A One Mann’s Movies review of “Black Panther Wakanda Forever” (2022).
So, I’m back from my 3 week long Australian adventure (very nice, thank-you for asking). And I’m trying to catch up on all of the movies that came out while I was away. I started with one of the newer ones – “Black Panther Wakanda Forever”.
Bob the Movie Man Rating(s):
Plot Summary:
King T’Challa, the Black Panther, is dead and his kingdom mourns his loss. This is particularly hard on his sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), who despite her scientific skills was unable to save him. Seeing a power vacuum at the top of Wakanda, the world’s superpowers try to muscle in on gaining access to the “McGuffin” super-metal Vibranium. But, in searching for Vibranium, they uncover something that was best left covered, bringing danger to both the wider world as well as Wakanda.
Certification:
UK: 12; US: PG-13. (For “moderate violence, threat, injury detail”).
Talent:
Starring: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Coel, Winston Duke, Danai Gurira.
Directed by: Ryan Coogler.
Written by: Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole.
Twitter Handle: #wakandaforever.
“Black Panther Wakanda Forever” Review:
Positives:
- There are movies and TV shows that shrug off the disappearance of an actor, simply replacing them with an alternative. “Move along, nothing to see here”. Batman, Superman, Dr Who, Bond: they’ve all been there. But here is a movie that takes the tragic death of the previous star, the much missed Chadwick Boseman, and puts it front-and-centre within the storyline of the next film. There’s no replacement T’Chala going on here. And no “Star Wars”-style CGI resurrection! You have to applaud Marvel for doing that. Sure, as a Marvel film, there is plenty of revenge-fuelled action going on, but this is a movie largely centred on grief and being able to move on constructively from grief. The tributes to Boseman are also very tastefully done. There is the expected written tribute – “For our friend Chadwick Boseman” – after the mid-credits “monkey”. But there is also a moving (totally silent) set of clips of Boseman’s Black Panther in the finale, as Shuri sits on a beach, deep in her memories of her brother. But even more affecting for me was the animated Marvel logo at the start of the film, featuring not the normal smorgasbord of Marvel characters, but Boseman alone. Very moving.
- With “The Woman King”, a few months ago, we saw how diverse a film can be. But “Wakanda Forever” blows that out of the water with just about every leading character being both black and female. Even the “college nerd” role, which could have gone to any ethnicity or gender, sticks with the program featuring the very engaging Dominique Thorne, impressing as Riri. I think I commented the same with my review of “Black Panther”, but it’s notable when Martin Freeman becomes the ‘token white guy’.
- In terms of the acting talent, Wright and Nyong’o hit it out of the park and mexican star Tenoch Huerta makes for a memorable villain in the role of Namor: I think he will be getting bigger and better roles in more mainstream western films after this performance.
- There’s a very extensive cast with some terrific supporting roles: Lake Bell (one of my favourite actresses) makes a short but memorable cameo as an ocean-based scientist; Richard Schiff (from “The West Wing”) plays the US Secretary of State; rising star Michaela Coel is typically striking in the role of Aneka (those eyes!) and (although I didn’t clock him while watching the film) comedian Trevor Noah voices Shuri’s AI.
- The combination of a magnificent score (by Ludwig Göransson, surely an Oscar contender for Best Score?) and the cinematography of Autumn Durald Arkapaw (possibly another female Oscar nominee?) makes for some awe-inducing scenes. One, where Shuri and Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) return to Wakanda from abroad, is simply stunning.
Negatives
- At 161 minutes, it’s another Marvel bladder-tester. It’s another case where “less is more” would have applied.
- There were rather too many “suspension of disbelief” moments for me, even given that it is a Marvel movie. For example, Tony Stark had the millions to achieve what he did, but college student Riri? And the resolution of the dispute with Namor was way too cutesy for me.
Monkeys?
Monkeys? Of course there are monkeys… this is a Marvel film! But, to save you further bladder discomfort, there is only a single mid-credit scene and no end-credits scene for this one. The scene is pretty nice, and introduces a new character that allows, in the future at least, the continuation of a Marvel legacy. For those, like me, who are not Marvel geeks, there is a good description of what’s going on here.
Summary Thoughts on “Black Panther Wakanda Forever”:
This is the last film in the Marvel MCU Phase 4, which – by all accounts – has been something of a damp squib compared to the glories of Phase 3. But this is at least a good Marvel film. Even with its extensive running time, it kept me engaged (albeit a bit fidgety at times).
Trailer for “Black Panther Wakanda Forever”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z3QKkl1WyM .
