The good, the bad.... and the ugly

Rating: 6/10 (19 February 2018)

As a marvel fan who began reading comics in the early 1970's, Black Panther was a name I had known for decades but even at this high point was a minor character, but like Captain America, whom I had little interest in, my interest in both characters changed following the movies. With that reason and T'Challa's presence in Civil War, I had very high hopes for this movie...
The good: the cast is charismatic and works well together in most cases, even Boseman's delivery as he grapples with his move to king works well. The near break-out character is his sister, who is easily the most animated and gets the best lines in the movie. Vistas of Africa and inside the Wakanda capital are impressive and great eye-candy for a time. A thematic plea that we are all more alike than different and should be better people is present which frankly we all need more, which brings the films worst failing - more on that later.
The bad: actors clearly were locked into roles without much input, the feel in most cases was very wooden at times, even Boseman which is a shame as his extra dimensions in Civil War helped put it over the top. The set designs are good, but the CGI is rough by current standards, and in typical Marvel budget much of the fighting is at night, to reduce costs, a real shame as Black Panther looked awesome in full daylight combat in Civil War. The story as many have noted is just rote... but hey, it IS a Marvel movie so...
The ugly: for a film that purports to make a statement about moving to one human tribe, it is unconscionable that the two main white characters are portrayed as either evil post-colonial opportunists, or at best a stumbling federal agent who is so out of touch despite his connections to the events of Civil War that he is just dumbstruck and unable to comprehend quickly the state of Wakanda. Two light anti-white racial pejoratives were thrown around, which undermines the movies message of moving forward and not grouping people and making assumptions or unfair associations.
At its simplest, Black Panther is a very routine Marvel origin movie, overlayed with a well thought out sociological black diaspora politic analysis it all with a nod towards greater unity and an ascendant Africa, which makes its willingness to allow and in effect condone anti-white stereotyping all the more annoying. See it for the overall message, and be willing to realize that like society in general, it's not quite as advanced as it thinks it is.