Much Deeper Than The Visual Spectacle

Rating: 10/10 (16 February 2018)

Black Panther will frighten many people. The depth and acknowledgement of native African and African-American social and cultural history will be viewed by some with fear and skepticism. As a 'conscious' middle-aged African-American male, the theme, the scope and the subject matter (father/son relationships, disconnected from lineage, home(land) and history, etc.) will immediately resonate with those of us in the 'community' who can relate to these issues. For many, these images, in this film, may seem wasteful and monotonous. But for those of us in the African-American community (especially here in the U.S.), these representations are displays of our totality as humane human beings whose emotional turmoil is finally being addressed.
Having such a majestic, intellectually and visually stunning big-budget, big-screen major Hollywood movie production with an overwhelmingly dominant African-American cast - who exist in positions of power, control and authority, and not in servile or secondary roles - has the potential to skewer the perception of the uninitiated or the uninformed because Black Panther is a type of production that has never-before been seen in this way and on this scale.
While there may be some who miss nuanced references common within the African-American diaspora (expressions, relationships, tone, presence) that are reflective in our interactions with each other - outside of mainstream engagement, the political pronouncements will probably engender the most backlash and confusion. From the Dora Milaje, to the descriptions of black and brown people as kings, queens, scientists, thinkers, world leaders and leaders of men and women, such representations of regal strength and character present a stark departure from that which is ubiquitous in the landscape of film, television, print, radio and mass/social media proliferation.