Review: Black Panther

February 16, 2018,  I went to see the film “Black Panther” by Marvel Studios.  The official synopsis:

“After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and as Black Panther — gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.”

Main Protagonist: T’Challa

The story begins with the aftermath of Civil War.  T’Challa is returning to Wakanda from Sokovia and dealing with the death of his father, T’Chaka.  He completes the rite of passage is crowned king.  Heavy is the burden that rests on his shoulders.  Early in the story, he wants to be like his father however by the end of the story, he changes his perspective and looks to bring about global through Wakanda’s resources.

Main Antagonist: Kill-Monger

Eric Stevens, Kill-Monger, grew up in Oakland, California.  His father, … , was King T’Chaka’s brother sent to the United States for secret intelligence gathering.  When T’Chaka learned that … was exporting Vibranium to arms dealers, he took action to have him stand trial but ended up killing him in the process.  Eric was left alone in Oakland.  By the end of the story, he gets to experience the moment his father often shared with him.

My Thoughts

This highly anticipated film lived up to my expectations.  It captured the beauty of the Wakanda locations so vividly.  There was a right balance of humor and drama; the cast ensemble worked well for the story, and they played off each other well.  I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between T’Challa and his sister, Shuri.  Kill-Monger’s backstory had me feeling sorry for him, despite his heinous actions for revenge.  The action scenes were very good despite some of the flaws with the CGI.  The technological advancement represented in the film was magnificent. The underlying message of unity connected the film with today’s world, and subtlety conveyed a way to end global oppression was very good.  This is definitely a must see film for any Marvel fan. Well done Marvel Studios…Wakanda forever.