Perhaps more than any film in recent memory (save maybe Furious 7), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has had an enormously gargantuan challenge to become reality.
Unless you've been living under a rock, Chadwick Boseman, the charismatic and iconic holder of the Black Panther mantle (and good guy, fantastic actor, etc.) passed away after dealing privately with cancer.
It was a sobering reminder that while these heroes are larger than life on screen, they're just people at the end of the day, BUT also comforting to see his legacy live on in many ways after his passing.
Related to the film itself, Marvel had the unenviable task of dealing with the loss of one of its core heroes and one of the main characters it would build the future around after the fallout of Endgame. Do you recast T'Challa? Do you pass on the mantle? Do you scrap Wakanda Forever until more time has passed?
Eventually, Ryan Coogler and team found their answer by passing on the mantle and Wakanda Forever's story would change (quite significantly by recent reports of what it was supposed to be). It would now need to balance being the next step in the ever-moving-forward MCU, be a direct sequel to one of the most successful Marvel films to-date, and honor its fallen star. The immense weight placed on the creative shoulders of Coogler and the writers should not be understated...this was about as difficult a curveball as life can throw at a movie that was on the cusp of production.
Coming as the final stamp of Phase 4 (yet another responsibility heaped on the film's plate), there's been a lot to say about this fun, but inconsistent phase. We had the highs of Shang Chi, and No Way Home, sure, but we've also had disappointments like Thor: Love and Thunder, and unnecessary detours like Black Widow. Throw in TV shows that have all been pretty good, maybe great, but never iconic (and, disgustingly, have revealed much of the sexism that is included in the MCU fanbase) and this Phase has certainly felt like a lot of content with only a little impact.
Entering the theater last night, "little impact" was certainly not the adjective I felt. I thought back to my opening night showing of the original Black Panther and how full it was, with people of color, many dressed up for the occasion. And even while I felt that film had its issues (but was still great), it didn't matter much because the impact was clear. During the opening moments of Wakanda Forever, and the Boseman-only Marvel intro, the level of silence in my theater was stunning. Eerie. Respectful.
The film that followed was too.
Wakanda Forever is a tremendous and epic movie, one that exists within the MCU, sure, but might as well be as individual as the country of Wakanda itself. It's consistently dealing with the loss of its star, which is heavy, but somehow manages to make an entertaining film of it too. It has a lot to do with a plot focused around equal parts loss and the walls of the world closing in on Wakanda and their vibranium-rich environment. To some, that vibranium-focused plot may seem like small potatoes, but there's a person on the horizon that makes this acutely dramatic and likely heavy in its foreshadowing.
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| One of the best performances we've received from the MCU |
Forced to come to terms that Wakanda is not the only place with vibranium, they must interact, and make decisions about how to deal with this new underwater country who has similar technology. This introduces Namor (Tenoch Huerta) as our "villain", who's a man more aggressively trying to stop the walls of the world from closing in on his country by scorching the earth itself. Our plot likely has varying mileage by person, depending on how on-board you want to get with certain motivations. Huerta's performance as Namor is incredible (as are all others...more on that later), but some motivations work better than others. At his core, his grand motivations made sense to me as an extreme measure, but some earlier plot drivers were misguided. From Wakanda's perspective, they - mainly Shuri and Queen Ramonda - have to deal with the politics of the world and Namor while grieving. It all makes for a heavy Marvel film, but also one that features a memorable villain and an entertaining story overall, despite some questionable plot pieces.
The ensuing clashes are epic in scope and nature, carrying the weight of one nation who wants to eliminate the other. As someone who felt like the majority of the first film's action was poor and had bad special effects (specifically, the final battle), Wakanda Forever stands above its predecessor. The action isn't as fantastic as something like Shang-Chi (a high bar, TBH) but it's still entertaining, features solid choreography, and the special effects were stunning 99% of the time. A huge measure of this is the utterly fantastic costume and set design of both the Wakandans and Talocans. The Talocan's in particular are new and intimidating, featuring blue skin, Bane-esque water masks, and intricate Mayan-inspired armor. In true Coogler fashion, this is all filmed and edited well too, with some memorable cinematography and use of slow-motion. There's no single-tracking shot he usually includes, but that's a small miss. Throw in an original score by Ludwig Goransson (who is just crushing it lately) + an awesome soundtrack and you've got the makings of well-designed, memorable scenes that will stick with you far past Phase 4. The new Black Panther's introduction, for example, sent chills across my arms with powerful synth bass from Goransson, not to mention the weight of the moment.
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| Onward in legacy |
On top of all this, you've got an emotionally devastated and motived cast that turns in fantastic work. Angela Bassett should truly get awards consideration for Supporting Actress, being an emotional foundation for many of the film's characters. Letitia Wright has a lot more to do here, and takes the responsibility well, offering us a struggling Shuri who buries her grief in her technology. Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, and Lupita Nyong'o (among others) each get more to do, bringing their top tier work. And newcomer Dominique Thorne as RiRi (aka future Ironheart) proves quickly why she got the job; being full of energy, spunk, and ability to handle dramatic moments. These are all integral characters within the MCU, existing pre and post-Endgame, who make the most of their arcs. Shuri's in particular, including a key and very potent scene with an unexpected cameo, is cathartic and incredibly satisfying, playing as the consistent thread weaving the whole thing together.
Lots could be said about Wakanda Forever's shortcomings if you really wanted to, but I instead sit here amazed that the film manages to balance and juggle and work-in and move-forward and honor and reflect within it's 2.5 hour time frame. It's a fantastic MCU film in a time where the Marvel Universe needed one, but more importantly, it's a memorable tribute about the man who's presence is felt throughout.
Wakanda Forever, indeed.
CONS
- Final 10 minutes felt a little "check this box, now check this one". Final frames are fantastic though
- Some action editing was too many quick cuts
- Some of Namor's motivations are questionable
- For what tragedy real life through at the creative team, this is a stunning screenplay that juggles so many things. Perfect? No. But talk about a task I would NOT have wanted
- Honors Chadwick Boseman in many small (opening Marvel credits) and big ways (no spoilers)
- Technically impressive. The special effects are much better this time around, as is the action and filming of it. Handful of scenes are going to be seared into my MCU memory
- Music all around. The original score has bone-chilling moments while the soundtrack is fantastic and well utilized
- Performances across the board
- Angela Bassett should get awards consideration
- Letitia Wright's arc was powerful and more complex than I expected
- Tenoch Huerta brings a real weight and presence to Namor
- All others - many mentioned in the body - are motivated to honor their fallen co-star and thus bring their A-game
- Impeccable set, costume, and world design. The Talocan's are stunning
- Entertaining as hell from start to finish and a high point (and end-cap) for Phase 4
Rath's Review Score | 9/10
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