Black Panther

Fans of this site (hey Mom I see you) will know that as of late, the Marvel movies have started to get a little stale. The films tend to play it safe and as the overall MCU plot continues to become more convoluted, the films need to spend more time explaining how they fit into the overall story. Lucky for us… Black Panther does not fall in line with safe, expected, or dull… Black Panther is here to shake things up!

Black Panther follows the new appointed King of Wakanda, T’Challa, as he returns home from after the loss of his Father. T’Challa is the King as well as holding the mantle of the legendary Black Panther. He is sworn to protect the secret country of Wakanda and their technological advancements they receive from their never-ending supply of Vibranium. As he takes his place on the throne, a forgotten relative from the past emerges to challenge his reign and change Wakanda from a hidden, peaceful paradise, to a world conqueror.   

The biggest compliment I can give this movie is, it was well thought out and well executed. This was a fully standalone movie that told a beautiful story, and exposed us to a new exciting world that we got to explore. The plot is compelling, the characters are fleshed out and interesting, and the villain is as menacing as the MCU has ever offered. Black Panther will quickly become the benchmark for Marvel movies for many fans. They really nailed this movie out of the park and I personally put this up in my top 3 marvel movies of all time.  

The Villain of this film, Killmonger, is really what sets this a step above most Marvel movies. Michael B. Jordan eats up the scene when he is on screen and he is the most interesting part of this movie. If this film was shot differently Killmonger could easily have been the protagonist. His story is sympathetic and relatable. My only criticism is, like Marvel is prone to do, the hero’s bad guy is just an evil version of whatever power they have, but that may be more of an issue with the comic books then the films.

Overall this movie rocks. A great Villain, exciting action, and a compelling plot makes this a must see for any fans of comic books. This is not a perfect movie from start to finish, but I think this film has an important message and I cannot wait to see it again.