Charismatic Performances, Lush Visuals and Emotionally Engaging Sci-Fi

Rating: 9/10 (16 February 2018)

Although both it and Thor: Ragnarok take place in glittering, futuristic kingdoms, Black Panther strikes a rather different note from the galactic romp vibe Ragnarok went for. Don't get me wrong: while it is rife with serious moments and dramatic tension (it would be hard not to, after Civil War!), and grapples with themes of loss and legacy, Black Panther does manage to smoothly deliver some well-timed comedy to lighten up the journey. Our theater adored Shuri, T'challa's irrepressible little sister, and I'm sure you will too.
Many will zoom in, so to speak, on the visual richness of the film: African designs and aesthetic isn't something we see very much of in mainstream American media, to say nothing of our blockbusters, and the futuristic skyline of Wakanda has obviously been carefully crafted to make the city both unique and true to its roots. And the scenery is excellent, as is the costuming. However, the movie's strongest point, I feel is in its acting. Every one of the main cast delivered a memorable performance: Chad Bosewick is finally allowed to fully portray T'challa's grief and conflict to spectacular effect; Lupita Nyongo'o matches him scene for scene and is impossible to take your eyes off of; Michael B. Jordan manages to be at once terrifying, sympathetic and too compelling to make a truly tidy villain; Danai Gurira's screen presence and the sheer force of nature that is the character Okoye herself comes through from the very first time she steps onscreen, and sometimes without a single word spoken; and Letitia Wright dances effortlessly from the hilarious to the heartrending, stealing every scene she's in. I would need a lot more words and a lot more time to detail every performance that needed praising.
So, while Black Panther is at its core a Marvel superhero movie, with the requisite cheese, heaping helping of action (Note: I'm not complaining, because that shit was fun as HELL), and some heavy-handedness in its political messaging (let's remember, though, Iron Man and Afghanistan and terrorism, terrorism, terrorism)... It's the chemistry and passion that both the actors/actresses and the film crew have put into this movie that form the heart of the story. It has the distinction of being the first Marvel movie that managed to make me well up, all while sitting at the edge of my seat and then being surprised into laughing by a deftly executed bit of slapstick or snark. It doesn't shy away from examining issues of racism, broken families, tradition vs. responsibility, pacifism vs. imperialism, and other uncomfortable topics that the world, but especially the U.S., could stand to reflect upon this year. It works through these issues to show us the characters moving towards a more hopeful future than any previous generation could have imagined, and isn't that what sci-fi is all about?
Our theater loved this film. We laughed together, we cried together, we applauded together at the end. Thank you for a wonderful experience, Black Panther. I absolutely plan on seeing it again, and making sure the rest of my family does, too.