I figured it’s about time I reviewed a current movie for this column, as all the previous movies I’ve reviewed to this point have been movies that have been out for at least a few years. The main reason I haven’t reviewed anything super recent yet is that I actually wasn’t interested in many releases since the semester started. That is, until now, with the release of the highly anticipated MCU film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Now I’ll be upfront and say I was not madly in love with the first Black Panther from 2018. Don’t get me wrong, it is not a bad movie by any means, but a Best Picture nomination seemed a little excessive in my opinion, especially when Avengers: Infinity War, which is commonly regarded as a better movie, came out a few short months after. However, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by this sequel.
With the unfortunate and untimely death of Chadwick Boseman a few years ago, it’s reasonable to assume that this movie tackles the issues of both loss and dealing with the grief that the loss of a loved one can bring with it, and you’d be right to assume so. From the opening scene to the final shot, those themes are not only prevalent but handled extremely well. The loss of Boseman’s T’Challa is not simply relegated to a quick scene and then never discussed again, it is brought up at times that feel appropriate and natural, and you as a viewer feel the grief that the characters feel because, in a way, it’s a shared grief of the loss of Chadwick Boseman. Although Boseman is not in the film, his presence is felt throughout its runtime.
Due to the untimely passing of Boseman, Letitia Wright steps into the leading role for this movie as Shuri, and boy does she hit the ground running. I was honestly very curious as to how she would be in the leading role, as I thought she was an interesting side character, but not one that could carry a movie on her shoulders. I’m glad to say I was very wrong on that front. Despite the massive shoes to fill, Wright expertly portrays Shuri’s incredibly interesting arc for the duration of the film.
One last quick thing I’d like to touch on is the action. I think since I hadn’t seen the Black Panther on the silver screen since Avengers: Endgame back in 2019, I sort of forgot how much I enjoyed the fight choreography in the scenes with that character, and that enjoyment extends to all the side characters in this film as well. As a whole, the action is fast-paced, greatly edited, and well-choreographed.
Overall, Marvel and returning director Ryan Coogler seem to have another smash hit on their hands. The handling of Boseman’s death, Letitia Wright’s performance, and the fight choreography are just a few of the many reasons that I will give Black Panther: Wakanda Forever a definitive recommendation.
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