Directed by Ryan Coogler
Release date: February 16hth, 2018
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Dania Gurira, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke
Box office worldwide: $1,346,913,161
Remember when Black Panther was released and people lost their shit over it? It was a social phenomenon for good reason. It gave us our first MAIN character who was black in the MCU. We had Rhodey, Heimdall, Nick Fury, Mordo, but we didn’t have a main black character. It may not be a big deal to some, but for black kids getting a chance to look up to a hero that looks like them, it’s a big deal I’d say!
I think it also lead to movies like Captain Marvel and eventually Shanghai and the Ten Rings. More and more diversity is good for the MCU and Marvel/Disney’s checkbooks.
That being said, as a movie overall I think it’s slightly overrated. I love Black Panther. It’s incredible but to say it’s as good as movies like Avengers: Endgame, Infinity War, GOTG or Thor: Ragnarok I think is a little exaggerated.
Now before I get jumped…
Positives
- Again, the social influence is off the charts. Not only does it give us our first main black protagonist in the MCU, but it does a good job addressing some really shitty real world issues like race inequality and social disadvantages. Kilmonger was raised in poverty. T’Challa was raised as royalty. Kilmonger became a very bad dude. T’Challa is a king. AND both kid’s futures were shaped by their parents. Both T’Challa and Kilmonger’s lives run parallel together but in completely different situations. It’s almost like it’s tough to get out of poverty when you don’t have a solid foundation of wealth from your family… A hot topic today and Black Panther addressed it well.
- Another message the movie approaches is issues inherited by younger generations. Boy does that sound familiar? My generation inherited my parents’ generation’s problems. My kid’s generation will inherit my generation’s problems. And the movie, basically, says “hey, we can still right the ship despite everything seeming to be cucked!” I’ve learned more from Marvel than I ever have in school!
- ANOTHER message from the movie is just because you don’t agree on something doesn’t mean you have to be a dick and play on a completely different team. M’baku and the Jabari tribe separated from the rest of Wakanda because they didn’t agree with the technology. But, they still fight for Wakanda in the end because they need to do so to preserve Wakanda. I took this as a big F U to any extreme political parties. Instead of calling each other out, why not try to understand where the opposition is coming from? Looking at you lib cucks and redneck conservatives.
- The overall story is incredible. T’Challa inheriting a country and his father’s mistakes and having to learn and right them. It’s very, very good stuff.
- Kilmonger is one of the best villains in the MCU. He is a badass and even though his methods are whack, you kind’ve get where he’s coming from, right? He got cucked over when his father was killed by his uncle, and because of that, he lived in poverty while his cousin lived as royalty. He sees black people being surpressed all over the world and wants to change it. He’s a villain by circumstances more so than straight up being a bad dude. There’s a little sympathy there… until he starts killing everyone… but still a great villain! I mean GREAT villain. Probably only behind Thanos and Loki… pretty good company!
- Other great characters: Shuri (T’Challa’s sister), Okoye (Dora Milaje leader), and Klau. Klau could have been used sooooo much more in the MCU because he is incredibly entertaining. Shuri is a smart ass teenager that makes me chuckle and Okoye is a warrior with good jokes. Love ‘em all!
- How cool of a concept? An apparent third world country that is actually hiding all of its wealth and resources from the rest of the world and lives on highly advanced technology… I know the movie inherited the idea from the comics but that’s fricken cool!
- We get some really great action scenes with the South Korean underground casino fight and the challenge fights are great. Especially Kilmonger VS T’Challa. That is INTENSE and POWERFUL.
- Soundtrack is incredible. The mix between new age hip-hop and African tribal music is sooooooo cool.
- It was awesome to see a new Earth-based culture shown in the MCU. It’s either been Americans, outer space-icans or wizards. We haven’t really gotten a different Earth culture and it was fun to see a fictional African culture come to life.
- Black Panther’s suit with the redistribution of kinetic energy is sick.
- Favorite quote is at the end when Kilmonger says ” Why, so you can lock me up? Nah. Just bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from ships, ’cause they knew death was better than bondage.” Damn… that’s strong.
Negatives
- I really, really, REALLLYYYY wish they wouldn’t have killed Klau. I understand his death was to elevate Kilmonger’s status but Klau was so damn entertaining and we didn’t get enough of him. If Disney + wants to do a TV show about how Klau stole the vibranium I would not be mad.
Overall Grade: A-
It’s a phenomenal movie. It’s real world issues make it an elite film because I don’t think the movie has many flaws. I even searched “Black Panther negatives” and there weren’t any I agreed on. Only reason I can give it an A- instead of an A… I don’t really know. Maybe because it’s rooted in real issues it wasn’t as much of an escape as other MCU movies??? Idk, guys… it was awesome just go with that.
MCU Ranking:
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Avengers: Endgame
- Thor: Ragnarok
- The Avengers
- Spider-Man: Homecoming
- Captain America: Civil War
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- Iron Man
- Black Panther (Towards the bottom of the elite but still Top 10)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
- Captain America: The First Avenger
- Spider-Man: Far From Home
- Ant-Man
- Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Thor
- Captain Marvel
- Doctor Strange
- Iron Man 3
- Iron Man 2
- The Incredible Hulk
- Thor: The Dark World
Next up: Avengers: Infinity War
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