Rated: M
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Written by: Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole
Based on the Marvel Comics by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Produced by: Kevin Feige p.g.a
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Sterling K. Brown, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis.
Growing up, black panthers were my favourite animal. I remember whispering to my cat, asking to bring one of their cousins home for a visit. Probably a good thing the wish never came true as a super hero I am not. Nor have I been a big fan of super hero movies. But Black Panther is a powerful and rich story that is beautiful and unique.
And yeah, there’s some pretty cool action as well.
The character, Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) made his debut on film in, Captain America: Civil War (2016).
Well received, we now have the story of the Black Panther; a script based on the Marvel comics written by Stan Lee (who’s making a habit of popping up in films based on his characters) and Jack Kirby.
This is a story of T’Challa, the son of the African King of Wakanda who becomes the Black Panther after his father is murdered by Ulysses Klaw (Andy Serkis).
It’s a unique tale of the tribal nature of Africa combined with futuristic technology made from the hardest metal on Earth – Vibranium. There’s also the mystical here with a black panther showing the Wakanda ancestors where to find the Vibranium, and how eating an herb of blue flowers enhances abilities making the Black Panther super-human.
See an informative and interesting article here describing the history of the comic of Black Panther written by: David Roach and Peter Sanderson.
Directed by Ryan Coogler (Creed 2015), Black Panther the movie is filled with colour, expansive landscapes (Rachel Morrison) and strong, layered characters.
There’s a lot of elements brought together by an emotive soundtrack (Ludwig Göransson) that soars and causes that swelling in the chest you get when the characters are doing right no matter what the cost.
It’s not often you get such a visual, action-packed sci-fi that causes such an emotional response.
The politics and message of the film could have turned the tone saccharine, but the careful handling of director Coogler and strong acting from the cast made the message poignant and thought-provoking.
It was a pleasure to embrace the beauty of the colourful nation of Wakanda – the costuming (Ruth E. Carter) of the inhabitants also a standout.
And the layering of characters with good and bad in all; where people can be the products of circumstance, allowing an understanding of why people behave the way they do. Where integrity and the strength and clarity to make the right choices are needed to make any change worthwhile.
There’s a reason this film has been so successful as the appeal is wide and the message runs deep.
What a fantastic story and what a successful adaptation to the big screen.
Black Panther is not only exciting and beautiful to watch, an emotional chord is struck, provoking thought of what it is to be human.
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