Stephanie Blair | Staff Writer
I am sick and tired of Marvel movies. There are too many, the jokes aren’t that good and the plots are formulaic at best and cliché at worst. I don’t want any more — or so I thought before seeing the masterpiece that is “Black Panther.”
Starring Chadwick Boseman as the title character, “Black Panther” follows the tale of T’Challa, a Wakandan prince and secret superhero, ascending the throne following his father’s death. The Marvel audience was introduced to the Black Panther in “Captain America: Civil War,” where he served as a righteous and forgiving voice of reason among squabbling superpersons.
This film had the potential to show a meaningful story filled with beautiful culture that would empower black children around the world, in much the same way that the recent Wonder Woman film did for little girls. And y’all, they did the dang thing.
The only imperfections were the touches of classic Marvel low comedy, which might have been saved by delivery if the actors didn’t look like they were being forced to drop these scenically-disjointed one-liners.
Which is not to say that there was no place for humor in the film. On the contrary, for example, Boseman and Letitia Wright shared delightful, natural moments of comedy in their portrayal of a sibling relationship that was so true to life the audience in my theater couldn’t help but smile.
The music, including compositions by Ludwig Goransson and original songs by Kendrick Lamar, was incredible. The costumes, influenced by the fashions and traditions of real African tribes, were gorgeous. The cinematography showed everything the audience wanted to see without being gratuitous. The villain was righteous and still flawed. The entire film was vibrant and beautifully complex in a way that sets it apart from the drab, gray and uncompelling cinema that Marvel has been churning out for the last three years or so.
Overall, I can only hope that this film is the last piece of the trifecta of successful black-led movies which will finally get Hollywood to open its eyes. Between “Moonlight,” “Get Out” and, now, “Black Panther” the message is clear from the world: we want racially diverse films to thrive. If you don’t believe that last statement, let me just mention that “Black Panther” now sits in fifth place for the biggest grossing domestic opening weekend of all time.
This movie sparkles start to finish with black magic, and I can only hope there will be more like it in the coming years.
Contact the author at sblair13@wou.edu
Photo by: Movies.disney.com
