There will be spoilers for the movie in this article, keep that in mind if you haven’t seen the movie yet!
In 2016, Chadwick Boseman made his MCU debut as the notorious Black Panther (also known as T’Challa) in Captain America: Civil War. Two years later in 2018, we were graced with a solo Black Panther film, and his performance was flawless. Since then, he reappeared in the movie Avengers: Infinity War, also in 2018, and Avengers: Endgame in 2019. Boseman became immediate MCU royalty, and Black Panther was an instant fan favorite.
Unfortunately, after a battle with colon cancer, Chadwick passed in August 2020. In the wake of his sudden and tragic death, it was unsure which direction the Black Panther sequel would go. The film’s cast and director, Ryan Coogler, were hounded with questions about the film. People were wondering if there would be a new actor to replace Boseman as T’Challa, if Black Panther’s sister Shuri (played by Letitia Wright) would become the new Black Panther, or if a new sequel would be produced at all.
But in May 2021, Marvel released the title for the sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The cast and crew also made it clear that Chadwick was irreplaceable and that it was too soon to throw in another actor to take his place. They were going to continue making the movie, and it would be dedicated to him.
After months of anticipation, I finally watched the film (opening weekend, of course), and I can confirm that the film was exactly that: a perfect tribute to honor his memory.
The film opens with Shuri frantically trying to find a cure for T’Challa, who has fallen ill. Her experiments keep failing, and in the middle of her trying to create a new medicine, her mother tells her that it’s too late and her brother is gone.
I thought this was a perfect way to write off T’Challa’s character; it was reflective of real life, and you could tell that it was written with pure intention and emotion. The funeral scene that followed was amazing and a good way to lay Chadwick Boseman’s iteration of the character to rest. The way the actors put genuine, raw emotion into their performances during these parts of the movie set the tone for the rest of the film, and it automatically took it to another level before the plot even picked up.
A year later, we’re introduced to Riri Williams, a student at MIT who is so smart that she rivals Tony Stark. I was personally extremely excited about her appearance. I’m big into comic books, and I’ve been obsessed with her since her debut in 2016. She’s the perfect representation for black girls, showing them that they can be smart and take on difficult fields of education like STEM. The movie got her character down to a tee; her wit, intelligence, and sarcasm were perfectly displayed, and the way she interacted with Shuri was so fun to see. They didn’t downplay her talents or successes and showed off all of her inventions, namely her Iron Man-inspired suit. Riri is the fresh breath of air that the MCU needs, and I can’t wait to see what they do with her in the future (Be sure to check out her show on Disney+ in Fall 2023!).
Now let’s move on to Talokan.
Talokan is the underwater nation where the movie’s antagonist Namor resides. The special effects and visuals during these scenes are literally insane. It’s so pretty, and you can tell the creators put a lot of time and effort into making sure the details really shined through. The colors used were beautiful, and the animation of the water and the way the people interacted with it were crisp and clean. I’m not one to be picky about CGI, but this was definitely one of Marvel’s best CGI scenes ever. The nation of Talokan was so immersive and well-thought-out, and the music they played while Namor was showing Shuri around made the experience even better. Namor’s backstory was also filmed beautifully; the building of Talokan and the relationship he had with his mother were so interesting and touching to see. It was a great representation of Indigenous cultures, which aren’t highlighted much in the media.
After this scene, the nations of Wakanda and Talokan begin fighting, and Shuri’s mom, Queen Ramonda, dies in the crossfire. The pure emotion that Shuri displays at this moment is what solidifies just how great of an actress Letitia Wright is to me. It also marks what was probably the 100th time I cried during the movie. Shuri’s lost everything — her father, her brother, and now her mother, and her country is under siege. She’s forced to handle so much grief and trauma, and she’s only a teenager.
In my opinion, Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett (Queen Ramonda) put on some of the best performances that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ever seen. Every shot they were in together was done perfectly, and you can tell they put their all into their acting. From the beginning of the movie up until she died, Angela gave an award-winning performance. Her monologue that she gave when her character was meeting with the United Nations, her speech to Shuri about facing the loss of T’Challa, and the monologue she gave Okoye when Shuri was kidnapped all gave me goosebumps. Letitia Wright carried the whole movie and never wavered one bit. Every line delivery was done with a purpose and had so much feeling behind it.
The ending left me feeling content. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it. I was glad that Shuri didn’t compromise her morals and kill Namor, but once it was revealed at the end that he was manipulating her and was planning revenge, I wished that she had. But the whole point of the movie wasn’t about getting revenge, it was about honoring her family, and she did that by letting him go free. It was a satisfying ending as a whole, and I believe that it really solidified who Shuri is as a character.
This soundtrack was very different from the first movie’s soundtrack because it had more artists of African descent creating the songs, and they did a better job at telling the story. The first album, done exclusively by Kendrick Lamar, was more rap-based and fun (However, it’s still one of my favorite albums to this day). Wakanda Forever’s soundtrack was heavily inspired by afrobeat, drumming, and several more elements of different African music. I loved how much more weight this one held, and just like the actors’ performances, you can tell the musicians went into the studio and gave their all with these songs to honor Chadwick.
Overall, I think that this was one of the MCU’s best movies. Everything was Oscar-worthy: the acting, the visual effects, the costuming, and the music. If this movie doesn’t take home some big awards, it’ll be extremely disappointing. The first film won three (Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Best Music/Score), making it the first Marvel movie ever to win Academy Awards. This second film definitely lived up to the first one. It was almost entirely women-led, which is a huge win not just for the MCU, but for Hollywood overall, especially because it was led by Black women. Every character is so well-written, especially M’Baku; he’s such a scene-stealer. Namor is also a really good antagonist and might be on the list of the MCU’s best villains.
That being said, while the film was amazing, I don’t think it’s entirely fair to compare it to the first one or other MCU movies. This movie was meant to be a tribute rather than a blockbuster hit. Everyone who helped bring this movie together did it in memory of Chadwick Boseman, and they honored him perfectly. The scene at the end of the movie where Shuri was reminiscing on memories of her and T’Challa was heart-wrenching. It served as a reflective period for her character in the movie as well as the cast, the crew, and the audience in real life.
I’m glad this film doesn’t have any strong ties to other MCU projects other than the first film. The MCU is notorious for intertwining all of its projects, so you have to watch several things to understand the concepts. Having it be a standalone film made the dedication to Chadwick more present, and it gave the film a lot more freedom plot-wise. The movie wasn’t bogged down by scene-stealing cameos or confusing plot points that require you to go back and watch 20-something movies to get caught up. They perfectly balanced honoring the late Chadwick Boseman and delivering a well-rounded story. It also showed that superhero movies don’t have to depend on action and fight scenes. The movie was centered around loss, and they took those emotions and made something beautiful. The film’s most iconic scenes were the ones that were minimalistic and sentimental.
I’m still not exactly sure where it falls in my definitive ranking of every single MCU movie, but it’s definitely floating around in my top 5. Black Panther never disappoints: it has a good-looking cast (the best if you ask me!), the perfect balance between humor and seriousness, notable lines that are fun to quote, and it’s full of representation that isn’t always seen. Both films are centered around family, and it brings a warmth to the MCU that the other films don’t necessarily have. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and I’m already planning to rewatch it. Ryan Coogler, along with the other cast and crew, really outdid themselves in making this film. Not only was it an insanely good film, but it was also a tribute to Chadwick that was so personal it leaked through every scene and every line the characters said. Even though we as the audience didn’t know him personally, it sure feels like we did.