Review Summary: Manages to entertain and be unique, but falls short on the inspiring front.
I was really looking forward to Black Panther. I really enjoyed Chadwick Boseman's debut as the character in Captain America: Civil War (probably my favorite Marvel movie), and definitely was looking forward to seeing him again. And like Wonder Woman was a landmark movie for women, I was also happy with the idea of this being a landmark movie for African-Americans.
By the time the movie concluded, however, I couldn't help but feel there was something missing. Something very important. I couldn't put my finger on it at first. But, then, I remembered why I loved Civil War and Wonder Woman (to a little bit of a lesser extent). They carried surprisingly strong emotional heft. Both films carried a perfect marriage of strong, complex storytelling with moments that you couldn't shake, or couldn't forget.
That doesn't mean Black Panther doesn't have heart. It does have some heartfelt moments. But, it doesn't inspire or move as much as it seems to want to. There are a few moments that hint at a possible racism cautionary tale and there is some convincing family drama. But, upon breaking down the seemingly complex story, the plotline actually doesn't deviate much from the normal superhero plotline.
That doesn't mean the film is completely devoid of twists. The main twist (a fairly impressive one) is in how the villain is presented and developed. He doesn't actually play a major role in the film until about an hour in. Until then, we are entertained by a more cartoony villain named Ulysses Klaue (played by Andy Serkis, and reprising from Age of Ultron with true comical flare). As far as that revealed villain is concerned, Michael B. Jordan is definitely one of the film's highlights. He's energetic and charismatic. His villain is ultimately given a layer or two more than most of Marvel's other bad guys, which definitely solves some of Marvel's bad guy issues.
As for Boseman, he aptly plays T'Challa with the heart and soul he showed in a more restrained capacity in Civil War. The most memorable new character outside of the villain is definitely Nakia, played by Oscar-winner Lupita N'yongo. She is definitely one of this decade's most interesting actresses, with a kindness and unmistakable passion that is instantly engaging and likable. There's no weak link in the overall cast (Martin Freeman and Serkis' one scene together is pretty awesome for film fanatics), but there are a lot of characters to juggle. Because of this, veteran actors such as Angela Bassett and Forrest Whitaker (despite being perfectly game in both of their roles) are shoved to the backseat and sadly aren't given a whole lot to do.
Black Panther's visual feel is pretty unique at times, though. The production and costume design is pretty darn great at times. Some costume pieces truly feel out of the ordinary (if a little odd perhaps). The set design is the same. The visual effects are pretty great at times too, if not over-the-top. In an interesting flaw, however, the camerawork is perhaps too shaky in a few of the action scenes. There were a few moments where I couldn't tell what was happening.
In the meantime, the film was clever and hilarious. Perhaps more than recent Marvel flicks, Black Panther earns its laughs naturally and it's never overdone (it doesn't overstay its welcome and it also refreshingly remains clean and good-natured). Ludwig Gorannson's music score works well with a mix of memorable African beats with some great setpieces. As for the usual Marvel elements, the Stan Lee cameo was definitely one of the best they've had to date. Also, the second post-credits scene is definitely worth waiting for while tying up a loose plot end from a recent Marvel flick.
Ultimately, director Ryan Coogler attempted to do something different while retaining the "classic superhero" feel. In some ways, I thought he succeeded. Black Panther does feel more like a family drama at times than a superhero flick. And, at the same time, it also feels like a fairly basic solo superhero flick not too far gone from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy. But, at the same time, it doesn't carry the jaw-dropping moments that made Civil War and even Thor: Ragnarok more exciting and memorable.
In the end, Black Panther certainly captures the solo superhero film feel pretty well. It certainly entertains and has a few good characters. However, with the issues I pointed out, it lands more toward the middle of the pack for me as far as the MCU is concerned.
Score: 7.6/10
Content Concerns for Family Viewing: Black Panther is rated PG-13 for "prolonged sequences of intense action violence and a brief rude gesture". There are several scenes of violence that are a little more intense and visceral than normal for the genre. Two "gladiator"-style matches result in a few times where skin is sliced and people are nearly killed (one is thrown off a waterfall). An intense car chase where someone is run over (off-screen). Guns are shot to kill people multiple times, spears are used to knock people out, etc. Someone's robotic arm is ripped off. Someone is impaled.
The rude gesture is used by T'Challa's sister, as she uses her "middle finger" in response to her brother's teasings (she is reprimanded for this, however). There is overall much less language than recent Marvel films, with nine uses of obscenities (four s-words, three of "h---" and one "a--"), and one "oh my g--". Alcohol is served at a bar. Wakanda has an odd spirituality that involves ancestor worship. Three scenes involve a character being buried alive to transcend and talk with deceased ancestors. T'Challa is given serums for this as well as when his powers are taken away during the gladiator battles (we see him slightly convulse through this).
