We don’t know if Ryan Coogler likes a challenge, but Black Panther: Wakanda Forever proves he thrives under the worst-case scenario. The latest Marvel movie arrives at a weak time, standing on the shoulders larger than the shimmering Wakandan cityscape.
The theatrical arms of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were cramping as they swayed intermittently in theaters. Yes, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings were great, but he also benefited from comparisons to the lumbering Black Widow. Thor: Love and Thunder were messy. Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness liked to do cool things before he told you “it doesn’t matter”. The Eternals is a movie we’re not talking about. Admittedly, Spider-Man: No Way Home (which is also a Sony Spider-verse) was pretty cool. Meanwhile, at home, per WandaVision’s visionary, I sensed that there were at least two sinful Moon Knights.
So, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, arrives to close Phase 4 of the MCU, before the upcoming upcoming Marvel movie – Ant-Man and the Wasp in Quantumania – kicks things off to the extreme with Kang the Conqueror, the apparent heir to Thanos’ big evil throne. An uphill battle was fought.
Not only do Marvel movies seem more skippable — or at least, something you can wait to get to Disney Plus to watch — Chadwick Boseman’s loss has created a potentially impossible-to-correct hole in the hearts of Marvel fans and future Marvel movie scripts.
Fortunately, Coogler and his companions got her out of the park. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is one of the best Marvel movies of all time, if not at all. And it earns praise with its emotionally charged performances, Coogler’s great cinematic cut-outs and two new MCU characters you’ll love.
So get your Kimoyo beads on, this spoiler-free Black Panther: Wakanda Forever review will break down why you left the stage feeling really emotionally charged.
Black Panther: Forever Wakanda Review – Staff at their best
Making Black Panther without Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa is the kind of challenge few would accept, but the Wakanda Forever cast has stepped up in a big way. Primarily a film about how we handle mourning – and where it can drive us – Wakanda forever sees Angela Bassett guiding the ship with an exceptional performance as Queen Ramunda.
Without her son, and in a position where her trust in the world is weak, Ramonda puts her on guard almost all the time. But Bassett is so professional that she knows how to show that her defenses are up because she feels wounded from life. This is why you hire some of the best actors on earth to lead your hit movies – to make sure the audience feels something.
Then there’s Shuri Laetitia Wright, who stands in stark contrast to her mother’s brave front. Often succumb to her anxiety and frustration, Wakanda’s Disney Princess becomes the lead lady in this movie.
Oftentimes, this gives Wright tear-shaking moments—which naturally nail her incredibly well. This may be due to how all the actors seem, deservedly, to mourn the loss of their brother. But forever Wakanda’s grief isn’t the only card Wright deals with. Fortunately, Shuri’s sense of humor, which first made Black Panther feel alive, is still intact when the movie gives him a chance to breathe. However, her newfound rage is probably one of the film’s most surprising weapons—and one that she happily doesn’t exaggerate.
Shuri’s increased intake isn’t the only change T’Challa’s absence has brought about. Wakanda Forever gives more time to Okoye than Danai Gurira, the head of the Dora Milaje guard. And she had some of the most amazing moments in the entire movie. The entire magic of Black Panther is rooted in black excellence, and Okoye’s confidence often drives that. That’s not to say Okoye doesn’t have her own tears to shed, but her most memorable moments aren’t sad.
If I have to say one thing that was a bit disappointing, I was expecting more M’Baku from Winston Duke, at Reports (Opens in a new tab) He was scheduled to have an extended role in the movie. However, some of the film’s best easy comedies come from the vegetable-loving chieftain of the Jabari tribe, who also delivers one of his most emotionally tender moments.
Wakanda Forever also gives us two major newcomers who are making the most of their scenes. We don’t know when Marvel decided that Dominique Thorne’s RiRi Williams would get their Disney Plus series on Ironheart, but I was practically demanding to watch the first episode the second I left the stage.
From Thorne’s first moments on screen, she gives off a confident energy that’s a nice change of pace from the rest of the new class of would-be Avengers. (I can already imagine the amazing chemistry that Mrs. Thorne, Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, and Iman Villani would have.)
For Tenoch Huerta Mejía Namor, the character’s motivations may not feel sophisticated enough, but his performance is powerful and engaging enough to keep you hooked on every word.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever review – Coogler’s great visuals keep the MCU CGI to a minimum
Having been so frustrated by the green screen reliance on the early combat sequences in Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, I am now always waiting for these moments in later Marvel projects. Fortunately, Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler does a good job of minimizing the moments when the seams in CGI are obvious.
Those incidents where you can visually feel that something has come off — like when Namor in a mid-action scene dives into the water, or when Shuri wears an underwater wetsuit — aren’t impressive enough to get you out of the moment.
And this is a very important trick for Wakanda Forever, because such a sentimental movie would lose a lot of its impact when he accidentally breaks the fourth wall. Instead of thinking about which nits one would pick, you’d probably think of the movie’s great visuals, such as the fire-devouring throne room and the amazing explosions of water.
Black Panther: Forever Wakanda Review: Verdict
I wasn’t planning on writing a review of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever again when I bought my ticket to opening later this week. But now that you’ve seen Wakanda forever? I am more than eager to go back and watch it again.
Watching the amazing shows at Wakanda Forever made me yearn to see the movie in a room with fans going through emotions with the characters on screen. With a fast-paced script that knows when to give its characters moments to breathe — as well as screams, heartaches, and jokes — Black Panther: Wakanda Forever provided a wonderful reminder of how good the Marvel movies are.
You might spend moments thinking about how one character will influence the rest in future MCU movies, but I’ve found myself more intrigued by the people of Wakanda Forever than in any recent Marvel movie. This is arguably the most recent example (Avengers: Endgame follows) that the Marvel movies are pretty great at heartbreak. But when Ryan Coogler’s movie also delivers plenty of “oohs” and “ahhs,” as well as surprises and chuckles? It’s proof that the MCU can still deliver a great movie night.
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