Thank you, Ryan Coogler.
When Captain America: Civil War ended, all I could say was, "can we get more Black Panther?" Chadwick Boseman's hero stood out in a film packed tightly with Marvel's finest.
A little less than two years later, my request has been answered with some extra firepower.
Black Panther is a rousing piece of cinematic entertainment. When you leave the theater, you'll want more and need it immediately. Marvel has once again crafted a well-paced, entertaining, and provocative movie that will (and should) make a gazillion dollars. Yes, this is another kick in the head to DC Films. Why? This movie manages to be serious as well as fun, instead of being all doom and gloom.
Coogler effortlessly tells the origin story of the Black Panther and the technologically advanced country of Wakanda while advancing the Marvel Cinematic Universe forward.
The result of a huge vibranium collision hundreds of years ago, Wakanda is full of high-powered abilities that would make Tony Stark jealous. If you thought Stark's gadgets and suits were cool, you are about to be blown away by T'Challa's (Boseman) sister, Shuri (Letita Wright), who designs Black Panther's suits and oversees the country's current infrastructure.
Coogler and Joe Robert Cole's script picks up after the events of Civil War, where T'Challa is dealing with the loss of his father and the eventual enthronement which would make him the leader of a nation. One of the brightest and wisest parts of this film is the time that the filmmakers take to show us how this man became a hero and king.
There's a great action sequence that occurs in three parts of the film where T'Challa is stripped of his superhuman abilities and must fight his enemies with his own natural human ability. For the people who worry that a comic book film will be all CGI and include no realistic battle sequences, these fight scenes are bare-knuckled delights.
Of course, being king comes with a price and a target on your back. Early on in the film, there's a flashback sequence involving N'Jobu (St. Louis native and This Is Us star, Sterling K. Brown) that sets a certain sequence of events in motion, causing the eventual collision of Michael B. Jordan's Erik Killmonger (which ranks among the great comic book villain names) and T'Challa.
These two men have a history that I don't want to dive into, because it would spoil some of the film's hidden pleasures-but let's just say there is only one throne and only one man can sit on it.
Jordan has become Coogler's muse, starring in all three of the director's movies, including the powerful Fruitvale Station and the surprisingly taut Creed. Here, the actor carries an extra ounce of glee in his eye, leaning into the bad guy role with some much-needed swagger and producing a sole villain. If there is one thing the Marvel films can sometimes lack, it is one face that the hero must battle and take down. In Black Panther, Jordan is that guy and fares extremely well in the part.
Let it be known, though, that this is Boseman's film, and for good reason. The man has played legendary figures quite well; well-known people such as Jackie Robinson, James Brown, and Thurgood Marshall. Black Panther/T'Challa, though, will be his defining piece of work. Boseman has a confidence and ability to dig deep into a part that seems superficial on the surface, and makes it incredibly fun to watch. If you don't believe in Boseman's hero, this is an instant throwaway film. He makes it something else.
That doesn't mean he can do it alone, because there are some ferocious female talents in this film. In addition to Wright's cyber-friendly sidekick, Danai Gurira sets the screen on fire as Okoye, the second in command to the king. With a shaved head and a sharp vibranium infused dagger always by her side, Gurira is Black Panther's pulse on the scene, and the actress is a knockout.
Lupita Nyong'o broke our hearts in 12 Years A Slave, but she cracks skulls here as Nakia, T'Challa's ex-lover who finds herself thrust into the fight for Wakanda's heart and soul. The lady power grounds the hyper-kinetic action of the film and gives it some poignancy and balance as well. Who says the dudes get to have all the fun just because Black Widow isn't around.
Martin Freeman reprises his role as C.I.A. agent Ross, who becomes a part of the action through a bad arms deal with the mischievous Ulysses Claw (Andy Serkis chewing scenery in a rare live action role). Forest Whitaker serves up another "old wise man" role as Zuri, another integral part of our hero's past. I hope we get to see more of Winston Duke's M'Baku, a mountain warrior who gets to play both sides of the war and has a killer fight scene with T'Challa.
The true MVP of this film is Coogler, who shows an enormous amount of precision and care with the rights to one of Marvel's most underrated characters. Kevin Feige wisely picked a director who had made an excellent stand-alone film and revived a Rocky franchise that had rested comfortably for ten years. He pegged a true filmmaker who know how to direct action and generate drama inside a big budget film.
Coogler even finds a way to insert a Rocky-esque plot thread into the final half of the film, paying homage to his Creed saga.
Here's the thing: you can enjoy Black Panther without having seen a single Marvel film beforehand. It is a stand-alone gem that doesn't jam 4-6 different characters into its running time. This film is all about giving one hero a proper introduction before everybody shows up at the Infinity War's table.
You want action? This film has it.
You want true drama? Come on down.
You want genuine excitement? Just wait for the climactic battle that isn't completely computer generated.
Black Panther officially sets 2018 on fire.
