Black Panther is the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movie takes place after the events of Captain America: Civil War. T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the fictional African country of Wakanda to rule as their new leader. Wakanda is very much separated from the rest of the world and although it is the home the most advanced technology, it is still unknown to anyone outside the country. The Black Panther soon has his new throne challenged and he must face a formidable enemy in order to save his country and their way of life.
The strength of Black Panther is in its characters. Throughout the whole movie there isn’t a single weak character. T’Challa is strong, likeable, and has the ideal characteristics of a leader. The supporting cast, from T’Challa’s genius sister (maybe the new smartest person in the MCU) to his badass posse of women warriors, is so good that they almost outshine him in this movie. Killmonger, the villain in the movie, has one of the most empathetic stories and goals of any villains we have seen in this universe before. His drive and mission are so easy to get behind that it makes his struggle with T’Challa much more high stakes. This makes him incredibly powerful as a villain and makes the movie much more stressful.
Black Panther is also successful in breaking the script from the typical Marvel superhero movie. Now that we are in phase 3 of this series of films in the MCU, we have all gotten a little use to how they introduce new heroes and the struggles they face. This movie was incredibly unique in this sense and didn’t just follow the pattern that was lined up in the movies preceding it. From its world building and villain, to the rap beats and thematic soundtrack, this movie separates itself from the rest of the movies in the MCU.
In my opinion, this is the best first movie for a superhero in this series of Marvel films and is a must-see.
