Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
3.5/4
Marvel Studios’ widely anticipated sequel to 2018’s Oscar-winning Black Panther was recently released, and I’m happy to report that it lives up to the trailblazing original.
One of the main things that really worked about this movie was its tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who played Black Panther in the original. Like everybody, I was completely shocked when I heard about Boseman’s passing. It was a very sad day, and, like many people, I was wondering about how this film would address its main star’s death. While I can’t get into spoilers, I was really impressed by the way they honoured Boseman in this film. It brought me to tears and is a great tribute to the man who made the first Black Panther such a hit.
Another thing that really makes this movie a triumph are the performances of Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett as princess Shuri and queen Ramonda, respectively. These actors have to take turns carrying the first and third act of the movie by themselves, and they do a great job of it. Newcomer Tenoch Huerta is also great as the film’s antagonist, Namor. What I liked about the character is that he’s very relatable. He’s not just a bad guy who wants money or revenge or wants to take over the world. He’s just a guy that’s looking out for his people. These types of villains are always the best bad guys in cinema.
The film’s costume and art design is amazing and does a great job in placing the movie’s audience right into the action. The musical score by Ludwig Göransson and the sweeping cinematography by Autumn Durald Arkapaw is also excellent and really dives into the culture its portraying.
Unfortunately, at nearly three hours, this movie is way too long. The runtime is not justified—there are numerous scenes that could be shortened or cut out of the movie completely. Also, Marvel is getting sloppy with the visual effects. I mean, I know that they are in the middle of a crisis right now with their visual-effects teams, but the effects on this film need a little bit more work.
Still, thanks to its moving tribute to Boseman, high-class production values, and knockout performances, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is one of Marvel’s better films.