Supremely entertaining

Rating: 9/10 (18 February 2018)

BLACK PANTHER (2018) *** 1/2 Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Sterling K. Brown, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis. Marvel continues to be marvelous in their latest franchise addition with Boseman oozing charm and stoicism as the titular hero and African king of the fictitious Wakanda, who faces his new empire with the imposing threat by Jordan's menacing, vengeance seeking cousin hellbent on using their nation's natural resource - vibranium - to expose their country's secrecies to the world. Filmmaker Ryan Coogler - who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole - spreads his canvas with bold color, sharp designs and eye-popping visual effects and set pieces (the car chase is a humdinger) and wisely allows his supporting cast - namely the trifecta of actresses Nyong'o as the smart, sexy love interest Nakia; Gurira (bad ass all the way) as Okoye the lead warrior of T'Challa's kingdom and scene-stealer/secret weapon Wright (funny, bright and sharp as a tack) as his kid sister and Q to his Bond, genius tech inventor - to in many ways overshadow the lead yet steer him steadily into battle. Geeks will be all giddy as well to see an onscreen reunite of Gollum and Bilbo Baggins (Serkis and Freeman, respectively as a villain and FBI agent/comrade to the King). Kudos to Ludwig Goransson's royale score and Ruth E. Carter's majestic costumes. All hail!