DISCLAIMER: Spoiler Alert If You Have Not Yet Watched This!

5 stars *****

Ryan Coogler’s third film is the most aesthetically pleasing film you’ll see this year, filled to the brim with bright African print and vibrant afro-futurism, it is a consistent celebration of black beauty from start to finish.

Chadwick Boseman plays T’challa, who inherits the throne to the secret land of Wakanda and becomes a superhero, King, and warrior all in one.

The power of the Black Panther is handed down the royal lineage and can be challenged by any of the tribes residing in Wakanda. The danger comes from Ulysses Klaue and Erik Killmonger, played by Andy Serkis and Michael B Jordan, who pose a threat to the kingdom in revealing its power and success to the world.

Every female character in this film is a woman you would want your daughter to look up to, from the caring mother (Angela Bassett), the social justice conscious love interest (Lupita Nyong’o), the powerfully skilled general (Danai Gurira) and the bright young tech genius (Letitia Wright).

---

Related

animated-film-bilal-ibn-rabah-islams-first-muezzin

hiding-black-history

What does Representation mean? Are Brands Capitalising or Caring?

---

It is rare to see black women portrayed in such variety within a mainstream film, with almost every significant female role played by a dark-skinned actress – an even rarer sight. The women are fierce, strong and loyal, and despite the power of the Black Panther King,

the film makes it very clear that he is just one man who would not have survived without the support from a troop of women.

This, paired with a villain who you still want to be redeemed despite his endeavours to bring danger to an advanced civilisation we have fallen in love with, makes for an enthralling watch. With a cast that is majority black, the build-up to its release has been political and filled with a myriad of debates about diversity and the importance of representation- and the writers did not shy away from this aspect of the story,

exploring the politics of selling weapons, providing foreign aid and sheltering refugees.

Nakia, played by Nyong’o, is first introduced to the audience on a mission to free a group of young African women kidnapped by an armed militia and represents progress and social responsibility. While the Dora Milaje guard embodies traditional values. The heartwarming ending takes a comfortable balance between the two, quite like Wakanda’s ancient yet techtropolis setting.Acknowledging the history of the black struggle, the film is centered around a split between tradition and progressive collective responsibility. Compacted in a self-contained storyline, this superhero epic abandons traditional values for the betterment of humanity.

It ends with T’Challa righting wrongs of the past and setting up outreach centres to share knowledge with black youth, inadvertently realising that true leadership is supporting those who need it most.

With battling rhinos and tribal factionalism, all set to the roaring beats created by Ludwig Goransson and Kendrick Lamar, Black Panther is unlike any Marvel film you’ve seen.

Here is a little dose of the reactions the epic Marvel got…

I need to see black panther again. It was such a beautiful experience all the way through.

— IS THERE A BUDGET? (@goldenpolaroid) February 16, 2018

Me leaving the cinema after watching Black Panther pic.twitter.com/Skt0PFV0bu

— Hafsa (@hafsamontana) February 16, 2018

The women are really the ones in control of the throne. https://t.co/ha6LOBwbZV #BlackPanther #WakandaForever pic.twitter.com/fH0cDNVg7J

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 16, 2018

Good morning to everyone who plans to spend the day in #Wakanda. It is #BlackPanther Day. pic.twitter.com/Qg2v3fZH4l

— April (@ReignOfApril) February 16, 2018