‘Black Panther’ a film for the ages
February 27, 2018
Chadwick Boseman’s character, T’Challa, was first introduced in “Captain America: Civil War” almost two years ago. Since then, audiences have been craving a solo film with the hero. Marvel’s “Black Panther” came out Friday, and it’s safe to say, the film was well received.
Created back in the ‘60s, Black Panther was one of the first African heroes in American comics. His creation was one of controversy but ended up being beneficial for all. The comics take you through the adventures of T’Challa, those closest to him and his home, Wakanda.
T’Challa’s home, Wakanda, is one of the coolest fictional places ever created. It poses as a third-world country in order to stay hidden in the southern part of Africa because their resources would be too much for mankind. Their home relies on an alien metal known as vibranium, making it the strongest metal on earth. T’Challa’s little sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), uses the metal to create new technology that puts Wakanda’s development far above other first-world countries.
The film takes place a week after “Civil War” and things are not okay. T’Challa is being named King of Wakanda, due to his father’s recent death, and the man who murdered T’Chaka, Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis), has resurfaced, and they face an unknown threat who claims to be Wakandan, which can’t be possible. With the help of Shuri, his mother (Angela Bassett), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), and Okoye (Danai Gurira), he tries to fix all of the problems quickly arsing.
If you’ve ever wanted to see strong female leads, then this film will give you that and so much more. The Dora Milaje, which is composed of only women, make it their duty to protect the King and Wakanda. Their leader, Okoye, has got to be one of the most B.A. women ever portrayed in film. She also has several moments in the film that make you want to clap.
Another neat thing about the film that isn’t often seen in “hero v. villain” films, is to have a complex villain. Erik “Killmonger” Stevens (Michael B. Jordan) gives the audiences a taste of what it’s like to have family problems that really matter. While the audiences loathe him and his actions throughout the film, they eventually see why he became so hateful and pessimistic.
African-American blockbusters films are rarely seen, so when filmmakers put people of color on the big screen, you can bet audience sizes are going to increase. The films preview night, Feb. 15, pulled in 25.2 million dollars. The only other Marvel film to get higher was “The Avengers” back in 2012.
The films discuss what it’s like to grow up in an area with little funding and a whole lot of problems. It discusses what it’s like to be black and how that can affect a person’s life. It discusses the history of Africans and how their lives were flipped upside down. It discusses so many important topics that aren’t usually talked about. This film is getting conversations started that should’ve happened long ago.
With an important message that is sure to reach audiences of all ages and one of the best hero origin stories since “Iron Man,” the film is sure to make bank and gain a fan following never seen before.
