Culturally Relevant

Rating: 7/10 (1 April 2018)

T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) plans to succeed the throne from his dead father, but new and old enemies challenge his position as a new leader in Wakanda. To make things worse, Wakanda adopts isolationist tactics to hide a precious metal called Vibranium that makes this African country technologically superior. Can T'Challa continue to rule this country from outsiders (and insiders too) and keep Vibranium from the world?
Chadwick Boseman triumphs as T'Challa; his portrayal isn't as transformative as his previous works (Jackie Robinson, James Brown, and Thurgood Marshall), but it's intelligent and competent. Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, and Angela Bassett provide great comic relief and a substantial amount of substance and power in this movie. Michael B. Jordan plays a strong villain with a valid reason. The director, Ryan Coogler, emphasizes his concerns and priorities ranging from isolationism, oppression, aiding strangers, and acceptance of African and African-American experiences. Also, there's some sick beats in this movie (da-dum da-dum DOOM WUBWUBWUB WOMP tshh).
Pacing structure is odd (or does the film have a structural problem in Act One). By odd, I mean, the first act of the film (so the first thirty minutes) relies on a lot foreshadowing and world-building which is a hindrance. Mainly, a hindrance because these narrative elements complicate the plot. It's great to watch a Marvel movie with a complex plot, but it removes the fun and becomes serious (that may confuse the family friendly demographic, specifically children).
Additionally, the film drags in the middle and the end. In the end, CGI consumes the fight scenes making the film less intense and becomes hard to cheer for a character in a CGI suit that fights less like a human and more akin to a cartoon. Finally, some moments feel similar to "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" (maybe I'm the only person who experienced that feeling). Although I have objections, their minor and finicky, shouldn't thwart a satisfying movie experience.