By George Haerle
For The Daily World
“Black Panther” likely will be remembered as one of the better films to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But a large part of what makes it great is that it doesn’t rely on being in service to the overall Avengers mega-franchise.
Director Ryan Coogler (“Creed”) made this film to stand apart in the oversaturated field of superhero movies. And it offers even more than that, with a lead character who’s a great icon for Afrocentric pop culture in a movie that has something valuable to say about widespread racial adversities.
Chadwick Boseman plays the title hero and his alter ego, King T’Challa, the newly appointed ruler and protector of the secret African country of Wakanda. When a mysterious warrior known as Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) comes to Wakanda with a vengeful purpose, T’Challa’s family, country and right to the throne are placed in jeopardy.
Boseman’s T’Challa oozes regality, coolness and pride, making him an ideal king and superhero. The supporting characters are all given depth and personality, too. The cast is stacked with fantastic actors who give their all.
Lupita Nyong’o plays the optimistic and strong Nakia. Letitia Wright, as T’Challa’s witty sister and techie assistant, steals half the show. Angela Bassett is his loving mother and Danai Gurira is the noble Okoye, captain of an all-female guard and one of the king’s most loyal friends.
Martin Freeman plays Everett Ross and Andy Serkis plays Ulysses Klaue — the only white actors/characters in the movie, both essential for the metaphor they offer. BirthMoviesDeath.com writer Dave Schilling aptly describes the essence of their roles as “representing the two sides to colonialization.” Schilling goes on to say Freeman plays the westerner with good intentions but unclear motives, while Serkis plays a vicious South African mercenary willing to spill blood for profit.
This brings us to Jordan’s Killmonger, one of the better villains brought to life by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This series of superhero films has had a real issue with lackluster and forgettable villains, with the best so far being Loki from the Thor/Avengers films and the Vulture from Spider-Man’s recent outing. But Killmonger is given more dimension than an angry man seeking revenge for mysterious grievances. The script and great performance by Jordan jump on the opportunity to present a villain who was molded by external forces beyond his control, bringing an intriguing moral complexity to the film.
Obvious comparisons are going to be made to the relationship between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., because Killmonger’s story arc revolves around his rage toward a world that has systemically tried to destroy or repress those of his race. But the social and moral complexities are delivered in a way that brings to mind Mordred and King Arthur, a representation of past failures of those in charge coming home to roost and reckon with.
Wakanda itself is beautifully developed, which is essential considering a good 80 percent of the story takes place there. Unlike Asgard in the Thor movies, which feels bland and hollow, Wakanda is stylish in architecture, vibrant in color and full of cinematic life. It feels grand and wondrous — a fitting home for its king.
Plenty of love and care were put into this movie. It’s beautifully shot, adding to the style of both Wakanda and its people. It has a great hip-hop fueled soundtrack featuring Kendrick Lamar that complements that style. In every way, “Black Panther” proudly celebrates its heritage, making it a bit more of an individual in the Marvel movie lineup. Up there with the likes of the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Iron Man,” this film was made to stand on its own.
While some of the greater movies in the series — “Captain America: Civil War,” “Thor: Ragnarok,” the first “Avengers” — are a blast, they were made to serve the franchise as a whole; each had greater impact for those who had seen every movie that came before. But you can go into “Black Panther” not having seen any of the previous Marvel films, and you would have no problem following the plot and characters, aside from a couple of small references.
You’ll either like or love this movie, and have a whole lot of fun doing so. “Black Panther” is a worthy king in every way.
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“Black Panther” is currently playing at the Riverside Cinemas, 1017 S. Boone St. in Aberdeen.
George Haerle holds a bachelor’s degree in creative writing for media and lives in Cosmopolis.
