Black Panther

Black Panther is the eighteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and follows T'Challa after the death of his father T'Chaka as he returns home to be crowned king of Wakanda but finds his sovereignty challenged by a long-time adversary, in a conflict with potential global consequences.

Black Panther is one of those superhero characters whom I don't really know all that much about and that resulted in me not being all that excited to see the film when it was announced. It was very similar to how I felt about Wonder Woman. I was interested, but not super invested like with other franchises. Once I stared seeing trailers for the film and noticed the sudden buzz in the lead up to its release I became quite excited and Black Panther turned out to be everything I wanted it to be and more. 

T'Challa is such a cool and engaging character who I was rooting for the entire movie. He's got swagger but also shows a vulnerability that can be quite relatable for viewers. Chadwick Boesman was outstanding and has firmly pushed Black Panther up my list of favourite Marvel superheroes. Killmonger was the perfect villain, his motivations were clear and had purpose and you understood and at times felt for his cause but ultimately his plans go down a dark path that the audience can't support. The Black Panther suits that T'Challa and Killmonger wear throughout the film are so innovative and not just there for show. There was practical explanations for the colours that differentiate the suits and their designs were simply outstanding.

The music is amazing. Kendrick Lamar has curated an stunning soundtrack to accompany the film and Ludwig Göransson's score captures the rich musical sounds of Senegal and South Africa which form the score.

Both people of colour and women take center stage in Black Panther which as a movie goer was so refreshing to see. The film made these individuals powerful, elegant and strong and after seeing Black Panther I yearn for more film and television like this. Black Panther also does a fantastic job of subtly weaving real world issues into the story which as generated a great deal of fantastic discussion in the media about race issues that are present in our society.

Overall, Black Panther is by far one of the best superheroes to come out in recent years. The story is compelling, the visuals are stunning, the music enlightening and every aspect of the film comes together and complements each other to create a film which celebrates African culture and puts it on the highest pedestal. I am so excited to see Black Panther and the people of Wakanda return later this year in Avengers: Infinity War!!

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