Black Panther Review

Black Panther is the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there has been a lot of buzz about it. This is undeniably one of the most original Marvel movies ever made. Critics have been rather consistent in their praise, but moviegoers cannot come to a consensus. Someone I know said it was not enough like a superhero movie. An online reviewer said it was too much like a superhero movie. Someone else said it was too political, and some reviewers said it was not political enough. Then there were people like me thought the movie was just right.

Goldilocks references aside, I thought this was a great movie, largely due to its originality. It is not like other superhero movies. Sure, it has all the action you could want: car chases, battles, one-on-one fights, and endless explosions. It does not, however, have the same amount of action as past Marvel flicks. Instead, it sacrifices some action for character development. Its memorable characters make the existing action better because the audience actually cares about the characters involved. This also allows for an excellent villain. There has been a lack of compelling supervillains lately, so this was a great change. Instead of having some basic motive or plan to destroy the world, Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), is conflicted. It is easy to see how his tragic past has shaped who he is. Even if you do not agree with his methods, you understand why he does what he does. The movie also does not shy away from criticizing its heroes. Each character realizes the flaws in their beliefs. The best villains are the ones that incite change in the heroes and are not just there to do bad things and get defeated.

Unlike most Marvel movies, this one also has something to say. It has a timely message about racial divides throughout the world, and it also poses moral dilemmas regarding whether or not affluent nations are obligated to aid the less fortunate. It does so without preaching to the audience. It does not even answer its own questions; it leaves them up to you. I love it when a movie has something to say, and I love it even more when it does not tell you what to think.

This film also has great performances, witty dialogue, and a perfect balance of humor and drama. Marvel movies sometimes struggle with humor; it can make scenes awkward. In fact, this was my biggest gripe with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Doctor Strange. Black Panther did not have this issue. It knew when to be humorous and when to be serious.

As for cons, I can only think of one. At one point in the movie, the CGI seemed a bit sloppily done. It was not fake, but elements seemed copied and pasted. This somewhat lazy effort did stand out and made the scene feel a bit unrealistic. Besides this, I cannot find any faults.

In my opinion, this is a great Marvel movie. For me, it entirely lived up to the immense hype, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I was surprised by the serious and unique route that Marvel took, and I sincerely hope they make more movies like this in the future. In a world overstuffed with disposable superhero movies, Black Panther dared to be original and thought-provoking, and it very much paid off in my opinion.