“Black Panther” is one of the best spy and superhero films I’ve watched in a long time. It’s also one of the better father-son movies in my recent memory. And it is also yet another example of how the people at Marvel and Disney are fine with letting talented and out-of-the-box creators play in their sandbox and do their own thing.
Does it have its cheesy Marvel-movie moments here and there? Sure — you’ll be beaten over the head with exposition.
Does some of the humor seemed shoehorned in? Yes, but most of it hits like a sack of hammers — I will never think of the word “sneakers” the same way ever again.
I believe that writer-director Ryan Coogler is one of the best young filmmakers today, and “Black Panther” only strengthens his standing among the great up-and-coming stars in Hollywood. That might actually be an understatement considering what Coogler has done in his first three feature length films. Having “Fruitvale Station,” “Creed,” and, now, “Black Panther” on the résumé is nothing to scoff at.
The budgets might have ballooned since the first film — “Fruitvale Station” was done for $900K, “Creed” had a $40M budget, and Disney shelled out $200M for “Black Panther” — but Coogler is still one of the best at keeping the heart intact through the green screen flips, car explosions and dense world building.
At its core, “Black Panther” is a story about fatherhood and responsibility with roots in Oakland — Coogler’s hometown. Most big-budget superhero movies that try to ground their lore or story in the real world never work, because it quickly devolves into a pandering fest. This film does not feel that way in the slightest. Instead, it feels like Coogler is taking us through a fever dream he had as a youth growing up in the East Bay, and only now does he have the tools to depict it correctly.
Chadwick Boseman is back as T’Challa and is solid in the titular role, but Michael B. Jordan steals the show as his foil, Erik Killmonger, who emphatically cannonballs into the small pool of meaningful, well-written villains of superhero film. It’s easy to see his cause, his reason, and what made him believe it is the right way of life. Having the heart come from the villain is a tough thing to pull off, but Coogler does it wonderfully.
Letitia Wright is hilarious as Boseman’s sister Shuri, who is the equivalent of James Bond’s Q or Bruce Wayne’s Alfred. Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Lupita Nyong’o, Martin Freeman, Forest Whitaker and Andy Serkis are also good in their limited time on screen, and never feel like they’re too involved or simply there to serve the plot. That, again, is a result of Coogler’s script.
The only thing that fell short of good was the action when Boseman throws on the impenetrable suit. Most of the time, it’s sloppy, too frantic to tell what exactly is going on, or looks too cartoonish. There are some very bad CGI moments that made me think back to the Sam Raimi “Spider-Man” days of the early 2000s.
That, however, is a minor gripe.
There’s little doubt that this film will have a social impact. Not only because of its financial success, but because of its greater message, too. Coolger dips into some interesting topics — race and immigration, primarily — that most directors at the reigns of a nine-figure comic book flick would shy away from, and he does it so professionally that it comes across as thought provoking, not divisive.
That only sweetens the already impressive package.
8/10
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BOX OFFICE REVIEW
1. “Black Panther”: $201,797,000 (week 1); Buena Vista/Disney.
2. “Peter Rabbit”: $17,600,000 (week 2); Sony. Total gross: $48,572,542.
3. “Fifty Shade Feed”: $17,320,000 (week 2); Universal. Total gross: $76,513,455.
4. “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”: $7,925,000 (week 9); Sony. Total gross: $377,603,565.
5. “The 15:17 to Paris”: $7,620,000 (week 2); Warner Bros. Total gross: $25,367,717.
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COMING SOON
• “Game Night” — A group of friends who meet regularly for game nights find themselves trying to solve a murder mystery.
Directors: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Cast: Rachel McAdams, Jesse Plemons, Jason Bateman, Michael C. Hall
• “Annihilation” — A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don’t apply.
Director: Alex Garland
Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Benedict Wong
• “Hannah” — Intimate portrait of a woman drifting between reality and denial when she is left alone to grapple with the consequences of her husband’s imprisonment.
Director: Andrea Pallaoro
Cast: Charlotte Rampling, André Wilms, Stéphanie Van Vyve, Simon Bisschop
