Ryan Coogler has done it again, this time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The writer and director of Fruitvale Station (2013) and Creed (2015) took Black Panther, an already interesting character which audiences got a taste of in Captain America: Civil War (2016), and gave us the beauty that was the film of the same name, Black Panther (2018). The combination of the stellar performances by the cast (Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, and many others), the gorgeous costume and set design, the writing, the cinematography, and the choreography create an overall captivating experience. Although this is the first film in the MCU for T’Challa (Black Panther’s real name), it departs from the “Hero’s Journey” template of many other protagonist-focused films (superhero movies). By showcasing the prioritization of duty over love through the strong female characters in this film, the audience learns about the intense sense of patriotism the citizens of Wakanda feel, while also challenging the stereotypical gender roles of female characters in film (woo). Of the many, many things to cover from this film, I’d like to focus on the characters of Black Panther (our protagonist) and Erik Killmonger (our antagonist).
T’Challa is thrust into the role of king; however he and all those around him feel he is incredibly prepared. He doesn’t have to learn the burden of responsibility as intensely as protagonists from other films, as he has been prince for some time. At first, T’Challa wishes to maintain Wakanda’s values and continue to hide Wakanda and its resources from the world to avoid controversy and possible invasion, but as the film goes on, T’Challa begins to realize that Wakanda should change their ways, mostly because of Killmonger, one of the most interesting villains Marvel has ever had.
Killmonger (what a name, right?) wishes to challenge what he considers to be Wakanda’s outdated decisions, mainly the decision to withhold their technology and weaponry. He desperately wants to arm those who are treated unfairly around the world. Killmonger criticizes the lack of support from Wakanda to those less fortunate: “Y’all sitting up here comfortable. Must feel good. Meanwhile, there are about two billion people all over the world that looks like us. But their lives are a lot harder. Wakanda has the tools to liberate them all.” Killmonger is the secret cousin of T’Challa who was born and raised in America but wants his rightful chance at the Wakandan throne. This American background is noteworthy since Killmonger was a member of the military and is the most aggressive of the band of characters. After he is crowned king, Killmonger demands that the garden of sacred purple plants, which is given to whoever may take the throne next, be torched. The number of Wakandan citizens who follow Killmonger speaks to the not-so-apparent divide in Wakanda. When presented with the opportunity to live after being defeated, Killmonger says, “Bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from ships, ’cause they knew death was better than bondage,” a powerful line to leave with audiences.
Killmonger’s extreme views on how Wakanda should handle international policies were not widely accepted in Wakanda but did lead T’Challa to change his traditional views on how Wakanda should be ruled. T’Challa also opens a Wakandan Outreach center in the neighborhood where Killmonger grew up, a way to further his personal political agenda while also paying respects to Killmonger. Killmonger lives on in another way when T’Challa brings Wakanda into the public eye through a press conference in a post-credits scene of the film. Killmonger proves that villains can be just as interesting and sympathetic as the intended protagonists, and other superhero movies could take some notes from this character. Black Panther is not only action-packed but its rich characters and incredibly topical story make it stand out in our recently superhero movie-filled theaters. There’s so much more I would like to write about this film, and it would be impossible to address everything in this short entry. I would most definitely recommend going to see this film – we might run into each other in one of my many intended repeat viewings.
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