Black Panther: Movie Review (No Spoilers)

By Michael Momper

Let me start by saying this: Black Panther does not need to be pandered. It does not need a patronizing pat on the back. It is, in my opinion, a very good movie- and that is all that matters in the world of art.

Fresh off of his tremendous first two directorial features, Fruitvale Station and the immensely popular Rocky sequel Creed, director Ryan Coogler is back, but in a very different setting. Being that it is a Marvel movie, expectations are sky-high as always- but with those expectations comes the free reigns of a massive budget. This is a sizable challenge for a young director, who has to tell a completely new origin story, make us interested in the character, and rise to the demands of the typical Marvel fandom. As such, Coogler certainly delivered in spades.

Black Panther features a different sort of protagonist, one who is decidedly more mild-tempered and noble than the likes of Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, etc. For this reason, the human touch and emotional resonance of Black Panther was much more profound than most Marvel movies. Also due to the nature of the hero, there was far less quipping, which has become one of my pet peeves and biggest frustrations with even some of my favorite Marvel movies. Since there is less quipping/one-liners, the dialogue is often quite interesting, and brings more human themes and melodrama to the forefront. Though our heroes reside in a foreign country, their family dilemmas and quests still feel relevant.\

The story centers around Prince/King T'Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, who is the son of the recently deceased King of a fictional African nation called Wakanda. This nation takes a very isolationist approach to war and trade, which is interesting because they have the world's most sought-after raw material, an element called vibranium. Though some try to challenge T'Challa for the throne, none are as threatening or hateful as Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan. Killmonger is a thief and an expertly trained killer, set to take the throne of Wakanda and take over the world by harnessing the power of vibranium. King T'Challa must thwart his plans of mutiny, but also stop him from stealing vibranium and becoming powerful in his own right. What follows are some excellent fights, chases and the occasional Lexus product placement shot.

The acting in this movie is phenomenal, and really brought home the drama that elevated this movie, in my mind, past recent critically acclaimed efforts such as Doctor Strange. Many critics have touched upon Michael B. Jordan's villainous role, and I agree that he is very good (as are almost all of the supporting cast), but I still feel that Chadwick Boseman was the most captivating to watch. I thought the balance of action in the black panther suit and scenes of T'Challa in  his normal garb were perfect, and this can only be pulled off when you actually care about the character and not just his fighting scenes. The fights were choreographed very well too, and Boseman's excellence is made doubly exciting by the fact that his presence in Marvel movies is only just beginning.

Coogler deftly realized that he had to make an atmosphere that not only introduced us to Wakandian culture, but also brought us to understand it and enjoy our time there. This was one of the most important features to me; I found the attention to detail and color scheme to be brilliant, with radiant blue and purple color palettes abound. The visuals were often breathtaking and did a great job introducing me to a culture I knew nothing about from any prior Marvel movies. The movie did exactly what I wish The Dark Knight Rises had pulled off: finally a keen balance of technology, natural settings, cityscapes, and sharp fight choreography, with a welcome reduction of fast-edits and shaky cam (if you need a dose of that atrocity, look no further than Batman v Superman).

Black Panther is certainly one of my favorite Marvel efforts to date, and it hit some very ambitious notes. Unfortunately, it seems that many critics are judging the movie solely on the cultural and political ramifications rather than on its artistic content, which is not only against the spirit of movies, but also contrary to Martin Luther King's urge that we "judge people on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin." In this case, the content is quite excellent, and I hope people begin to see past the political hoopla and experience the excellence of the art within.