The MCU’s last phase four movie, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, left a mixed impression. Some declare it a mess while others sing the sequel’s praises. Nigel, you might remember him here, and I took the opportunity to watch it on a late Tuesday evening. Well, my first time watching it because Nigel saw it day one with his fresher than fresh comic book t-shirt.
I say mixed but let’s be real, it’s about what I put down for my own thoughts. Wakanda Forever is better than Marvel’s last two movies but is unfocused when it comes to Black Panther as a character. How the character’s agency is set up, the title of Black Panther is linked to the royalty and worthiness of the mantle through an herb. The ingestion of the herb grants the user grand abilities to safeguard the nation.The use of familial connection, protecting the throne from usurpers, spiritual connections and social commentary sets the Wakandan warrior apart from other heroes.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, however, goes out of its way to show as little of Black Panther as possible. The sequel opts to concentrate on Shuri trying desperately to deal with her grief while battling for her kingdom’s safety. Mixed with new characters Ironheart (Riri Williams) and Namor, Shuri hardly gets time to shine. Hell, the film even dedicates time to Agent Ross that feel like expositional speed bumps. While the sequel decides to throw as many pieces as possible, its predecessor’s movie was solid enough in hindsight.
I won’t lie to you; I was not the biggest fan of the first movie initially. Around the time of the MCU’s hot streak of movies like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Captain America: Civil War, the first movie featuring the Wakandan king in his own venture left a moot feeling. That said, I would rather watch it over the sequel because it has Black Panther closer to his comic book counterpart. The story was condensed, had a well-played villain, and a healthy amount of T’Challa in costume. Shuri’s suited up endeavors are narrowed to three scenes in the very last thirty minutes. Thankfully, the final fight is better this time around, but the amount of the character shown is disappointing.
Finale
All my raving and ranting comes from a place of love for the comics and other media starring T’Challa. I heard from Nigel that Shuri in the comics was ruthless compared to her noble brother, T’Challa. I would have loved to see Shuri navigate her emotional struggle while also fighting with her panther powers both willingly or unwillingly. While Shuri did express her anger, we rarely got to see her restraint tested during the film’s runtime. A test to prove if she is ready for Wakanda’s ultimate responsibility of shouldering her family’s image and her brother’s legacy. Overall, I am still waiting for a Wakanda-set movie that truly shows off the prowess and heroics of the mighty Black Panther.
Side Note- Happy Thanksgiving all. My plan was to release this one last week instead of the week of my favorite holiday. Mainly because it is the second comic book movie where I gripe about adaption. The next quick thought will be on a positive note. Also, Namor definitely deserves his own movie with that elaborate backstory and underwater city.
I digress. Happy Holidays!
they don’t show the panther because chadwick boseman fucking died, dude. this is like complaining that Columbo looks old in modern episodes.
This is more so talking about the Black Panther as what the character can do vs the physical appearance of an actor. BP is not held down by just the individual but what it represents for the country in the comics. I recognize that the character, Shuri, is the Black Panther now and wish she did more in the movie in her role vs what was shown. This post had nothing to do with Bosewick to respect his passing. The post doesn’t mention him (the actor) either.
i too am upset when dead actors do not appear in movies they are not in