Black Panther is one of the MCU's most culturally significant films, and its importance is genuine rather than merely asserted. Ryan Coogler's film uses its Afrofuturist setting to ask questions about identity, responsibility, and the obligations of the powerful towards the dispossessed that the genre rarely attempts, and it does so with a seriousness and a craft that make it one of the franchise's finest entries. It is not, however, a perfect film. Its action sequences are among the weakest in the MCU, its CGI in the final battle is noticeably poor, and the film's third act retreats into a conventional superhero confrontation that sits uneasily with the political intelligence of what precedes it. These are real weaknesses, and acknowledging them does not diminish the film's considerable achievements.
At a Glance
Director: Ryan Coogler
Runtime: 134 minutes
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis
Release: 2018
Critics Rating: ★★★★ (4/5 stars, excellent)
Audience Rating: ★★★★ (4/5 stars, landmark film)
Review Breakdown
Plot
T'Challa returns to Wakanda following his father's death to claim the throne, only to find his right to rule challenged by Erik Killmonger, a man with a legitimate grievance and a radical vision for how Wakanda's power should be used. The plot is structured as a political drama as much as a superhero film, with the central conflict rooted in a genuine ideological disagreement about justice, isolation, and the responsibilities of a nation that has chosen to hide its power while the world suffers. The third act, in which the conflict resolves into a CGI-heavy battle between T'Challa and Killmonger in an underground mine, is a significant step down from the political drama that precedes it.
Characters
Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa is one of the MCU's most fully realised protagonists, a man of genuine nobility and genuine uncertainty who is trying to determine what kind of king he wants to be. Michael B Jordan's Killmonger is the MCU's finest villain, a character whose anger is entirely justified and whose methods are entirely wrong, and the film is sophisticated enough to hold both truths simultaneously. His final scene is one of the most genuinely moving moments in the franchise's history. Martin Freeman's Everett Ross is the film's weakest element, a character whose function is largely to provide a white audience surrogate in a film that does not need one.
Tone
Coogler pitches the film as a political drama with superhero elements, and the approach gives it a weight and seriousness that distinguishes it from most of its contemporaries. The Busan car chase is a genuinely thrilling set-piece. The final battle, however, is a tonal and visual disappointment, abandoning the film's grounded political intelligence for a CGI spectacle that looks rushed and feels generic.
Meaning / Themes
Black Panther is a film about the tension between isolation and engagement, between protecting what you have and using it to change the world. The film treats the arguments on both sides with genuine respect, and Killmonger's position is never dismissed even as his methods are condemned. The film's conclusion, in which T'Challa chooses engagement over isolation, feels genuinely earned because the film has taken the opposing argument seriously throughout.
Casting
The ensemble is one of the finest in the franchise's history. Lupita Nyong'o brings intelligence and conviction to Nakia. Danai Gurira is formidable as Okoye. Letitia Wright's Shuri is an immediate fan favourite. Andy Serkis brings gleeful menace to Klaue. The one casting note that jars is Freeman, whose character feels imported from a different and less interesting film.
Direction
Coogler's direction is assured and visually inventive in the film's first two acts, with a strong command of both intimate character scenes and larger action sequences. The production design is extraordinary. Ludwig Goransson's score is one of the MCU's finest. The third act is where Coogler's control falters, with the underground battle sequence lacking the visual clarity and the emotional specificity that had distinguished everything before it.
Who Should Watch
Black Panther is essential viewing for everyone. Its cultural significance is real, its performances are extraordinary, and its political intelligence is genuine. The weak third act and the CGI issues are real complaints, but they do not undermine a film that is, for most of its runtime, among the finest the franchise has produced.
Final Verdict: One of the MCU's finest films and one of its most culturally important, held back from true greatness by a third act that abandons its political intelligence for generic CGI spectacle. Boseman is magnificent, Killmonger is the franchise's best villain, and Coogler's direction is exceptional for most of the runtime.
0 comments