Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Director: Ryan Coogler
Writer: Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole
Starring: Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Tenoch Huerta, Dominique Thorne, Martin Freeman
Reason for watching: Probably the most important MCU movie of Phase 4
Number of times I’ve watched it: first time viewing
***
When Avengers: Endgame came out in 2019, it wiped the slate clean. Without the star power of Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johannson, and Chris Evans, it was time for others to move up and take the reigns. Chadwick Boseman was primed to do that. Black Panther was the standout hit of 2018, garnering critical acclaim and grossing billions at the box office. With a deep supporting cast including newcomers Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira, and Winston Duke and established talents like Angela Bassett and Lupita Nyong’o, there was always someone doing great work on screen. A sequel to this marvel of movie-making would undoubtedly be a smash as well. Then the clock turned to 2020 and everything changed. With the Coronavirus Pandemic, the MCU productions were delayed and then hindered by necessary safety procedures. But what made the task of making a sequel Black Panther even more daunting was the sudden passing of Boseman. After battling with colon cancer for several years, he passed on August 28, 2020. The new titan of the screen was gone before his time, and his death saddened his fans the world over. Without their star and shooting in the middle of a global pandemic, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was easily the most difficult MCU film made, but it may also be one of the best ever made.
In the years after Thanos’ snap, the kingdom of Wakanda is rocked by the passing of T’Challa (Boseman) due to an incurable illness. With no heart-shaped herb left to heal him or to endow a new protector with the powers of the Black Panther, the kingdom is perceived to be in a state of weakness. Although still dealing with grief and loss, Queen Ramonda (Bassett) and Princess Shuri (Wright) lead with a strong face. But when a device that can detect vibranium from miles away is created by American scientist Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), Wakanda’s place of dominance in the world is questioned even further. Even further complicating matters, the Talokan ruler of the oceans Namor (Tenoch Huerta) requests Wakanda capture and turn over Williams to him or face war. With so many battles to fight including their personal issues, the Wakandan people and their leaders will be tested like never before.
Without Boseman to carry the load of being the star, Bassett and Wright, step up in tremendous ways to fill that void left by his passing. Both are given plenty of opportunities to demonstrate the sorrow that they feel since T’Challa’s passing and they deal with this in different ways. As Ramonda, Bassett is measured and understanding, processing what she is feeling while still faced with more and more challenges daily that weigh on her. She stands out amongst her fellow cast members. Wright’s performance is more of an emotionally raw portrait of a young person who does not quite know how to deal with the passing of someone that close to her. For a lot of young people, it is a very relatable feeling.
That theme of grief is prevalent throughout the entire movie in a way that Marvel has never done before. We have seen tragedy and death in Avengers movies before, particularly in Infinity War and Endgame, but ultimately those movies were a means to an end with the larger story of this expansive franchise. Here, the tragedy of Boseman’s passing had to be dealt with in a much more permanent way. So it is treated with respect and dignity knowing that T’Challa cannot be saved or resurrected. And in just like in real life, one cannot stop for too long after tragedy as the world continues to turn. While his loved ones mourned T’Challa’s passing, the challenges continue to come their way and strike at them when our heroes are at their lowest point. But our heroes fight through these emotional and political trials in ways that show their resiliance and make them worthy icons for us.
Perhaps my favorite character of the movie was Namor himself. While one might just pin him in as Marvel’s answer to Aquaman, his portrayal and character are far more complicated. True, he is the villain of the movie and the one who our heroes come to blows with, but he has his own reasons for why he has chosen this course of action. As the leader of a people who once were oppressed by Spanish colonizers, he has seen violence and cruelty that can only be imagined. The feelings of anger and resentment he bears for those who live on the surface are not just understandable, but justified as well. As he is not dead by the end of this movie, I am hopeful that the higher ups at Marvel will see fight to bring him back into the fold.
Most of impressive of this entire movie is the work done by director and writer Ryan Coogler. It has been reported that before he learned of Boseman’s passing, an entire script had already been written that would continue T’Challa’s journey. Having to start over from start with the script, coordinate and direct all of the amazing actors on set, and make a story more challenging than its predecessor, Coogler deserves tremendous praise. Honestly, this is the best directing work of 2022. Awards-bait movies like The Fabelmans or Babylon will likely snag all of the attention at the oscars in this category, but Coogler is doing incredible work here and needs to be acknowledged for the artist that he is.
As this is the final movie in the MCU’s fourth phase, I think the MCU might be getting back on track. Most of this phase has felt a bit wandering and uncoordinated. Individually, several of the films and projects released in 2021 and 2022 were enjoyable like Hawkeye, WandaVision, No Way Home, Shang-Chi, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Ms. Marvel, and now Wakanda Forever. But much of it came at us fast and furious with no room to breathe between projects. With eight TV shows and seven movies crammed into just 24 months, it was a lot to digest. It looks like Phase five will be more cramming to keep our attention, but we seem to have found new heroes to latch onto and root for. If talented directors like Coogler with their own unique visions are given more opportunity at Marvel, I trust that this franchise’s future is in good hands.
8/10
Until I see another one