This film provides classic clash of ideas
The title protagonist, also known as T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), is an African prince summoned to become king of Wakanda after the untimely death of his father.
He has a sworn duty to protect his country and its otherworldly resource vibranium, which, unbeknownst to the rest of the world, has made this small nation unbelievably wealthy and technologically advanced — spaceships are a common conveyance.
T’Challa’s main antagonist is Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), a brilliant tactician and battle-scarred mercenary whose avowed motives make him seem more anti-hero than villain: he wants to use Wakanda’s wealth and prowess to empower Blacks in the rest of the world, in the ages-old struggle against white colonial domination.
It’s national self-interest vs. enlightened revolution, a classic clash of ideas that resonates on the streets today — hence a modern hip-hop soundtrack including The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, SZA and more — and which also finds its female voice in such characters as Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia and Danai Gurira’s Okoye.
Both are fierce fighters, but Nakia is a spy who works undercover outside Wakanda to protect her country and king.
Okoye heads the spear-wielding Dora Milaje, an all-female security force that is the most visible sign of strength in Wakanda, outside of Black Panther’s sleek ebony form and energy-converting suit.
Another casting coup is Letitia Wright’s Shuri, brainy sister of T’Challa.
She functions as the film’s comic relief and gadget master — the many parallels to James Bond movies aren’t accidental, as seen in spy and arms-dealer characters played with enthusiastic bluster by Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis, respectively.
It may seem that Black Panther is more about ideas than action, but the film also delivers pure entertainment as the story hops across the globe.
Pulses are raised by a heist in London, a car chase on the streets of Busan, South Korea, and also by a casino conflict bringing many of the main combatants together in a choreographed collision of bullets, spears, fists and feet.
The movie also looks great, with dazzling cinematography by Rachel Morrison, who is currently Oscarnominated for Mudbound, and production and costume design that is faithful to the traditions of the African setting.
Rarely has a superhero origin story been as satisfying as Black Panther, which in many ways doesn’t feel like a typical Marvel movie — and more power to that.
As Shuri remarks to her big brother T’Challa, “Just because something works, doesn’t mean it can’t be improved.”