1
2
3
4
Black Panther is the eighteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe based on the comic book character of the same name, written and directed by Ryan Coogler, with Joe Robert Cole being a co-writer. The movie has a rich cast featuring Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther, along with Michael B. Jordan, Martin Freeman, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis, Lupita Amondi Nyong'o, Danai Jekesai Gurira, and Letitia Michelle Wright in the main roles, with others also serving their purpose in the plot. Surprisingly despite a long cast of 'main' characters and other notable actors also in place, it does not really feel like anyone is 'just there', every character has been given a decent role in the plot as well as given good screen time which makes you feel like 'they do have a point for being there'.
The plot of the movie is well structured and one of the better ones we've seen from MCU, like Spiderman: Homecoming, the character of T'Challa was already introduced in Captain America: Civil War and was not exactly given an origin story, instead we get into right when he is about to be crowned king after the death of his father(which we see here as a news report and a flashback, which happened to be a vital scene in Captain America: Civil War) and then we see his life move onward as king and the threat he would eventually struggle against, in the face of Erik Killmonger, a person who is a worthy antagonist for someone as powerful as Black Panther. Erik's character is being seen as a massive improvement for the MCU in terms of villains, a part where they tend to fall short. And while the character itself is nothing groundbreaking(and nor is the overall plot of the movie), he definitely is a marvel in the world of comic book movies which more than offer have lacking antagonists(something the Netflix Marvel shows arguably has been consistently doing better) and is one of the most solid villains you'll be seeing in a long time. He's a badass, he's got a vibe and he has a backstory which makes you think twice before outright labeling him as a bad guy, with a lot of the audience actually siding with him. There's also a twist or two here and there which, if may be predictable, still works and makes the plot more intriguing than it already works. The only character I felt, while not useless, was not really entirely necessary either, was Martin Freeman's. To roughly quote a friend of mine who watched the movie, 'I guess they just needed a good white character for the sake of it'.
The atmosphere of the movie is one of the most important bits, whether it's visual, in the writing, or the music. Speaking of which, it seems like Marvel is finally hiring people to do their OST this time, because we have been seeing an improvement with the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor Ragnarok and now Black Panther. Black Panther is full of rich soundtracks that are perfect for the atmosphere of the movie and make it all even better, and some of the characters have their individual tracks which is music you can actually listen to without the movie and enjoy, such as Erik Killmonger's theme for example. And it really differs for the themes linked to the characters themselves not just the scene, like more native characters to Wakanda would have more atmospheric tunes to their homeland while someone like Killmonger has a more ghetto feel due to his upbringing in the states.
Final Verdict:
Black Panther is a 9 out of 10.
The movie also finds the right balance of seriousness and a small touch of MCU comedy, not overdoing either of the elements unlike some of the previous films. While Thor Ragnarok felt like an outright comedy film, Black Panther feels very serious and intense, while also giving human personalities to the characters which can be quite humorous at times. Whereas when it's time for action there's no joking around, and the movie has some of the best directed action sequences in the MCU, which have just the right touch of intensity and cool visuals and keep you interested in more. The 3D is also very well utilized and isn't distracting, but rather something that improves on an experience that is already a visual treat.
There's no complaints with Black Panther, it's worth the hype you've seen around. The movie is absolutely solid and delivers well in every regard, whether it's story, action, acting, visuals or music, it does not fall short in any way. You should definitely go ahead and watch it and it might end up being a movie you revisit the theater for because you can't have enough of it.
Muhammad Junaid
Muhammad Junaid is the writer of Entertainment Ghost. He writes articles, reviews, previews and entertainment news about gaming, technology, the media and so on. You can follow him on Twitter @Mr_MJunaid and Facebook MJunaid
){kind=link}