Black Panther February
20, 2018
Black Panther achieved several mile stones. The box office
over the President’s weekend will be north of $200m and with some estimates of
$1b, including forgein markets, projected. The film has been lauded for its
positive portrayal of black super heroes and the uplifting effect for Afro-American
youth. This film establishes a new “tentpole” for this Disney which can
generate sequels and character spinoffs under the Black Panther franchise. With
this potentially huge box office this is clearly a cross over movie.
The film it is a spectacle. It has all the super hero elements.
Handsome hero with super powers, bad guys, one handsome the other not. Beautiful
women; some bald carrying electro charge spears. A wise mouth sister who is a
science wiz.
Chadwick (Chad to his friends) Boseman is the Black Panther.
Boseman is a versatile actor playing various roles: Jackie Robison, James Brown
and Thurgood Marshall. He plays Black Panther, or his royal name T’Challa, with
an air of seriousness subverted by sibling jabs. His powers lie in an impenetrable
suite made of a rare mineral called vibranium.
The vastly advanced scientific achievements of Wakanda are at his disposal.
There are plenty of fight scenes and battles featuring a mélange of new and old
weapons.
Michael B. Jordan (Creed) is the main villain. With all the
modernity of Wakanda the fights between Boseman and Jordon are hand to hand
combat which harkens more traditional films. The uniqueness of this film is
combining traditional African motifs with advanced scientific achievements
created by the proud indigenous population.
Lupita Nyong’o is T’Chatta’s former lover and warrior who
displays fighting chops. Forrest Whitaker is a sort of shaman. This a cream
puff role for Whitaker, but great performances is not mandatory for super hero movies.
Martin Freeman is a recognizable face and plays a CIA agent who is an ally of T’Challa.
Andy Serkis is a South African actor, he is the ugly bad guy. I cannot say
anything about Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out), without being attacked as a plot
spoiler. One comment about Angela Bassett, Queen Mother, she is an ageless
beauty. The star power of this movie is impressive but with so many stars their
air time is limited, except for Boseman.
For authenticity in the movie they speak the South African language
isiXhosa. This was the langue of Nelson Mandela.
This movie more like an experience than just a film. At some
point you should catch it.
p.s.-As with other
Marvel movies there is the “Where’s Waldo” gambit; here Waldo is Stan Lee.
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