Spoilers ahead.

I was so excited for this movie, I watched all the trailers, listened to the soundtrack but when I finally got to see it, well, I wasn’t that impressed.

Don’t get me wrong, the actors are absolutely brilliant and really embody the characters. The music is fun with the perfect mix of modern hip-hop and traditional African styles. The camerawork is phenomenal (especially the scenes in Korea, those blew me away with how intricate and well thought through they were) but the actual storyline didn’t do much for me. I was expecting something mind-blowing and really interesting and it just wasn’t. It reminded me of the Lion King in certain ways, especially with T’Challa visiting his ancestors like Simba’s father visited him when he was in time of need.

But anyway, let me tell you about the story, maybe you’ll understand my point of view a bit  more. Wakanda is a community that does not get involved with other countries or wars or refugees or anything like that. They look after their own and thus have become a sort of master race full of high tech gizmos that us common folk could only dream of having. They’re hidden from the rest of the world and this makes them strong and united. In Wakanda there are a bunch of different tribes who work together (and apart) but all live in this nation. The bad guy seems to be a south-african by the name of Ulysses who deals with Wakanda weaponry. But really the one to keep an eye out for is Erik a half Wakanda-ion half American soldier who was left in America when his father was killed. He sees the way the Wakanda’s work as wrong because black people in the states and many other countries are treated unfairly (slavery is mentioned a lot) and the Wakanda people should do something about it, his plan being to offer these citizens in these countries their weaponry to rise against their oppressors.

Of course this is seen as bad, we shouldn’t just go handing out heavy weapons to any citizen and expect things to go well. But at the same time is what T’Challa did really good too? Yes he’s looking out for his people but he is actively turning his back on the rest of the world and their problems, problems that could possibly be solved or at least helped with his input.

I found him selfish if I’m honest and didn’t really enjoy watching him. To me the Marvel superheroes are all about helping and saving the world and for the most part it seemed he wanted nothing to do with all that. He wouldn’t take in refugees because they’d bring problems, he wouldn’t aid in a war that is tearing nations apart because it’s not his fight. How are we meant to make this world a better place if we don’t work together?

I feel this movie has been hyped up a lot, and yes it was good for the most part but the problems I found with it were too big to ignore. It had some interesting twists and turns along the way but it’s definitely not the movie people are describing it to be.

As a Marvel film it holds up but it is definitely not my favourite. The action, although good when shown on screen, is far and few between and honestly I just want Infinity War now as I am bored of stand alone Marvel movies. Give me excitement and surprise and that heart-stopping feeling in my chest, not a bunch of people sitting round in a big room debating. What is this, Star Wars?

What did you think of Black Panther?

Until next time.

Published by shonaharding

Media graduate with a passion for reviewing film and TV. View all posts by shonaharding