorite characters were the Dora Milaje. These fierce warriors are the body guards of the king. These characters were not based on myth. They actually have historic counterparts. The Mino were the all female regiment in what is not Benin. Westerners called them the Dahomey Amazons. And that's the other thing that the movie does. It gives us...all of us of African descent...something to be proud of besides animated lions and CGI gorillas. It allows us to be proud of the diversity of the Mother Continent without pandering or caricatures. This is not Congo, or Tarzan. The Africans are not bumbling sidekicks. They are front and center and they kick ass! The Dora Milaje have a vital part to play in the movie. They are not arm candy and need no one to rescue them. They are led by General Okoye portrayed by The Walking Dead's Dania Gurira. The Dora Milaje were introduced in Captain America: Civil War. Actress Florence Kasumba's one line (Move or you will be moved.) spoken with quiet authority piqued my interest. T'Challa's sister, Shuri, is a tech genius. She creates all his suits, weapons, gadgets and other items using the mineral vibranium that is only found in Wakanda. Angela Bassett is the queen mother.
The action sequences are astounding. Ryan Coogler knows how to shoot action to keep you on the edge of your seat. The casino fight was awesome. Two women fought numerous assailants. It's the first time I've seen a wig used as a weapon. Although, to be fair, Okoye was tired of it before the butt kicking started.
Black Panther has it all. There's humor, heartache, pathos, action, action, cool tech, warmth...something for everyone. Do yourself a favor and go see it on the big screen. You will not regret it. I'm going back to get another dose of all that Wakandan goodness. Join me.