Flair Magazine If you are a Marvel franchise fan, a comic book fanatic, a Disney movie lover, or someone that simply loves great movies, then Black Panther is a must-see for 2018. The film is the latest Marvel superhero movie taking iconic graphic novel pages to the big screen. Originally created in 1966 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the original Black Panther debuted alongside the Fantastic Four and this next installment of Marvel brilliance has already become an international sensation. Fans are already predicting a sequel and movie executives have dollar signs in their eyes.
Movie Overview
While the project has been economically successful, Black Panther is the first comic-based movie with a black hero front and center since the 1998 movie, Blade. It is action packed with breath-taking visuals at every twist and turn.
Plot
If you are not a comic book junkie, don’t worry! Black Panther picks up after Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War when audiences were introduced to Prince T’Challa and his alter ego, The Black Panther. Prince T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, is a prince from the futuristic African utopian known as Wakanda. In the aftermath of his father’s death, Prince T’Challa returns home to take his rightful place on the throne as king. Wakanda isn’t your average country but a hyper-futuristic, modern, Dubai-esque version of an African country untouched by colonization. The plot carries that the wealthy, technologically advanced, and peaceful country is a mystery to the outside world and that its abundance of magical vibranium is worth keeping a secret. The plot is fast-paced and definitely keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
Cast
The star-studded cast of Black Panther is principally black featuring big names like Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o and Angela Bassett. Many people are hoping that this will be the turning point for their representation in Hollywood with minority actors and actresses taking lead roles rather than constantly living in the shadows of their white peers. With an impressive black cast, a sizeable budget, and international success, it’s not a far-fetched to think that we might see more principally black or brown casts in the future. If we might add, the cast is absolutely perfect for a movie of this magnitude and power.
Costumes
It’s almost wrong to call the brilliant outfits featured in the film “costumes” because they represent so much more than just a costume worn on a movie set. The level of intricate detail, vibrant colors, and shout-outs to the tribes of the African continent gives each outfit a texture and story that is rarely seen in action movies. The designer and Oscar nominee, Ms. Ruth E. Carter, took creative freedoms with the outfits to harness a futuristic alternative reality where tradition and technology combine. The costumes are an eclectic mix of elements from different tribes across the continent. Ms. Carter was influenced by indigenous peoples’ clothing, hair, and make-up and was able to imagine Africa without the influence of the Dutch, British, French, and other colonizers.
Music
Overall, it is very hard to critique Black Panther but the one strong criticism of this movie is the music. With most action and adventure movies persistently having an upbeat and fun soundtrack that could stand alone as a piece of art, the Black Panther soundtrack leaves viewers feeling some sort of lack. With so much potential, the movie completely missed the mark when it came to providing music that represents the depth of movie’s narrative. This came as a shock considering that every other detail of the movie was meticulously crafted to create a futuristic Afrocentric world with details representing many African tribes including the diaspora. Rather than curating a mix of authentic African music, the movie is filled with strange transition sounds that invoke anxiety.
Box-office Success
Black Panther topped the one billion mark last week making the movie the eighteenth biggest global grosser of all time. This is a remarkable benchmark for the latest Marvel superhero, mainly because of what the movie represents. Director Ryan Coogler managed to make a powerfully diverse movie during a time period when different is exactly what viewers are looking for.
The movie was a long-overdue embrace of the diversity within Hollywood and it’s been rewarded with millions of dollars. Hopefully, this type of success will encourage more diverse movies in the near future. The brilliant Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, talks about, ” the danger of a single story” when she refers to the Western conceptualization of Africa as being resource-rich and culturally poor. The movie Black Panther opens the door for new narratives that celebrate African peoples’ past and present.
By Amy Pugsley
