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Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, AKA Black Panther. i

Black Panther review – Marvel's thrilling vision of the afrofuture

The latest big-screen superhero story is a subversive and uproarious action-adventure, in which African stereotypes are upended and history is rewritten

Director Ryan Coogler and co-screenwriter Joe Robert Cole tackle the superheroes of colour question with this surreal and uproarious movie version of Marvel’s Black Panther legend, in which the sheer enjoyment of everyone involved pumps the movie with fun. It’s an action-adventure origin myth which plays less like a conventional superhero film and more like a radical Brigadoon or a delirious adventure by Jules Verne or Edgar Rice Burroughs. Those were the colonial-era mythmakers whose exoticism must surely have influenced Stan Lee and Jack Kirby when they devised the comic books in the 1960s, supplying the Afro- in the steely afrofuturism of Black Panther that generations of fans have treasured and reclaimed as an alternative to the pop culture of white America. But it’s the –futurism that gives Black Panther his distinctive power.

Chadwick Boseman plays T’Challa, a prince with a sensitive, handsome, boyish face and something introspective, vulnerable and self-questioning in his style. After the death of his father (shown in Captain America: Civil War , from 2016), T’Challa succeeds to the throne of the fictional African state of Wakanda, which lies west of Lake Victoria, on territory that is occupied in the real world by Uganda, Rwanda and northern Tanzania.

Wakanda is, on the face of it, dirt-poor as well as mountainous, jungly and inaccessible. But the point is that the Wakandans have deliberately cultivated the west’s condescending stereotypes of Africa as camouflage, to prevent outside interference. For beneath the foliage, Wakanda is a secret city state with more flying cars and suspended monorails than you can shake a stick at. It’s a hidden world of supermodernity – though it is nonetheless the land that democracy forgot. And all powered by the hidden element known as vibranium, which supplies limitless energy, and is harnessed by T’Challa in the armoured bodysuit he wears as Black Panther.

T’Challa’s brilliant sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) is his Q figure, a scientist who designs equipment and weaponry. Lupita Nyong’o is Nakia, a Wakandan intelligence agent for whom T’Challa may very well have feelings. Angela Bassett is T’Challa’s widowed mother Ramonda; Forest Whitaker is elder statesman Zuri – basically, the Merlin of T’Challa’s court – and Daniel Kaluuya (from Get Out) plays border tribe chief W’Kabi, a man of uncertain loyalties.

But there are problems in Wakanda, not all stemming from the film’s few white characters: CIA man Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) blunders into Wakandan power politics, and white South African career criminal Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) plots to steal their vibranium. The Wakandan exile Erik Killmonger (Michael B Jordan) wants to take over T’Challa’s throne and overturn his quietist approach, take advantage of Wakanda’s technological superiority, stand up for racially oppressed African Americans and black people everywhere, and establish a new Wakandan empire of righteousness on which the sun will never set. Our first view of Erik is when he is visiting an exhibition of looted African artefacts in the “Museum of Great Britain” in London.

This setup teases us with its resemblances to Thor and Asgard, as well as its inversions and theme-variants on the Lion King myth, yet it is very much not about a wicked uncle killing a noble king. The vibranium is vitally important; absurd, of course, but very much aligned with all those other natural resources that somehow only enrich people outside Africa: gold, diamonds, rubber and the coltan in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that we need for our smartphones. Deadpan, the film allows us to register the difference between T’Challa and Erik as an African and an African American – Erik being burdened by the traumas and injustices of American history in a way T’Challa is not. It used to be remarked that Barack Obama, born in Hawaii to a Kenyan father, was freed of that burden; his successor, under the impression that there is somewhere in Africa called “Nambia”, is not burdened by any great interest in Africa, but perhaps Nambia is his own creative concept neighbouring Wakanda.

And where do we go after this? Does Black Panther get to be another subordinate bit-part player in future Marvel ensemble movies? I hope not: I want stories where Black Panther takes on people outside Wakanda and I hope that Nakia gets a movie of her own. The intriguing thing about Black Panther is that it doesn’t look like a superhero film – more a wide-eyed fantasy romance: exciting, subversive and funny.

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The center of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”—the sequel to the hugely popular “ Black Panther ,” and a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman —is sincere, even if the overall film feels manufactured. It begins with a funeral for the recently deceased King T'Challa. Shuri ( Letitia Wright ) and Queen Ramonda ( Angela Bassett ) are dressed in white, following the black coffin, whose top features a silver emblem of the Black Panther mask and the crossed arms of the Wakanda salute. Their mournful procession, winding through the kingdom, is contrasted with slow-motion tracking shots of dancers jubilantly dancing in memory of their fallen king. After the coffin arrives at a clearing, where it ceremoniously rises to the sky, we cut to an earnest, emotional montage of Boseman as T'Challa. The solemn, aching continuum of images soon forms the “Marvel Studios” logo, announcing that this is still a Marvel movie. And “Wakanda Forever” is all the worse for it.

What was the secret ingredient for the success of “Black Panther”? Similar to the resplendent, secluded African nation of Wakanda, “Black Panther” existed just outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It mostly stood on its own without the crushing requirements felt by every other film: The humor existed between the characters, not as random references to another property; the characters (with Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue as an exception) were particular to the story; the concerns rarely drifted toward franchise building aspirations.

But writer/director Ryan Coogler and his co-writer Joe Robert Cole don't possess the same kind of freedom with this melancholy sequel. Some limitations aren't within their control, such as the tragic death of Boseman. Others feel like a capitulation to assimilate into a movie-making machine.

The hulking script is chock-full of ideas and themes. Rather than fighting their common enemy (white colonists), two kingdoms helmed by people of color are pitted against each other (an idea that never thematically lands), and the film must delve into the cultural pain that still exists from the historical annihilation of Central and South America’s Indigenous kingdoms. It must also contend with a bevy of other requirements: setting up the Marvel TV series “Ironheart” (in which Dominique Thorne will star), acknowledging The Snap, grieving Boseman’s death, and finding a new Black Panther. These competing interests are no less smoothed out by MCU’s blockbuster demands (that this must be a mainstream hit and usher in the next phase of the cinematic universe) and the weight of satiating Black folks who feel seen by the fantastical confirmation of Black regalism. It’s too much for one movie. And you get the sense that this should’ve been two.

At nearly every turn, "Wakanda Forever" fails, starting with its setup. Colonist countries, now afraid of an African superpower, are scouring the world, from sea to sea, searching for vibranium (the metallic ore that powers the African kingdom). A young scientist named Riri (Thorne, treated as a plucky afterthought) plays a role in a search that leads mercenaries deep underwater where they encounter Namor/Kukulkan (a menacing and bold Tenoch Huerta ), the king of Talokan, and his people, who are none too happy with the surface world. They want to destroy it. The godly Namor, his ears pointed to the sky, his winged feet fluttering, later surfaces in Wakanda. With water still dripping from his jade earrings and glimmering, vibranium-pearl-gold necklace, he approaches a still mournful Ramonda and a bitter Shuri with a threat masquerading as an alliance. His appearance causes Wakanda to turn to Everett Ross ( Martin Freeman ), which leads to other cameos and subplots that weigh down the entire film with franchise expectations.

What’s imperative to “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is the way Coogler centers righteous rage. Ramonda’s first big scene is her admonishing the United Nations for expecting her to share vibranium with the world, even as they try to steal the resource from her nation. Bassett, with a capital-A, acts in a sequence where her voice booms, her gaze is fixed and unforgiving, and the venom is felt. And yet, Shuri, who has buried herself in her lab, developing dangerous weapons, feels worse. She wants to see the world burn. Their shared anger forces a spew of short-sighted decisions that lead to further escalations with Namor—who desperately angles to avenge his mother and his ancestors. The film attempts to position the trio as different stages of grief, but in trying to get viewers up to speed on the atrocities experienced by Namor, it becomes slow and overblown.

Maybe somewhere a way existed to connect these arcs. But that would require better visual storytelling than the movie offers. Far too often, the dialogue stays on the surface, either by providing reams of exposition, externalizing exactly what’s on the character’s mind or by trying to meld together the real-life loss felt by the actors with that of the characters. The latter certainly offers these performers a necessary chance to process their hurt on screen, but when did filmmakers forget how to show without telling? Why are contemporary blockbusters so enamored with holding the audience’s hand by providing every minute detail? At one point, after Namor explains his entire backstory, Shuri responds with, “Why are you telling me all of this?” It feels like a note Coogler gave to himself.

The shortcomings in dialogue and story, and how often “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” bows to IP-driven needs, would be easier to stomach if the visual components weren’t so creaky. The jittery fight sequences are too difficult to follow: inelegant compositions blur into an incomprehensible sludge with every cut by editors Michael P. Shawver , Kelley Dixon , and Jennifer Lame . Admittedly, there were projection issues with my screening of the film, so I will refrain from totally dismissing the all-too-dark lighting, but the actual framing by cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, working with the film’s copious visual effects, lacks a sense of space anyways. Scenes of everyday life in Wakanda—Black folks shopping, communities laughing and enjoying each other’s company—that once filled the viewer with joy feel artificial here. The vast landscapes of the nation, which once were filled with splendor, are now murky backgrounds. Some of that awe is recaptured when we see Talokan and its immense Mayan architecture and decorative wall paintings. But you wish, much like “Black Panther,” that Namor was first given his movie where these scenes could breathe, and we could become as integrated into this kingdom as we became in Wakanda.

Ultimately, this film attempts to set up the future through Shuri. Wright is a talented actress with the ability to emotionally shoulder a movie when given good material. But she is constantly working against the script here. She fights past a cringe cameo; she fights past clunky jokes; she fights past an ending that feels all too neat. An assured and charismatic Winston Duke as M’Baku is there to help, and a misused Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia is there for assistance. Okoye, played by Danai Gurira , provides resilience. And new addition Michaela Coel (“I May Destroy You”) as Aneka, a quirky character who tonally doesn’t work in this somber ensemble, is there for comic relief ... I guess? In any case, the collective front of these performers isn't enough to stem the tide of a movie that relies on shouting matches and broad visual and political metaphors that have been boiled down to their uncomplicated essence rather than their complex truths (which isn’t unlike Rihanna’s turgid soundtrack offering “Lift Me Up”).

A major sea battle ensues, new, ropey gadgets are employed, and loose ends are inarticulately tied. Another montage dedicated to Boseman occurs, and while the film is messy, you’re relieved that it begins and ends on the right foot. That is, until the saccharine post-credit scene. I’m not sure what Coogler was thinking. He had more weight on him for this movie than any filmmaker deserves. But when this scene occurred, I audibly groaned at what amounts to a weepy, treacly moment that’s wholly unnecessary, emotionally manipulative, and partially unearned. It’s one of the many instances where “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” might have its heart in the right place but is in the wrong mindset and the worst space—at the center of a contrived cinematic universe—to mourn on its own terms.

Available in theaters on November 11th.

Robert Daniels

Robert Daniels is an Associate Editor at RogerEbert.com. Based in Chicago, he is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) and Critics Choice Association (CCA) and regularly contributes to the New York Times , IndieWire , and Screen Daily . He has covered film festivals ranging from Cannes to Sundance to Toronto. He has also written for the Criterion Collection, the Los Angeles Times , and Rolling Stone about Black American pop culture and issues of representation.

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie poster

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action and some language.

161 minutes

Letitia Wright as Shuri / Black Panther

Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia

Angela Bassett as Ramonda

Danai Gurira as Okoye

Winston Duke as M'Baku

Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams / Ironheart

Tenoch Huerta as Namor

Florence Kasumba as Ayo

Michaela Coel as Aneka

Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross

Mabel Cadena as Namora

Alex Livinalli as Attuma

Danny Sapani as M'Kathu

Isaach de Bankolé as River Tribe Elder

Gigi Bermingham as French Secretary of State

Ryan Coogler

Writer (story by)

Joe Robert Cole

Cinematogapher

Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Jennifer Lame
Michael P. Shawver
Kelley Dixon
Ludwig Göransson

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

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A poignant tribute that satisfyingly moves the franchise forward, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever marks an ambitious and emotionally rewarding triumph for the MCU.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever says a solemn goodbye to one of the MCU's most beloved stars without skimping on the action.

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‘Black Panther’ Review: Marvel’s History-Making Superhero Movie’s a Masterpiece

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

It’s finally here – and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Black Panther is an epic that doesn’t walk, talk or kick ass like any other Marvel movie – an exhilarating triumph on every level from writing, directing, acting, production design, costumes, music, special effects to you name it. For children (and adults) of color who have longed forever to see a superhero who looks like them, Marvel’s first black-superhero film is an answered prayer, a landmark adventure and a new film classic.

But wait a minute: Hasn’t Black Panther been around since the 1960s, when Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created him for the comics? So why did it take half a century for Marvel to get him up on screen? Chadwick Boseman already played this superhero in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, a supporting role in a Marvel Comic Universe best categorized as #AvengersSoWhite. That’s all in the past. There’s no sidekick or second-banana status here. The spotlight is all his – and his stand-alone, solo outing is history in the making.

Thrillingly and thoughtfully directed and written (with Joe Robert Cole) by Ryan Coogler , the film lights up the screen with a full-throttle blast of action and fun. That’s to be expected. But what sneaks up and floors you is the film’s racial conscience and profound, astonishing beauty. Not just a correction for years of diversity neglect, it’s a big0budget blockbuster that digs into the roots of blackness itself. Coogler, 31, has proved his skills behind the camera with Fruitvale Station and Creed, but in Black Panther he journeys into the heart of Africa to bring a new world to the screen. The result feels revolutionary.

Boseman is just tremendous in the role of T’Challa, the king of Wakanda – a fictional African country where he presents one image as a ruler and another as a crimefighting superhero disguised as a panther. His costume is threaded with vibranium, a mineral with magical properties and a national resource that T’Challa keeps hidden, along with his cloistered country’s other huge scientific discoveries. The man’s intellect is his own, but his superpowers derive from a heart-shaped herb found only in his native land. Boseman, a stunningly versatile actor who played Jackie Robinson in 42, James Brown in Get On Up and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall, digs so deep into T’Challa that you can feel his nerve endings.

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Perhaps Coogler’s most inspiring decision is to treat Wakanda as a character itself, a place that resonates with its own social structure and rules of government, including choosing its king through physical challenge. Shot by Rachel Morrison ( Mudbound ), the first woman to be Oscar-nominated for cinematography in the Academy’s shameful 90-year history, Black Panther is alive with visual miracles. And Coogler has populated it with superb actors who play it like they mean it.

Besides the brilliant Boseman, you can bring out the superlatives for Michael B. Jordan , blazingly good as Erik Killmonger, the movie’s villain and a figure from T’Challa’s past. Yet the young actor plays this warrior (he scars his body with notches to represent his kills) with such tormented morality and emotional intensity that Erik’s humanity is never in doubt. Daniel Kaluuya, an Oscar nominee for Get Out, is also aces as W’Kabi, T’Challa’s friend and head of security. And screen giant Forest Whitaker brings soulful dignity to Zuri, the King’s spiritual mentor.

If you’re thinking you’re in for another macho power trip, forget it. The women are more than a match for the men in this game, from the iconic Angela Bassett as Ramonda, T’Challa’s widowed mother, to the ready-to-rumble Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, T’Challa’s ex love and a spy for Wakanda in the outside world. And wait until you see the dynamite Danai Gurira – Michonne on The Walking Dead – fire on all cylinders as Okoye, head of Wakanda’s all-female Special Forces known as the Dora Milaje. Her head shaved, her eyes beaming likes lasers and her weapons at the ready, she is the living definition of fierce.

And there’s no beating the smarts and sass of the wonderous Letitia Wright, who brings scene-stealing to the level of grand larceny as Princess Shuri, T’Challa’s kid sister. “Did you freeze again ?” Shuri asks her big brother, teasing his surprisingly slow reflexes in the heat of battle once he catches sight of true love. A scientist and tech-tinkerer, she’s always the brainiest person in the room, giving Q from the James Bond series a run for his money by inventing the coolest gadgets. Wright is a star in the making, who makes damn sure that Shuri will be a role model to young girls for years to come.

Black Superheroes Matter: Why a 'Black Panther' Movie Is Revolutionary

What happens when the going gets bloody? The suits at Marvel and Disney have cautioned critics about spoilers to allow audiences “to discover any surprises and plot twists” for themselves. Fair enough … so we’ll shut up about the role the terrific Sterling K. Brown plays in the opening flashback. But it’s fair to mention Ludwig Goransson’s rousing score with hip-hop song contributions from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Sam Dew, Vince Staples and Childish Gambino. And Ruth E. Carter’s costumes, alive with rich color and texture, are already on the march to screen legend. Coogler also rewrites the book on stunts, especially when T’Challa fights Killmonger over a waterfall or Andy Serkis’s South African arms dealer Ulysses Klaue battles our heroes in a South Korean casino. (Check out how the car-chase set piece that follows that melee bends the usual clichés into unexpectedly hilarious chaos.) Even CIA agent Everett K. Ross, played by a most excellent Martin Freeman, springs surprises to stop the use of vibranium in stand-off that could lead to global annihilation.

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The end-of-days scenario isn’t new in the MCU, but what the movie’s director does with it most definitely is. Black Panther is a fantasy film rooted in the here and now. Unlike other Marvel superheroes, T’Challa is a king, a real-life royal with a burden of responsibility. Does he keep Wakanda safe by hiding its technological advances or share them with volatile intruders, who are eager to weaponize resources meant to strengthen and heal? In Get Out, Jordan Peele satirized white appropriation of black culture. Here, Coogler makes black identity invincible, but avoids simplification by turning Wakanda into a society of different tribes, each with its own customs, goals and political agendas that reflect a conflicted world very much like our own.

There aren’t many superhero films that blow you away with thunderous effects and also tackle ethnic and gender issues, crush racial stereotypes, celebrate women and condemn Trump-era notions of exclusionism. It’s easier and way more commercial to be oblivious. But that’s not Coogler’s style. Written and directed by African Americans who make up most of the cast, the film has taken flak from critics who believe that Marvel is hijacking African traditions to sell tickets, bemoaning the fact that the film was mostly shot in Atlanta instead of Africa. But the accusations ring hollow and ignore the mint-fresh inventiveness and passionate commitment to the black experience that’s instilled in every frame. It’s impossible not to cheer Boseman as T’Challa emerges as Marvel’s once and future king. Say this about Black Panther, which raises movie escapism very near the level of art: You’ve never seen anything like it in your life. Wakanda forever!

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Film Review: ‘Black Panther’

Now on its 18th film, Marvel Studios greenlights a movie that feels quite unlike the other Avengers one-offs, featuring a superhero with purpose.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

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SPOILER ALERT: The following review contains mild spoilers for “ Black Panther .”

Until now, whether they hail from the DC or Marvel cinematic universes, big-screen superheroes have traditionally been white dudes put on this earth (e.g. Superman and Thor, who each came from other planets) or fashioned by the U.S. military (à la Captain America and War Machine) to defend America from its enemies. Co-written and directed by Ryan Coogler , “Black Panther” is a radically different kind of comic-book movie, one with a proud Afrocentric twist, featuring a nearly all-black cast, that largely ignores the United States and focuses instead on the fictional nation of Wakanda — and guess what: Virtually everything that distinguishes “Black Panther” from past Marvel pics works to this standalone entry’s advantage.

Before we get carried away, let’s be clear: “Black Panther” is still a superhero movie, which means that it’s effectively conceived for 10-year-olds and all those who wish a film like this had existed when they were 10. Except that the latter category is potentially bigger than ever this time around (for a Marvel movie, at least), since there has never in the history of cinema been a film that allows an ensemble of black characters to take charge on a global scale quite like this — and many have waited their entire lives to witness just such a feat (the way that “Wonder Woman” was a hugely empowering game changer for women).

That alone would be reason to get excited, and Coogler makes good on the landmark project’s potential by featuring a predominantly black ensemble, casting some of the best young actors around — from Chadwick Boseman (who proved his dramatic chops playing James Brown, Jackie Robinson, and Thurgood Marshall in recent years) to Michael B. Jordan (even more buff, and twice as charismatic, than he appeared in the director’s two previous features, “Fruitvale Station” and “Creed”) — as well as such legends as Forest Whitaker and Angela Bassett. But historical significance aside, what superhero fans want to know is how “Black Panther” compares with other Marvel movies. Simply put, it not only holds its own, but improves on the formula in several key respects, from a politically engaged villain to an emotionally grounded final showdown.

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Opening in the mythical kingdom of Wakanda , “Black Panther” effectively anticipates President Trump’s alleged comments about “shithole countries” whose refugees prefer the American way of life “to their huts.” Without disparaging the rest of Africa, Coogler and his crew suggest what the continent might have become had it never been stripped of its resources — and had those resources included highly advanced alien technology and ultra-efficient energy sources. Hidden from the world, Wakanda is home to the world’s most technologically advanced city, protected by a ruler with special powers (never fully defined, all-too-easily revoked) and a fearsome black panther costume.

Of course, Wakanda doesn’t really exist, but then, Europeans so exploited the continent that we’ll never truly know the full extent of what Africa could have taught the world. (No wonder Wakandans pejoratively refer to white people as “colonizers,” a not-unreasonable epithet that’s virtually certain to enter the national vocabulary from here.) As Prince T’Challa, Boseman plays the latest Wakandan leader to don the catsuit, a matte-black onesie that receives a nice upgrade courtesy of his tech-savvy sister, Shuri (scene-stealer Letitia Wright, whose irreverent delivery makes a welcome counterbalance to Boseman’s dead-serious attitude).

Truth be told, T’Challa is kind of a bore, even if the movie that surrounds him seldom fails to thrill: He’s prince of a utopian city with little interest in the fate of the world beyond his borders — until his father, King T’Chaka (John Kani), is assassinated during a bombing at the Vienna International Centre (a flashback to “Captain America: Civil War”). Though the Black Panther who made his impressive, hyper-acrobatic debut in that film is one and the same as the character seen here, Coogler humanizes him to such a degree that T’Challa doesn’t feel like a superhero so much as a deeply conflicted world leader — albeit one who must defend his title via brutal hand-to-hand bloodmatches (in a ritual that suggests a considerably more primordial, and decidedly anti-democratic, form of governance).

Wakanda owes its utopian status to a precious extraterrestrial resource called Vibranium that the rest of the world covets (it presumably sits somewhere between Kryptonite and Unobtanium on the periodic table of elements, and far out-values the diamonds and uranium for which Africa has been plundered over the past century). Halfway around the world, an MIT-educated former black-ops soldier named Erik Killmonger (Jordan, sporting a modified Basquiat haircut) waltzes into a museum and steals a misidentified Wakandan relic. (When a curator objects to the theft, he quips, “How do you think your ancestors got these?”)

Because Black Panther’s skills seem to rely more on gadgets than fantastical powers, his standalone Marvel outing actually feels more like a James Bond adventure than a conventional superhero movie at times — as in the subsequent set piece, which was clearly inspired by the Macau casino scene in “Skyfall.” Accompanied by two spear-wielding warriors (Danai Gurira and Lupita Nyong’o play members of the Dora Milaje, Wakanda’s elite female fighting force), a tuxedo-clad T’Challa attempts to go incognito while South African gunrunner Ulysses Klaue (a suitably thuggish Andy Serkis, ever the chameleon) makes ready to pass the pilfered treasure to a CIA agent (Martin Freeman, who may as well be playing 007 ally Felix Leiter).

An elaborate shootout ensues, conspicuously choreographed as a single-take “oner.” Unlike “Atomic Blonde” (the best use yet of that approach), the device calls a bit too much attention to itself here, cartoonishly inflating the action, rather than making it more realistic and relatable. Still, if it’s the cool factor Coogler is going for, the scene delivers, segueing into a stunning car chase across Busan, South Korea.

“Black Panther” may not have the most impressive action sequences or visual effects of any Marvel movie, but it boasts the best villains. As an arms dealer whose arm doubles as a Vibranium super-cannon, Klaue makes for a nasty henchman, while Killmonger keeps his cards up his sleeve until relatively late in the film but emerges as the most satisfying comic-book adversary since Heath Ledger’s Joker. Both characters have a ruthless anarchic streak, although Killmonger has more than just wreaking chaos in mind. He’s motivated by a feeling of deep political injustice, plus a “This time it’s personal” sense of vengeance, and he’s convinced that raiding the Wakanda’s stockpile of Vibranium could put genuine firepower in a worldwide black uprising.

It’s a compelling idea (enough to sway a key ally played by Daniel Kaluuya), and a reminder that throughout the African diaspora, the black-white power balance remains as it is courtesy of Jim Crow practices designed to keep minorities in check: persistent segregation, broken drug laws, racially targeted policing, disproportionately high incarceration rates — all of which are identified and indicted by Coogler’s truth-to-power script. Arm the oppressed, Killmonger passionately argues, and it won’t take a century for the system that produced “The Birth of a Nation” to grant a black artist the right to tell this kind of story — not that Coogler endorses the character’s lunatic ideas.

But he’s not about to waste the opportunity either. Rather than simply concocting another generic plan to save the world from annihilation, Coogler revives the age-old debate between Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X — between passive resistance and the call for militant black activism. Think of it as “Black Panther vs. the Black Panthers,” except you can’t have a nonviolent action hero, which puts T’Challa in a strange position. It’s not quite clear what he stands for, whereas his independent-minded ex-girlfriend Nakia (Nyong’o’s character) has ambitious ideas about how Wakanda could help the world — which means it’s up to her to spark his engagement with the outside world.

While far more mainstream — and by extension, kid-friendly — than such blaxploitation classics as “Foxy Brown” and “Cleopatra Jones,” “Black Panther” upholds the same tradition of celebrating strong, assertive black women. At the end of a big rhinoceros battle, a male character submits to Gurira in the film’s single most iconic shot, while an earlier scene in which she tosses aside a bad wig ranks as the most gay-friendly Marvel moment to date.

In their print form, comic books have led the way in terms of representation and inclusivity, long empowering non-white, non-male characters in their pages. Although previous big-screen examples certainly exist — among them Wesley Snipes’ “Blade” and Will Smith’s “Hancock” — “Black Panther” celebrates its hero’s heritage while delivering one of Marvel’s most all-around appealing standalone installments to date. Going forward, Black Panther will join the ranks of the Avengers, further diversifying their ranks. In the meantime, it’s awesome to see Black Power celebrated in such a mainstream fashion .

Reviewed at Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles, Jan. 29, 2018. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 134 MIN.

Production: A Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures release of a Marvel Studios presentation. Producer: Kevin Feige. Executive producers: Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nate Moore, Jeffrey Chernov, Stan Lee.
Crew: Director: Ryan Coogler. Screenplay: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole, based on the Marvel comics by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby. Camera (color, widescreen): Rachel Morrison. Editors: Debbie Berman, Michael P. Shawver. Music: Ludwig Göransson.
With: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, with Angela Bassett, with Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis. (English, Korean, Wakandan dialogue)

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Black Panther Is Unusually Gripping and Grounded for a Superhero Film

Black Panther , starring Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, the African king who fights evildoers in the guise of a wildcat, is unusually grounded for a Marvel superhero epic, and unusually gripping. It’s primarily set in Wakanda, described in onscreen news accounts as Africa’s poorest country. (Trump would have choice words about Wakandan immigration.) But the poverty turns out to be surface deep, literally. Under a lush cover of trees is a city both ancient and futuristic, where sonic-powered railways snake among great stone towers, the works fueled by the metal Vibranium — best known (until now) as the substance of Captain America’s shield. For thousands of years, we learn, the Wakandans have cherished and protected their isolation, along with their Vibranium mother lode. But their worldview is about to be brutally tested. T’Challa’s do-gooder on-and-off girlfriend, Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), is bent on crossing the border to help other imperiled African countries. Far more dangerous, though, is the aptly named militant Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), who looks to Vibranium to power a full-scale international race war.

Not to minimize the alien death funnels of the Avengers films, but the conflicts threatened here hit frighteningly close to home. You’d expect no less from director Ryan Coogler, who opens the film in 1992 in Oakland, a few stops down the BART line from the site of the tragic climax of his debut feature, Fruitvale Station . Outside the projects, children play ball and try to make the best of their bad deal, while inside two black men survey their high-powered weaponry. Interrupted by “two Grace Jones–lookin’ chicks” and a king in a Vibranium suit, they make a series of bad decisions that reach all the way to present-day Wakanda and beyond.

That Black Panther has a richer palette than its Marvel precursors is no surprise, since its roots are equally in pop culture and African folklore. All right, it’s probably faux folklore, but it doesn’t feel faux in the hands of Coogler, co-screenwriter Joe Robert Cole, production designer Hannah Beachler, and the Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison. The image of Wakandans on stone cliffs above a great waterfall, watching T’Challa fend off challengers to his throne, has mythic resonance — helped, I’d argue (maybe perversely) by the obvious green-screen FX, which suggest a Natural History Museum diorama. Moreover, the panther isn’t some random super–alter ego. He’s T’Challa’s spirit animal. During the rite of succession, T’Challa drinks a sacred potion that lights up his veins, whereupon he drifts off, astrally speaking, to meet his father, T’Chaka (assassinated in Captain America: Civil War ), on “the ancestral plane.” That meeting is uneasy, though. T’Chaka has secrets that are going to come back and bite Black Panther on the ass.

Many fans think Black Panther was overdue for a stand-alone feature — but then, it took a long time for him to get his stand-alone comic. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1966, following the most momentous civil-rights battles, Black Panther made his debut in an issue of Fantastic Four , moved on to The Avengers , and occupied a lot of real estate in the — *wince* — Jungle Action series, the title of which carried overtones of Tarzan, before appearing in many of his own comics under the title Black Panther . Maybe it was worth the wait to get the character right onscreen. For one thing, Coogler hasn’t explicitly connected him to the tiring Marvel superhero stable. (Yes, Agent Everett K. Ross is in the film, but it doesn’t refer to other Marvel figures. And of course there’s a tie-in after all the credits have rolled, but this is a long movie, multiplex sodas are huge, and you should go ahead and use the restroom and not think you’re missing anything super important.)

Better, the filmmakers have surrounded Black Panther with women who are not just worthy of him but frequently leave him in the dust. Nyong’o’s flame-haired Nakia is one, but your gaze will be drawn (or commanded) by Danai Gurira’s General Okoye, another “Grace Jones–lookin’ chick” (tall, bald) with open contempt for guns and a samurai’s dexterity with a long spear. Men quail before her. Black Panther gives her a wide berth. Everything in her affect says “uncontainable.” T’Challa’s giddy kid sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), is an even more fun inversion of male superhero protocol, playing Q to Black Panther’s Bond with an array of Vibranium-powered suits and gizmos. The mix of Afrocentrism, feminism, and high-tech gadgetry is irresistible. Black Panther’s team is so wonderful that I hate to think of it being dulled by the mostly white-bread Avengers.

Not that I mean to sound like Erik Killmonger, though I imagine some viewers will find him more compelling than the noble, conscientious T’Challa — much as Malcolm X is a compelling counterweight to Martin Luther King. First seen as an ally of the exuberantly sadistic Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis), Erik humiliates (and then some) a patronizing white female museum director and bristles (and then some) when Klaue describes the Wakandans as savages. Michael B. Jordan is sensationally good, a flamboyant Hotspur to Boseman’s Prince Hal, their final battle ending on a note that made me think of Hal’s “for worms, Harry.” Doubtless in the coming weeks many will muse on the impact of a blockbuster primarily focusing on struggles within the black community instead of racial injustice, but even in the superb recent series by Ta-Nehisi Coates and the artist Brian Stelfreeze, the Panther’s principal concern was the welfare of Wakanda. Militancy that ushers in chaos is no solution.

Plus, you don’t put a race war at the center of a potentially billion-dollar property. Even a disguised race war, as in the brave but overly weighty War for the Planet of the Apes (which remade Apocalypse Now with apes standing in for the Vietnamese) couldn’t find a big enough audience.

Coogler has assembled a terrific supporting cast, with Angela Bassett, Sterling K. Brown, and Forest Whitaker (in a too-subservient role — but I don’t begrudge him those fat Marvel or Star Wars paychecks). Winston Duke is wonderfully imperious as M’Baku, as the leader of a rival tribe. I’d have liked even more of Daniel Kaluuya as T’Challa’s unsteady ally, but his last moment onscreen is a delight. Martin Freeman as the CIA’s Everett K. Ross is literally dwarfed by the rest of the cast, a disparity he uses to his advantage: He can bellow and bluster and play the part absolutely straight but still be — in context — funny and endearing. As for Boseman, he is simply magnetic. He gives this busy enterprise its grave, thoughtful center.

Black Panther ’s fight scenes are better than in other Marvel films, but they’re still a disappointment from the maker of Creed . Where other directors of gargantuan effects movies will hold a shot for, say, one or two seconds, Coogler will up it to three, maybe four when Gurira’s Okoye brings out her sticks. That makes a difference, but it’s a far cry from the fluid long takes that would take the action to another level. Even in this, the most original Marvel movie, there’s a sameness to the rhythm of the storytelling and the nature of the CGI, which is just money thrown at creative challenges. The good news is that Coogler has proven he can play in the big boys’ house, and there’s no excuse for studios to pass on more personal projects he has in the pipeline. How much better can a guy be?

Black Panther was nominated for seven Oscars in 2019 , including Best Picture, Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Song, and Best Production Design.

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‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Review: Women on the Home Front

Shadowed by Chadwick Boseman’s death, this sequel focuses on King T’Challa’s mother and the women helping her to contend with a slippery new villain.

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A secne from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” showing the actress Angela Bassett, wearing a dress, seated on a throne in front of a window, with two others dressed in armor and holding spears on either side. At far left, another actor is seated.

By A.O. Scott

The first “Black Panther” movie opened in February 2018. A lot has changed since then, both in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and in the one that most of us non-superheroes are compelled to inhabit.

The most tragic and consequential change was surely the death, in 2020, of Chadwick Boseman , whose performance as King T’Challa had seemed to signal the arrival of a franchise-defining new star. Even before that, the Marvel/Disney corporate strategy was shifting into a post- “Avengers” phase, as the familiar heroes were dispersed into a multiplatform multiverse of stories, sometimes joined by alternative versions of themselves. And of course, here in the real world…

Let’s not even go there. The political situation in the fictional African nation of Wakanda is complicated enough. In “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” the director Ryan Coogler feeds his own and the public’s grief into the story, infusing the movie with somber notes of family loss and collective mourning. There is also a sense of the disorder that follows in the wake of a charismatic, unifying leader.

T’Challa’s mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), has assumed the throne, at least for the moment. His younger sister, the scientific prodigy Shuri (Letitia Wright), scrambles to honor her brother’s memory and fill his shoes. The center is holding, but the kingdom nonetheless seems vulnerable, as the outside world conspires to gain access to Wakanda’s reserves of vibranium, a rare mineral with daunting military and industrial uses. The benevolent global order that T’Challa led his nation into has given way to one based on deceit, subversion and exploitation.

Thanks to Ramonda’s regal diplomatic skills and the fighting prowess of the Jabari, led by M’Baku (Winston Duke), and the Dora Milaje, led by the mighty Okoye (Danai Gurira), Wakanda can hold its own against the United States and France. The real threat comes from under the sea, where the long-isolated aquatic nation of Talokan controls the planet’s only other source of vibranium.

The king of Talokan, who goes by Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía) is a demigod with pointy ears and wings on his ankles. Comic-book fans will recognize him as the Sub-Mariner, a complicated hero whose pedigree stretches all the way back into late-1930s Marvel prehistory. For the purposes of “Wakanda Forever,” he is a villain, albeit one with a legitimate grudge and a coherent political argument.

His subjects are descendants of a Meso-American tribe who took to the water to escape Spanish colonizers in the 16th century. His mistrust of “the surface” is based on a history of enslavement, infection and persecution, and he proposes a mutually protective anti-imperialist alliance with Wakanda. Which sounds nice, except that the alternative Namor offers is war, and also the murder of Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), a precocious M.I.T. student who has invented a vibranium-detecting machine.

If this sounds like too much plot summary, that’s because “Wakanda Forever,” like many Marvel movies, has too much plot. There are a lot of characters to keep track of. Shuri has acquired a sidekick in the person of Riri, while Okoye has one in Aneka (Michaela Coel). The Wakanda-sympathizing C.I.A. man Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) is back, and spends some time squabbling with his boss (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who is also his ex-wife. Since this is, above all, a special-effects-heavy action movie, there are fistfights, vehicle chases, underwater and midair battles, high-tech suits and seat-rattling explosions.

A Marvel movie, for sure. But a pretty interesting one, partly because it’s also a Ryan Coogler film, with the director’s signature interplay of genre touchstones, vivid emotions (emphasized by Ludwig Goransson’s occasionally tooth-rattling score) and allegorical implications. Because the Avengers have, for the moment, disassembled, it’s no longer necessary to slot Wakanda and its heroes into a larger cosmic ensemble, which gives the busy narrative a welcome degree of focus and specificity. As in “Black Panther,” the questions of Wakandan identity — who will lead it, and what kind of a country will it be — are brought into relief by an apparent bad guy with a good or at least plausible answer.

Namor has in common with T’Challa’s nemesis Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) — and also with Magneto from the X-Men films and Koba from the first chapters of “Planet of the Apes” — a grievance-based radicalism that the movie struggles to refute. Huerta’s performance is weighted more with sorrow than anger, and his people, with their blue skins and gill-like masks, are beautiful and mysterious. Talokan, a kind of Mayan Atlantis, adds a new aesthetic element to the Marvel palette, extending the Afro-futurist visions of Hannah Beachler’s production design and Ruth Carter’s costumes into something wondrously cosmic and cosmopolitan.

In T’Challa’s absence, Wakanda has become, at least for the moment, a matriarchy, and “Wakanda Forever” displays a matter-of-fact superhero feminism grounded in the personalities of the performers and their characters. Bassett, Wright, Gurira, Williams and Coel — rejoined by Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, who shows up a bit late in the action — form the kind of fractious, formidable ensemble that should be a franchise in its own right. And quite possibly will be. It’s called “Wakanda Forever,” and in the Marvel Universe that sounds less like a slogan than a terms of service guarantee.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Rated PG-13. The usual bloodless comic-book slaughter. Running time: 2 hours 41 minutes. In theaters.

An earlier version of this review misspelled an actress’s given name. She is Dominique Thorne, not Dominque.

How we handle corrections

A.O. Scott is a co-chief film critic. He joined The Times in 2000 and has written for the Book Review and The New York Times Magazine. He is also the author of “Better Living Through Criticism.” More about A.O. Scott

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Black panther, common sense media reviewers.

Masterful Marvel film has depth, diversity -- and violence.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Promotes teamwork, communication, loyalty, integri

T'Challa is a born leader who's thoughtful, patien

Positive representation of Marvel's first Black su

More close-up fights than in previous Marvel films

A couple of kisses and some flirting. One couple c

Infrequent use of "s--t," "ass," and "hell"; one c

On camera: Toyota Land Cruiser, a top-of-the-line

Adult extras drink in the background of a casino s

Positive Messages

Promotes teamwork, communication, loyalty, integrity, courage, and friendship. Highlights the abilities of women and people of color in leading roles. Explores the necessity of global compassion and outreach and the idea that, as human beings, more unites us than separates us. Duty, ritual, justice, and tradition are very important to the Wakandans. An important theme of the movie is learning that those who may seem perfect usually aren't; we all have flaws and secrets. But we also aren't responsible for the choices of those who came before us.

Positive Role Models

T'Challa is a born leader who's thoughtful, patient, and compassionate. Okoye, Nakia, and Shuri are strong, smart, capable, and brave, and Shuri is an inventive tech genius. Even the main villain is complicated and thought-provoking. A highly respected character is revealed to have made some pretty big mistakes in the past.

Diverse Representations

Positive representation of Marvel's first Black superhero; ensemble cast is largely Black. Women have agency and are shown to be strong, smart, capable, and courageous.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

More close-up fights than in previous Marvel films, with more explosive, widespread violence. One-on-one ritual battles are intense (with bloody wounds, stabbings, etc.), full of moments when it seems like a character is going to die. A couple of deaths (both real and presumed) are particularly emotional. Weapons used in full-scale battle scenes include spears, curved knives, armored war animals. Super-powered guns/cannons that have the power to obliterate vehicles in one shot. Bad guys shoot bystanders and enemies, sometimes in cold blood. A long, explosive car chase causing lots of destruction. Dead bodies shown. Flashback to T'Challa's father's death. Brief footage from 1992 LA riots on TV. Black Panther rescues women from armed Nigerian soldiers.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A couple of kisses and some flirting. One couple calls each other "my love" in a flirtatious/charged manner. Klaue smuggles a sensitive package in the crotch area of his pants.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Infrequent use of "s--t," "ass," and "hell"; one character makes a middle-finger gesture. A couple of Wakandan characters use the historically accurate word "colonizer" as a derisive/dismissive way of referring to white people/those in power. On the flip side, characters use the word "savage" a couple of times as an insult to the Wakandans.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

On camera: Toyota Land Cruiser, a top-of-the-line Lexus (which has been heavily featured in commercials), BBC News. Off camera: Marvel-branded merchandise is everywhere, including video games, apparel, action figures, and other products associated with all the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Adult extras drink in the background of a casino scene; a more central character orders a whiskey. A fictional heart-shaped herb is used for medicinal, mystical purposes in a sacred ritual.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Black Panther is the first film in the Marvel cinematic universe to center on a superhero of color: African prince-turned-king T'Challa ( Chadwick Boseman ), aka the Black Panther. As in all superhero movies, there's plenty of violence -- in this case, mostly brutal hand-to-hand combat that gets quite intense, with bloody injuries and even deaths. Although there are a few shoot-outs with super-powered guns/cannons (as well as some cold-blooded killings), the majority of the action features spear and blade fighting. That said, some confrontations do include larger, explosive battles and very destructive car chases. Language and sexual content are pretty minimal: a few uses of "s--t" and "hell" and a couple of quick kisses. Set mostly in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, the movie features not only the first mostly Black ensemble cast in superhero-film history ( Michael B. Jordan , Lupita Nyong'o , Angela Bassett , Forest Whitaker , Danai Gurira , and Daniel Kaluuya co-star), but also an all-female royal guard and a brilliant female inventor/engineer. Families who see Black Panther will have plenty to talk about afterward, from its portrayal of race and gender to the overall importance of having Black superheroes as main characters, rather than sidekicks. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Based on 157 parent reviews

black super hero

An innocent enough comic book movie that still manages to be empowering, what's the story.

After a folktale-like prologue that recounts the history of the fictional African nation of Wakanda, BLACK PANTHER opens with a flashback to 1992, when a younger T'Chaka (Atandwa Kani) makes a surprise visit to Oakland, California, to confront a rogue Wakandan spy. Back in the present, T'Challa ( Chadwick Boseman ) is preparing for his coronation day, which includes a potential challenge -- through ritual combat -- from any of Wakanda's five tribes, as well as a sacred ceremony in which he officially becomes the nation's Black Panther. After T'Challa takes the throne, intelligence surfaces that notorious arms dealer Ulysses Klaue ( Andy Serkis ) has stolen a vibranium artifact from the British Museum. T'Challa takes his top warrior -- head of the royal guard General Okoye ( Danai Gurira ) -- and his former love, Nakia ( Lupita Nyong'o ), a Wakandan spy, to attempt to capture Klaue (one of the few outsiders who knows the truth about how much vibranium -- the most valuable metal on Earth -- is available in Wakanda). But CIA operative Everett Ross ( Martin Freeman ) and Klaue's mysterious young ally ( Michael B. Jordan ) complicate the mission. It turns out that the mystery man is a former SEAL who has a very personal score to settle with T'Challa and the Wakandans.

Is It Any Good?

Ryan Coogler 's masterful superhero drama is unlike any other, featuring outstanding acting, breathtaking art direction, fascinating royal intrigue, memorable action sequences, and surprising depth. It's that depth -- of character, of storyline, of relevancy -- that makes Black Panther shine, as Boseman's T'Challa takes the mantle of king with enormous uncertainty about whether to share Wakanda's resources with the world. With the exception of his second-in-command W'Kabi (Kaluuya), T'Challa surrounds himself with an inner circle of influential women: Okoye, Nakia, his mother (Bassett), and his genius younger sister, scientist/tech inventor Shuri (Letitia Wright). Each of them contributes much to the story, with Gurira's spear-wielding Okoye the movie's clear scene-stealer, Wright the clever comic relief, and Nyong'o offering a wee bit of romance. Even the central villain, as played by frequent Coogler collaborator Jordan, is well-rounded and humanized, with the actor doing great work opposite the equally nuanced Boseman.

There's so much to appreciate in Black Panther , from its pulsing score, which features a soundtrack overseen by award-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar, to the mesmerizing cinematography courtesy of DP Rachel Morrison, gorgeous tribal costumes, and vibrant production design. There's not as much laugh-aloud banter as viewers may have come to expect from Marvel movies, but the beats of humor that are here, usually thanks to plucky Shuri or mountain-tribe leader M'Baku (Winston Duke), are extra funny. Ultimately the film's success comes down to the thoughtful, compelling storytelling from director Coogler and writer Joe Robert Cole, as interpreted by a terrific cast of actors. This isn't just another highly entertaining but formulaic superhero story; it's also poignant and powerful and earns its place toward the top of Marvel's films. (Be sure to watch all the way through the credits for a couple of extra tidbits!)

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the role models in Black Panther . Who are they, and what character strengths do they exhibit? How does T'Challa demonstrate courage , integrity , and even teamwork ?

Why is it important for superheroes to be diverse? How is Black Panther an example of both racial and gender diversity compared to other superhero films?

How does the movie explore issues related to race? Why is Erik's perspective on the world so different from T'Challa's? Is one right and the other wrong? Why or why not? Why does representation matter in movies, TV, and books?

How are the Dora Milaje (T'Challa's all-female combat fighting force) unique in the Marvel Universe? What did you think of the way the movie portrays women in usually "male" roles -- e.g., tech expert, warrior general, spy? What message does that convey to viewers?

What is the movie's message about global responsibility? Do you agree with the view that the Black Panther should keep Wakanda safe at all costs, or with the idea that Wakanda should help less-stable, less-advanced nations and communities by sharing resources?

Movie Details

In theaters : February 16, 2018
On DVD or streaming : May 15, 2018
Cast : Chadwick Boseman , Michael B. Jordan , Lupita Nyong'o
Director : Ryan Coogler
Inclusion Information : Black directors, Black actors, Female actors, Latino actors
Studio : Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Genre : Action/Adventure
Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Superheroes , Brothers and Sisters
Character Strengths : Courage , Integrity , Teamwork
Run time : 134 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : prolonged sequences of action violence, and a brief rude gesture
Awards : Academy Award , Common Sense Media Award , Common Sense Selection
Last updated : February 18, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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‘black panther’: film review.

'Black Panther,' Ryan Coogler's eagerly awaited film based on the Marvel Comics character, stars Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael B. Jordan and Daniel Kaluuya.

By Todd McCarthy

Todd McCarthy

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With uncanny timing, Marvel takes its superheroes into a domain they’ve never inhabited before and is all the better for it in Black Panther .

There’s no mistaking you’re still in the Marvel universe here, but this entry sweeps you off to a part of it you’ve never seen: a hidden lost world in Africa defined by royal traditions and technological wonders that open up refreshing new dramatic, visual and casting possibilities. Getting it right where other studios and franchises — they know who they are — get it wrong, Marvel and Disney have another commercial leviathan here, although it will be interesting to see how it plays in certain overseas markets, where industry traditionalists say black-dominated fare sometimes underperforms .

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Black panther review: hail to the wakandan king.

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Glen powell's new amazon movie is great for top gun 3, jeremy renner details why he left mission: impossible & if he would ever return, black panther is a great mcu superhero adventure that smoothly blends rich narrative substance with sheer popcorn entertainment..

The 18th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the final step on the winding journey to Avengers: Infinity War , Black Panther gives Chadwick Boseman's titular superhero a chance to shine in his own solo movie, following his MCU debut in Captain America: Civil War . Working behind the camera as cowriter and director here is Ryan Coogler, who successfully instills the established MCU superhero movie template with a personal touch and directorial sensibility on Black Panther , much like he did on the Rocky spinoff/revival Creed three years ago. Combined with a cast and setting that break ground for representation in the world of blockbuster filmmaking, Coogler and his crew's efforts result in one of the strongest additions to the MCU to date. Black Panther is a great MCU superhero adventure that smoothly blends rich narrative substance with sheer popcorn entertainment.

Black Panther picks up right after the events of Civil War , as T'Challa (Boseman) prepares to ascend to the throne of Wakanda, following the death of his father King T'Chaka (John Kani). However, no sooner is T'Challa named King than the country's old enemy, Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis), emerges from the shadows, breaks into a British museum, and steals a rare Wakandan artifact made of Vibranium: the strongest metal on earth and the precious mineral that holds the key to Wakanda's many secrets - from the country's advanced technology to Black Panther's impenetrable armor and the rare herb that provides him with his superhuman abilities.

T'Challa thus teams up with Okoye (Danai Guirra), the head of the Dora Milaje aka. the Black Panther's personal bodyguards, and his former lover turned Wakandan secret agent Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), in order to track down Klaue and stop the black market arms dealer once and for all. However, it turns out that Klaue is little more than the mask worn by a far more dangerous enemy - one Eric "Killmonger" Stevens (Michael B. Jordan), a determined man with a mysterious past who has big plans that not only threaten T'Challa's reign as king, but the very future of Wakanda itself.

Written by Coogler and Joe Robert Cole (a veteran of Marvel Studios' bygone in-house writers program), Black Panther combines many of the best elements of MCU films past, including: the Shakespearean royal family drama of the Thor movies, the political thriller elements of Civil War and Captain America: The Winter Soldier , and even the sci-fi tech aspects of the Iron Man films. Coupled with rich world-building that brings the long hidden land of Wakanda to striking life on the big screen, this allows Black Panther to breathe fresh life into familiar MCU plot and character tropes, without skimping on the shiny spectacle and playful humor that Marvel Studios movies are known for. Black Panther similarly builds on Thor: Ragnarok 's subtextual exploration of colonialism by examining how Western colonization and enslavement of Africa continue to have rippling effects today, through the lens of the earth-based MCU.

T'Challa's character arc in Black Panther is further informed by concerns about global isolationism and how the loss of cultural heritage impacts people, as are raised here with respect to Wakanda and its place in the larger MCU. While Boseman delivers another good performance in the role of the conflicted and newly crowned Wakandan king/superhero, this is the rare occasion where a MCU movie antagonist outshines the protagonist. Jordan's Eric "Killmonger" Stevens is easily the most compelling and sympathetic Marvel Studios film baddie since Loki (and, arguably, the best MCU antihero yet), thanks to a combination of smart writing and an engaging performance by Jordan. After their work together on Fruitvale Station and Creed , Black Panther is further testament to Jordan and Coogler's status as a powerhouse actor/director team, in this sense.

Among the other standouts in Black Panther are the women in T'Challa's life, especially the characters of Okoye and Nakia, along with T'Challa's tech genius younger sister Shuri (Letitia Wright). All three players are well-developed, fueled by their respective ideologies and goals, and armed with distinct personalities that shine through all the more thanks to the performances behind them (Wright's Shuri, in particular, seems destined to become a fan-favorite). There are too many other supporting players in Black Panther for them to all shine equally bright, but the film's ensemble is rock solid across the board - from key players in the story such as Get Out 's Daniel Kaluuya as W'Kabi (T'Challa's confidant and ally) and Winston Duke as M'Baku (the powerful leader of Wakanda's mountain tribe, the Jabari), to the Wakandan elders like Angela Basset's Ramonda (T'Challa's mother) and Forest Whitaker's Zuri (keeper of the Heart-Shaped Herb). Former Hobbit trilogy costars Serkis and Martin Freeman likewise deliver here, reprising their roles as Klaue and Everett Ross from previous MCU films.

Black Panther further delivers the goods when it comes to craftsmanship, from the beautifully multicolored outfits by costume designer Ruth E. Carter ( Selma ) to the gorgeous Afrofuturism atheistic of the overarching film, as captured through Rachel Morrison's often captivating cinematography. The action sequences and fight scenes in the first two acts of the movie are equally impressive in their staging, taking visual cues from sources that include Coogler's own grounded boxing scenes in Creed , as well as many a James Bond film during a nightclub sequence right out of something like Skyfall . Black Panther 's third act is less impressive by comparison, as the movie's action gets bogged down in CGI overload and its plot beats lack the emotional resonance of earlier moments, either because they are rushed or a bit too conventional (re: predictable). Fortunately, the film recovers during its poignant final moments and brings its various narrative and thematic threads to a satisfying conclusion.

All things considered, Black Panther is both one of the best MCU movies yet and a watershed moment for big-budget tentpoles, when it comes to onscreen racial and cultural representation. While the film doesn't fully break the Marvel Studios mold and has some of the same smaller issues as MCU installments past (e.g. some dubious color grading, humor that undercuts the drama), Black Panther is top-notch blockbuster filmmaking that combines slick spectacle with narrative substance. Casual moviegoers and hardcore MCU fans alike will be able to appreciate what Coogler and his collaborators have delivered here, thanks to the movie's relatively standalone place in the greater franchise. That said, purely as a prelude to Infinity War , Black Panther should leave audiences excited to see what happens when Thanos comes to earth... and Wakanda.

Black Panther is now playing in U.S. theaters nationwide. It is 134 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for prolonged sequences of action violence, and a brief rude gesture.

Want to talk about Black Panther without spoiling the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie for others? Head on over to our Black Panther spoilers discussion !

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever First Reviews: Thoughtful, Spectacular Sequel That Raises the Bar for the MCU

Early reviews say wakanda forever honors the late chadwick boseman with a visually sumptuous, character-driven story that manages to be both epic and intimate at the same time..

TAGGED AS: First Reviews , marvel cinematic universe , movies

Hardly just another sequel in the MCU , Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has the pressure of following up the best-reviewed movie of the franchise — which was also up for Best Picture (and won three of its six other Oscar nominations). Of course, the second Black Panther feature is also missing its former lead, Chadwick Boseman , who sadly died of cancer in 2020. According to the first reviews of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever , though, the sequel manages to still live up to the original and meet expectations for another thrilling and culturally meaningful superhero blockbuster while feeling equally weighed down by and lifted up by Boseman’s legacy.

Here’s what critics are saying about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever :

Does the sequel live up to expectations?

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had the highest of expectations and surpasses every one of them, and makes a strong case for itself as a Best Picture contender. – Travis Hopson, Punch Drunk Critics

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is under a lot of pressure, but Coogler lands it. – Princess Weekes, The Mary Sue

Marvel raised the bar on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever . – Christie Cronan, Raising Whaisians

Rather than one-upping Black Panther , Wakanda Forever continues its story with a grace and care that’s more moving than any comic book movie has the right to be. – Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge

What director and co-writer Ryan Coogler and the team have done with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is nothing short of outstanding. – Janet A. Leigh, Digital Spy

How does it fit into the MCU?

One of the most moving MCU entries so far, and one of the best films to come out of Marvel’s Phase Four. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

Decisions that were made in Avengers: Endgame , Black Panther , and other spots of the Marvel Cinematic Universe pay off in ways that will surprise fans… You’re going to leave the theater with a ton of questions for Phase 5 and beyond. – Aaron Perine, ComicBook.com

When the film tries to remind the audience of how it connects to the rest of the MCU, especially when specific lines of dialogue seem forced in to do so, it loses itself. – Kate Sánchez, But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Wakanda Forever has a sense of self that extends far beyond its Marvel brand identity. – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

Letitia Wright as Shuri in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

(Photo by ©Marvel Studios)

Does it work without Chadwick Boseman?

The central character of this tale remains the one played by Boseman, who may not be around anymore, but his influence casts a long, deep shadow. – Neil Pond, Neil’s Entertainment Picks

Unavoidably, Boseman’s absence paradoxically has a presence of its own but in a way that feels wholly appropriate and is not distracting. – Janet A. Leigh, Digital Spy

While Wakanda Forever directly reflects Boseman’s death by almost replicating the circumstances in the story, it’s done so with reverence and never feels like exploitation. – Kate Sánchez, But Why Tho? A Geek Community

A love for Chadwick and an undying reverence for T’Challa can be felt throughout Wakanda Forever . But the movie is careful to not be so bound up in those powerful emotions that it ever feels narratively inflexible or stuck in the past. – Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge

Every major character in Wakanda is left to determine whether T’Challa’s memory will be a blessing or a torment, and the movie around them is so wracked by the same tension that even its most formulaic moments are heavy with a human weight that blockbusters seldom have the strength to carry. – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

How well does the movie honor his legacy?

The passing of T’Challa is handled with care, grace, and respect… Right off the bat, the viewer is set with the tone that this film is a love letter to Chadwick. – Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds

Not only is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever a love letter to Chadwick Boseman, but it is also an accurate depiction of how people cope with their remorse. – Britany Murphy, Discussing Film

The death of both the actor and the character he played is handled with incredible grace, sensibility, and honor… Fans will be relieved to see this dedication. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate

Angela Bassett and Tenoch Huerta in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

(Photo by ©Marvel Sudios)

How is Namor as the villain?

Played by Tenoch Huerta, Namor is an absolute powerhouse in every way. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate

Every time the film focuses on Namor, the importance of protecting his people, and his interactions with Shuri, the film excels. – Kevin L. Lee, AwardsWatch

Tenoch Huerta’s Namor… might have a claim to the title of Phase 4’s most memorable “villain.” – Aaron Perine, ComicBook.com

It’s been a long time since a villain/anti-hero has felt so fleshed out in the MCU. – Britany Murphy, Discussing Film

One of the most captivating villains we’ve seen in a Marvel Studios movie… A villain with layers, and depth, and is conflicted. Much like Killmonger in Black Panther . – Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds

Huerta cannot quite measure up to Michael B. Jordan’s raw charisma, but he makes up for it by projecting an imperial mien worthy of Namor’s status as a demigod among his people. – Jake Cole, Slant Magazine

Do any other performances stand out?

Bassett in particular arguably puts her career-best performance in the role, with incredibly raw emotion packed into her delivery of each line of the script. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate

Bassett gives one of the best performances in the Marvel universe so far. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

Bassett also has to be on the shortlist for Best Supporting Actress nominees. The script sets her up for some powerful moments that Bassett crushes with the kind of emotion to put lumps in throats. – Jeffrey Lyles, Lyles’ Movie Files

Wright gives a standout performance in having to convey a wide myriad of emotions of someone who is the heir to the throne but has inner and exterior conflicts about her leadership while living in the shadow of T’Challa and his legacy. – Carla Hay, Culture Mix

One of the shining rays of exuberance in this movie is Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart. – Aaron Perine, ComicBook.com

Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

(Photo by Annette Brown/©Marvel)

How is the script?

The storyline is fluid, engaging, and constantly moving – one of the best scripts from Marvel. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whaisians

On a plot and scene-by-scene basis, the film struggles to find one singular thread to connect everything. – Kevin L. Lee, AwardsWatch

At times, Coogler and Cole’s script seems to strain from the effort it takes to pull all these threads together. – Rachel LaBonte, Screen Rant

How does it look?

The film is shot beautifully with its gorgeous cinematography and color palette being far more noticeable than most other Marvel projects. – Kevin L. Lee, AwardsWatch

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has better visual effects than Black Panther . The cinematography is also an improvement. – Carla Hay, Culture Mix

The regality of the Wakanda regime, from landscapes to the CGI technology to the costuming, the visuals are even better in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever than the original 2018 film. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whaisians

Once again, Carter does her thing… and it already feels like a foregone conclusion that she will claim another Best Costume Design Oscar for work on this franchise. – Jeffrey Lyles, Lyles’ Movie Files

Danai Gurira in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Are there meaningful action scenes?

They’re at their best when they focus on the human side of it rather than the explosiveness of it all. – Rachel LaBonte, Screen Rant

[As] the scope of the battles get larger and larger, yet the stakes become more and more personal. – Kevin L. Lee, AwardsWatch

The action is top-notch… Coogler is much more focused on telling a story about the emotions that drive violence, not the violence itself. – Kate Sánchez, But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Even though the movie’s action sequences are a marked upgrade over the first film’s, they ultimately end up playing second string to Wakanda Forever’ s focus on the Wakandan royal family’s emotions. – Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge

Only the first action scene… has the panache that the previous film displayed at numerous turns. – Jake Cole, Slant Magazine

Is it more than just another superhero movie?

The movie has the muscle and heft of a comic-book blockbuster, but it also reflects profoundly on the human resonance of ancestry, remembering and moving on. – Neil Pond, Neil’s Entertainment Picks

More than just a standard superhero story about good and bad guys… it pushes its audience to think about the ripples history creates in the present . – Kate Sánchez, But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Beyond super heroes, action-packed scenes and explosions, the power of grief – the physical, mental, and emotional anguish – is the bloodline of this film. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whaisians

Wakanda Forever manages to be both epic and intimate at the same time. – Kevin L. Lee, AwardsWatch

Wakanda Forever is probably the best female-led superhero movie we have to date. – Princess Weekes, The Mary Sue

Mural of Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Is it a lot of movie? Will we feel the length?

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has a ton of story to tell and it needs every single minute. – Travis Hopson, Punch Drunk Critics

It’s big and bulky and sometimes beautiful, almost enough for two full movies packed into one. – Neil Pond, Neil’s Entertainment Picks

I was surprised how fast the time flew during this film. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whaisians

Wakanda Forever is paced in such a way that its action sequences move at a brisk clip, while its more serious moments never overstay a beat. – Toussaint Egan, Polygon

It’s easily 20 minutes too long. Yet Wakanda Forever has a slow-burn emotional suspense. Once the film starts to gather steam, it doesn’t let up. – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

While its length and emotional density can feel like a marathon, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a cinematic triumph. – Eric Francisco, Inverse

Does it signal good things ahead for the MCU?

For people dealing with Marvel fatigue, this is the film that will give you some hope. – Princess Weekes, The Mary Sue

I cannot applaud Marvel enough for this movie – the most important Marvel film in the MCU repertoire to date. – Christie Cronan, Raising Whaisians

It paves an exciting way forward for the Marvel franchise while cementing itself as a cultural force to be reckoned with. – Rachel LaBonte, Screen Rant

Phase 5 has some big shoes to fill after this one, and hopefully, the storytelling can create the same kind of authenticity and greatness this movie has. – Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds

Wakanda Forever suggests that the kingdom, and the franchise, are in good hands. – Neil Pond, Neil’s Entertainment Picks

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens everywhere on November 11, 2022.

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DVD & Streaming

Black Panther

Action/Adventure , Drama , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

February 16, 2018
Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther; Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger; Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia; Danai Gurira as Okoye; Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross; Daniel Kaluuya as W'Kabi; Letitia Wright as Shuri; Winston Duke as M'Baku; Sterling K. Brown as N'Jobu; Angela Bassett as Ramonda; Forest Whitaker as Zuri; Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue

Home Release Date

May 15, 2018
Ryan Coogler

Distributor

Movie review.

Secret identities have been a staple of superherodom since Superman first slapped on a pair of glasses and called himself Clark.

But a whole country in disguise?

Welcome to Wakanda, a third-world nation that boasts—well, basically nothing. Sure, it’s picturesque in its own way. And maybe it had a bit of vibranium—that super-rare, super-durable metal that makes up Captain America’s shield—back in the day. But Wakanda didn’t have enough of the stuff to make a dent in the country’s crippling poverty. Now it doesn’t even have that , thanks to the thieving Ulysses Klaue (pronounced claw ). With most of its vibranium gone, Wakanda is so destitute that the only folks who visit are those who got lost on their way to Chad.

Nope, there’s absolutely nothing to see in Wakanda. Nothing at all … unless, that is, you sneak past the high-tech, invisible cloaking barrier.

Turns out, Wakanda has a bit more vibranium than its leaders let on. Like, a whole mountain of it. And you can do more than just make shields out of the stuff. It’s awfully useful for transportation and medicine, for national defense and even fashion. Vibranium is the most useful substance since water, and this African nation is soaked in the stuff. As a result, Wakanda is secretly the most advanced society on the planet, and its capital city makes Abu Dhabi look a little dowdy, Tokyo look a little antiquated, and the Big Apple look like it’s a little past its sell-by date.

For centuries, Wakanda has kept its great wealth to itself, doing its level-headed best to protect its vibranium, its culture and its people. And the country’s new, young, all-powerful king, T’Challa, shows no immediate signs of reversing course. Some disagree with that tack, admittedly: T’Challa’s ex-girlfriend, Nakia, thinks it’s high time Wakanda took a more active role in helping the hurting world around it. But let’s face it, most African nations have learned, quite painfully, what it means to have something of value to the whole world: invasion, exploitation, colonialization. And even though Wakanda is a bit too powerful to worry much about that sort of thing happening, why risk it?

Not everyone is so clueless about Wakanda’s natural attributes, though. Klaue knows there’s more vibranium to steal: Lots more. And he’s recently found a new partner in crime—a guy with the moniker Erik Killmonger.

But Killmonger has an agenda that even Klaue might blanch at, one that could mean nothing less than upending and destroying the world as we all know it. He aims to turn Wakanda’s vibranium into a mass weapon of vengeance, and he’ll not let anything stand in his way.

Not even Wakanda’s king, T’Challa, and its traditional protector: Black Panther.

Positive Elements

Let’s do something unusual here and begin our positive focus with Killmonger. That’s right, the bad guy.

Make no mistake, Killmonger is bad—bad to practically every lethal bone in his body. But as it is with most great movie villains, we see elements of a righteous impulse twisted in him. The guy has seen Africa exploited, misused and ignored. He knows the injustices that the continent’s inhabitants have had to endure for so many centuries, and he’s angry about it. And when you look at history, it’s not hard to find reasons for that anger.

T’Challa understands those realities, too. But if Killmonger’s determined to mete out catastrophic retaliation for past abuses, T’Challa looks toward the future—one filled with hope and reconciliation. He aims to walk a higher road, one that might serve as an example for other people and countries to follow. As king and protector of Wakanda, T’Challa’s willing to sacrifice everything for his homeland. Yet he also recognizes the threat that Killmonger represents to the rest of the world, too, and he’s determined to stop him.

But here’s an interesting twist: Despite the obvious threat, T’Challa insists on opposing Killmonger fairly. He, along with most of the Wakandans we meet, doesn’t try to achieve honorable ends through dishonorable means. Sometimes, admittedly, there’s a difference of opinion about what path to travel: When someone usurps T’Challa’s throne, Nakia decides to oppose the usurper. Meanwhile, Okoye, Wakanda’s supremely skilled warrior/general, declares her allegiance to the throne of Wakanda, not the man who sits on it. Both pursue what they believe is the most righteous course under the circumstances. Nakia risks all to oppose a would-be tyrant; Okoye pushes against her own instincts to persevere with her duty. Both courses are pretty inspiring.

We see plenty of others—even would-be antagonists—follow their own righteous paths. M’Baku, a chieftain from a rival clan and longtime T’Challa adversary, helps the king out in an hour of need. Everett Ross, a somewhat slippery CIA agent, is willing to sacrifice for someone else and jumps to Wakanda’s defense when the need is dire. Wakandans help and heal people, even when it seems like it’d be in their self-interest not to do so.

T’Challa, Nakia and others rescue kidnapped women from heavily armed kidnappers. We learn that T’Challa’s father made a difficult, far-reaching decision many years ago that his son now believes in hindsight was morally wrong.

[ Spoiler Warning ] And finally, we must note that Nakia’s desire for Wakanda to shed its reclusiveness and help the rest of the world as much as its resources will allow is a value that T’Challa eventually embraces, too. In times of great stress and trial, he says, “the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers.” And while we can obviously hear that dialogue as political commentary on current real-world issues, it’s also a message the Christian Church has long embraced.

Spiritual Elements

While some of Black Panther ‘s themes echo Christian ideas and values, the movie’s explicit spiritual framework is rooted in another mythos.

The Black Panther has been Wakanda’s protector for centuries. The country’s king is always given the power of the panther as part of his title—a power that Wakandans say comes from the panther god, Bast, by way of a glowing flower. As part of the new king’s coronation ceremonies, Wakandan monarchs undergo a mystical “death,” as it were: They fall into a trance and are literally buried under dirt (or other such substance), where they travel to the realm of their ancestors—meeting the spirits of their fathers and others who have gone before.

We hear people pray to these ancestors and praise Bast. (“Glory to Bast, I’m in good health,” one says.) T’Challa’s widowed mother expresses faith that his father is still with them all. During ceremonial combat, M’Baku temporarily knocks T’Challa to the ground and taunts him, saying, “Where is your god now?”

Sexual Content

T’Challa and Nakia share some kisses, a couple of them a bit sensual. Nakia and Okoye wear flattering evening wear to a casino; Nakia’s dress exposes her shoulders, Okoye’s a bit of cleavage. Some Wakandan traditional garb displays female midriffs. T’Challa, M’Baku and others sometimes go about without shirts.

Violent Content

We witness plenty of typical superhero action here. Characters get punched and kicked and shot at. A few aircraft are shot out of the sky (though given Wakandan technology, I’m not sure whether those aircraft necessarily contained human pilots). Cars crash. Some are blown to bits. There’s some seriously frenetic action involving high-tech Wakandan spears, secret arm cannons and—well, not to give too much away¬—some well-armored animals.

A few violent moments are worth noting in greater detail. Someone has his throat cut during a dramatic battle sequence. Others are stabbed in the shoulder or gut during ceremonial battles, and we subsequently glimpse their bloody wounds. A guy is shot in the spine, almost ending in his death. A woman is shot in the head and killed. Someone’s thrown off a cliff, apparently to his doom. Folks die via spear and claw and bullet (with one being shot treacherously in the back).

In flashback, we see men seemingly intent on sparking violence in Oakland, California, and they hide a pair of automatic weapons when someone comes to the door. We hear about some colonial-era atrocities. And there’s also mention of slaves who, instead of submitting to slavery, killed themselves. A bunch of flowers are set on fire. A large animal gets thrown to the ground. We hear an arm apparently break.

Killmonger has a long history as a soldier, assassin and spy, and he says he’s ceremonially scarred himself for each life he’s taken. His body is covered with such scars.

Crude or Profane Language

We hear at least five s-words, a few uses of “a–” and at least one use of “b–ch,” (some of which are in songs playing in the background). Additionally, we hear several instances of “h—” and two misuses of God’s name. There’s one crude hand gesture.

Drug and Alcohol Content

While Wakandan legend says the Black Panther’s power comes from Bast, it technically flows from a flower that’s ground into powder and then mixed into a liquid. When the Wakandan king (who, as mentioned, also serves as Black Panther) needs to undergo ritual combat with another claimant to the throne, he drinks another drug-laced beverage, which temporarily removes his special powers.

Attendees at a casino consume various alcoholic beverages.

Other Negative Elements

We hear an occasional lie … including the whopper that Wakanda is a poor, third-world country. (Yeah, just like Kanye West’s most notable attribute is his modesty.) A scene takes place in an illegal gambling parlor.

Black Panther isn’t just a movie: It’s a moment.

Most Marvel movies make a mint upon release, and this one will be no different. But the buzz surrounding Black Panther has hit a whole different level. It’s the first blockbuster superhero movie not only to star a black hero, but a predominantly black cast as well (including Oscar winners Lupita Nyong’o and Forest Whitaker and newly minted Emmy winner Sterling K. Brown). Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer, who’s not even in the movie, thought the movie was important enough to rent out an entire movie theater and fill it with “an underserved community … to ensure that all our brown children can see themselves as a superhero.” Black Panther , in its own superhero-y way, deals with bigger cultural touchstones, most notably racial upheaval.

But while this movie certainly has a special appeal for one segment of superhero lovers, it’s also a movie made for all of us. Black Panther preaches—and I think that’s a fair characterization—that we have a responsibility to make the world a better place. To help folks when and where we can. To use the gifts that God has given us to serve others and to hold ourselves to high, honorable standards. It tells us that while we can fight back against evil, we cannot respond to hate in kind. The only thing that can overcome man’s worst impulses is to aspire to be better. More honorable. More just.

Black Panther , like most superhero movies, is an aspirational story—one that encourages all of us to up our game, superpowers or no. It’s a hard road such stories ask of us, no question, and the movie even acknowledges as such. When T’Challa faces his dearly departed father, he’s told flat out, “You are a good man with a good heart. And it is hard for a good man to be king.” But T’Challa’s determined to try to be both, whatever the cost.

Black Panther isn’t necessarily better than some of the other standout superhero movies that have come before it. And, as noted above, it has its share of problems—whether it’s the film’s occasionally intense violence, it’s occasional profanity or its often hinky spirituality. Still, Black Panther has a good heart, and it gives us a real hero—strong and honorable and, when possible, even filled with grace.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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TV and Streaming | ‘The Big Cigar’ review: When a Black Panther…

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Things to do, tv and streaming | ‘the big cigar’ review: when a black panther founder fled to cuba with the help of a hollywood producer.

André Holland stars as Huey P. Newton in "The Big Cigar." (Steve Wilkie/Apple TV+)

That story — about political activist Huey P. Newton and movie producer Bert Schneider, who made counterculture classics such as “Easy Rider” — forms the basis of the six-episode Apple TV+ series “The Big Cigar,” which attempts to be many things at once, weaving in serious themes amid the jaunty energy of a heist.

Developed by Jim Hecht (and based on a 2012 article by Joshuah Bearman), the series makes its intentions clear at the outset, with the voice of Newton, played by André Holland, offering a disclaimer: “The story I’m about to tell you is true. At least, mostly true. Or at least how I remember it. But it is coming through the lens of Hollywood, so let’s see how much of my story they’re really willing to show.”

It’s the summer of 1974 and Newton is arrested on charges of assaulting a tailor and fatally shooting a teenage prostitute. Is it a frame up? Newton says yes, and tensions with the local police and the FBI suggest this isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Out on bail, Newton needs someone who can move mountains, so he turns to Schneider (Alessandro Nivola), with whom he had been developing a biopic. “You’re the hotshot producer,” he says. “You want to produce something? Produce this .”

So Schneider concocts a non-existent movie that will shoot on location in Cuba called “The Big Cigar.” (If the fake-movie-as-subterfuge premise sounds familiar, a similar scheme was cooked up to help American hostages escape from Iran in 1979, a story depicted in the Ben Affleck-directed best picture winner “Argo,” also based on a Bearman article.) Not mentioned here? This wasn’t Schneider’s first fugitive rodeo; he had also recently funded Abbie Hoffman’s escape, stemming from drug charges.

But his plan this time becomes a comedy of errors. Dire circumstances, both logistical and psychological, ensue. But the series is committed to keeping things fairly light and palatable, even as it contends with the brutality of racist police and internal schisms (some of them baited by the feds) that would splinter the Black Panther party.

Regardless of the role, Holland is the kind of actor who holds the screen with a quiet charisma. In Newton, he has also found the character’s roiling intensity fueled by his justified paranoia and a tendency to hold grudges. Sometimes his temper gets the best of him, but he has a clear-headed assessment of how rigged systems function.

From left: André Holland as Huey P. Newton and Alessandro Nivola as Bert Schneider in

Temperamentally, Schneider (and by extension, Nivola) is his opposite — a creature of Hollywood with a movie star girlfriend (Candice Bergen) and a reputation as a renegade despite his nepo-baby origins (his father is president of Columbia Pictures). In flashback, we see Newton begrudgingly attend a party at Schneider’s invitation. When Newton spots Richard Pryor, he asks his opinion of the white crowd: “Deep in their genes,” says the comedian, “they got a lot of guilt and they’re willing to pay a steep price for absolution.”

Newton is skeptical. Revolution is survival to me, he tells Schneider, it’s optional for you. “That’s exactly why I gotta do it,” comes the reply. “I want to finance the revolution!’ To punctuate the moment, Schneider turns and does a line of coke. I mean, I laughed! (Schneider did in fact funnel considerable funds to the Black Panthers, so his words weren’t just Hollywood hokum.)

Like so many projects of this type, it was initially developed as a movie. Nothing came of that and now here we are, with the story stretched out into a multi-part series from showrunner Janine Sherman Barrois that is enjoyably watchable if occasionally tonally uncertain. (One of Barrois’ previous credits is “Claws,” which had a similar approach, both exuberantly outsized but with substance.) Tiffany Boone (as Gwen Fontaine, Newton’s girlfriend and the stabilizing force in his life), P.J. Byrne (as Schneider’s childhood friend and producing partner Stephen Blauner) and Jordane Christie (as Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale) are terrific in supporting roles. The FBI are portrayed as clowns rather than heroes, which makes “The Big Cigar” a rarity in Hollywood at the moment, and the series itself is enjoyable despite the self-congratulatory speeches for Schneider and Blauner each, explaining why they’re good white people. Schneider in particular keeps stressing his close friendship with Newton, but nothing on screen backs that up, leaving it unclear how Newton actually felt about Schneider.

A reason to watch is simply for a terrific exchange that transpires after Blauner has just escaped with his life while trying to coordinate some of the logistics of their plan.

“You were in a shootout in a Jewish deli?” Newton asks incredulously.

Blauner is numb. “All delis are Jewish. I think.”

“Nah, the Italians got ’em,” Schneider chimes in. “The Greeks, too.

Bottom line, he tells Newton: “The mob’s got a hit out on you.” That’s only one of the many problems he will have to contend with. “The Big Cigar” turns all of it into big entertainment.

“The Big Cigar” — 2.5 stars (out of 4)

Where to watch: Apple TV+

Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.

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The Big Cigar review: Black Panther history gets a Hollywood makeover

The improbable story of huey p. newton’s escape to cuba—with the help of a pair of movie producers—is stretched thin in this apple tv+ miniseries.

At the heart of The Big Cigar , the Apple TV+ miniseries centered on Huey P. Newton’s escape to Cuba aided by a pair of Hollywood producers, is a simple, oft-repeated idea: This entire thing could be a movie! Bert Schneider (played by Alessandro Nivola) means this literally. The lengths he and his producing partner, Stephen Blauner (P. J. Byrne), go to help the Black Panther founder flee the United States are improbable—seen only in the kinds of indie movies these trailblazers were churning out in the 1960s. And it’s only by pretending to get one of their projects off the ground that Schneider is able to help Newton, Hollywood serving as a helpful shield for the outlandish things these men have to do. And Schneider does believe what they eventually get away with could, indeed, make for a great Hollywood flick.

Predator and Black Panther Will Collide in a New Marvel Mini-Series

A sneak of the cover for Predator vs. Black Panther #1 by Ken Lashley.

This summer, there’s going to be a hunt in Wakanda. io9 is incredibly excited to announce that writer Benjamin Percy and artists Chris Allen and Ken Lashley are teaming up on a new Marvel Comic called Predator vs. Black Panther, a four-issue mini-series that will debut on August 21.

It’s the follow-up to last year’s Predator vs. Wolverine series where Predators (the evil creatures seen fighting both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Amber Midthunder ) got a taste of a few new elements: Wolverine’s adamantium and Wakanda’s vibranium. Now, one such Predator is heading to the African nation to obtain the mineral for his tribe, and that’ll put him in direct contact with the nation’s protector, the Black Panther.

There will also be warring Predator tribes, a Predator King, and a whole lot more. Below, you can see the exclusive debut of the cover to issue number one, an image from inside the issue, and a Q&A with Benjamin Percy for the series.

Germain Lussier, io9: At what point did you know that Predator vs. Black Panther would be your follow-up to Predator vs. Wolverine and how did you come up with the connective tissue?

Benjamin Percy: I put all of my creative poison into Predator vs. Wolverine, so it was extremely gratifying to see the reader and retailer response—for the floppies and for the collected trade. The strong sales encouraged the idea of expanding the storyline. If the first installment was about the hunt for a man, it made sense to elevate the stakes and make this book about the battle for a kingdom. There are a number of reasons that Black Panther makes for a great adversary and Wakanda makes for great stage (including the fact that the perimeter shield, when locked down, creates a hunting preserve). But then you throw vibranium into the mix, and you’ve got a really interesting (and fresh) Predator narrative. The Yautja covet their weapons and trophies—and the kingdom’s vast stores of this rare cosmic metal would be impossible to resist.

io9: When writing a story about characters that originated in a movie series like Predator, do you have to adhere to any canon? If so, who do you talk to about that and if not, is there any limit in terms of character or mythology you put on yourself?

Percy: Those who read Predator vs. Wolverine will know that I adhered to canon in a dancing-between-the-raindrops kind of way. Is it officially canon? I honestly don’t know. But I’m treating it like it is, because I want people to feel like the story matters, like the Yautja have been in the 616 all along, hunting.

io9: From the cover image we’re revealing, this looks like a whole new design for the Predator. How was that developed?

Percy: Chris Allen is doing interior art for the series, and holy hell can he draw. He’s such a force—and has such an eye for detail. Every millimeter of his panels contributes richly to the story. He spent a lot of time designing our Yautja, so get ready for a showcase of armor and designs worthy of the Met Gala(ctic).

Interior Predator vs. Black Panther #1 by Chris Allen.

io9: We heard this story has some kind of “Predator King” in it, what can you tease or tell us about him?

Percy: What’s the Black Panther story people are most familiar with? The battle over the throne between T’Challa and Killmonger. I’m channeling something similar to that here—except on a cosmic scale. This Predator King has two sons who are at war with one another. Vibranium might be the weapon that determines their claim.

io9: For someone who maybe follows movies more than comics, how are your versions of Predator and Black Panther in this story different from ones we’ve seen on screen?

Percy: If you’re a comics nerd, I will feed you. If you’re a movie nerd, I will feed you too. And if you’ve never read or seen anything about Predator or Black Panther, you can get fed as well. I want these to be evergreen titles, and the best way to accomplish that is to honor legacy while not overly burdening the reader with continuity homework.

io9: Finally, does Predator vs. Black Panther include any teases of a match-up you might be cooking up next? Or do you have any ideas of who you’d like to see next?

Percy: I not only know what match-up is coming next, I have plans for the match-up that follows it. We’ll see how it all plays out, but we’re for sure locked in for the third story (which I am so, so damn excited about).

Predator vs. Black Panther, written by Benjamin Percy (Predator vs. Wolverine, Wolverine, Ghost Rider, Hellverine), drawn by Chris Allen (Marvel Stormbreaker artists, Black Panther) with cover art by Ken Lashley (Predator vs. Wolverine), is out August 21.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .

For the latest news, Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

A sneak of the cover for Predator vs. Black Panther #1 by Ken Lashley.

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Angela Bassett, Florence Kasumba, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong'o, Tenoch Huerta, Alex Livinalli, Michaela Coel, Letitia Wright, Mabel Cadena, and Winston Duke in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

The people of Wakanda fight to protect their home from intervening world powers as they mourn the death of King T'Challa. The people of Wakanda fight to protect their home from intervening world powers as they mourn the death of King T'Challa. The people of Wakanda fight to protect their home from intervening world powers as they mourn the death of King T'Challa.

Ryan Coogler
Joe Robert Cole
Letitia Wright
Lupita Nyong'o
Danai Gurira
1.5K User reviews
362 Critic reviews
67 Metascore
50 wins & 172 nominations total

M'Baku

(as Tenoch Huerta Mejía)

Everett Ross

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

River Tribe Elder

Border Tribe Elder
(as Daniel Sapani)
Merchant Tribe Elder

Mining Tribe Elder
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

Trivia Tenoch Huerta , who plays the ruler of an underwater kingdom, didn't know how to swim. When Ryan Coogler offered him the role and asked about his swimming skills, Huerta simply replied, "I've never drowned before." He took swimming lessons afterwards in preparation for the role.
Goofs (at around 12 mins) Near the beginning of the movie when people are diving down in submersible diving suits, there is a reading called out of "Negative One PSI". Negative pressures do not exist, and pressures less than that at sea level (between zero and one PSI) would only happen if they were going up into higher atmospheres.

Ramonda : I am Queen of the most powerful nation in the world! And my entire family is gone! Have I not given everything?

Crazy credits The Marvel Studios logo animation features quotes/images/clips of T'Challa ( Chadwick Boseman ) and is shaded purple, the royal color of Wakanda. The animation also has the music muted.
Connections Edited into Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever: Nigeria: Past is Present (2023)
Soundtracks Funeral Written by Baaba Maal , Massamba Diop , and Ludwig Göransson Produced by Ludwig Göransson Performed by Baaba Maal

User reviews 1.5K

Nov 10, 2022

'Wakanda Forever' Stars Through the Years

How long is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever? Powered by Alexa
Co-producer Nate Moore has teased the existence of a potential director's cut of the movie. If it does exist, when can it be expected to be released?
With a little over $800 million gross, is this movie considered a box office disappointment compared to the almost $1.4 billion gross of the original?
November 11, 2022 (United States)
United States
Official site
Black Panther 2
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Marvel Studios
Walt Disney Pictures
See more company credits at IMDbPro
$250,000,000 (estimated)
$453,829,060
$181,339,761
Nov 13, 2022
$859,208,836

Technical specs

Runtime 2 hours 41 minutes
IMAX 6-Track
Dolby Digital
Dolby Atmos

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X-Men '97 Director Delves Into 'Tolerance is Extinction' Black Panther Identity

X-Men '97 supervising director Jake Castorena talks about the decision to have T'Chaka be Black Panther in 'Tolerance is Extinction - Part 3.'

X-Men '97 supervising director Jake Castorena touched upon the decision to have T'Chaka be Black Panther rather than T'Challa. This odd choice occurred in the season finale, "Tolerance is Extinction - Part 3."

Castorena delved into this topic while speaking to ComicBook.com's Phase Zero podcast, commenting that he would "elaborate on as much of it as [he could]." He went on to further note, "Some of the Black Panther of it all are definitely closed doors conversations that I wasn't privy to. That was definitely in [ex-showrunner] Beau [DeMayo] and the executives' realm. But for us, there's always multiple timelines right there. There's always a one off. 'This is exactly how I like it, except for that one thing.' OK, cool. But, it's still the thing. So, who's to say what timeline is the right timeline, the proper timeline? I mean, y'all aren't ready for how we're gonna **** you up in Season 2 . At the end, we tease it at the end of [episode] 10. We're gonna have to elaborate on that…"

X-Men '97 Directors and Producer Discuss [SPOILER] Being Season 2's Big Bad

Castorena continued that, at least for himself, X-Men '97 is set in the '90s and if T'Challa is the natural successor and "is more of our era now," he would still be a kid at the time. "And while it is sort of retcon-y , based on what nineties series you watch, whether it was Fantastic Four … I believe it was just Fantastic Four that even had T'Challa," Castorena concluded. "And that was before T'Chaka was like assassinated, or if there was a back in time thing, but I remember they did T'Challa. But, that's the best thing about our sandbox and multiple universes. For us, it just felt right."

"So, who's to say what timeline is the right timeline, the proper timeline?"

Prior to this, Castorena had hinted at more Marvel cameos in upcoming episodes , professing that cameos are in the DNA of the show. Ironically, Beau DeMayo avowed that Deadpool was "off-limits" when a fan asked where he was. However, executive producer Brad Winderbaum subsequently cleared this up .

Concerning the cameos, X-Men: The Animated Series director Larry Houston praised X-Men '97 's cameo-based legacy , stating that it was "fun to see [his] unauthorized use of cameos fully embraced by the highly-talented X-Men '97 team."

Marvel Exec Addresses Demands for a Post-X-Men '97 Spider-Man: The Animated Series Follow Up

Season 3 is already in development.

Moving on to X-Men '97 itself, Winderbaum declared that Season 2 is "still an animatic phase" adding that animation takes a long time. Before that, he conveyed that Season 3 is already in development , asserting that just like X-Men: The Animated Series , X-Men '97 is "drafting from the stories from the books." As of now, plot details for Season 2 and Season 3 are under wraps.

X-Men '97 is streaming on Disney+.

Source: Phase Zero, via ComicBook.com

X-Men '97

X-Men '97 is a continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992).

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Movie Review: Amy Winehouse story flattened in frustrating biopic ‘Back to Black’

This image released by Focus Features shows Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in a scene from “Back to Black.” (Focus Features via AP)

This image released by Focus Features shows Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse, left, and Eddie Marsan as Mitch Winehouse, in a scene from “Back to Black.” (Focus Features via AP)

This image released by Focus Features shows Jack O’Connell as Blake Fielder-Civil, left, and Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse, in a scene from “Back to Black.” (Focus Features via AP)

This image released by Focus Features shows Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse, left, and Jack O’Connell as Blake Fielder-Civil, in a scene from “Back to Black.” (Focus Features via AP)

This image released by Focus Features shows Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse , reflected at left, and Lesley Manville as Cynthia Winehouse, in a scene from “Back to Black.” (Focus Features via AP)

This image released by Focus Features shows Jack O’Connell as Blake Fielder-Civil in a scene from “Back to Black.” (Focus Features via AP)

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“ Back to Black ” as a movie is a tame and mediocre affair. A conventionally told biopic about a talented artist who became famous, struggled with drugs, depression and bulimia, and died early. There are nice performances from gifted actors like Marisa Abela, Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan and Lesley Manville, and a soundtrack of hits that helps fill the space.

But as a portrait of Amy Winehouse ? It is simply dreadful.

The main problem with any movie about Winehouse is that a defining film already exists — Asif Kapadia’s Oscar-winning documentary “Amy,” released four years after her death from alcohol poisoning at age 27. Told through archival material, home videos and observations from those around her, it felt as intimate and unfiltered as a diary.

“Amy” was a sobering portrait of addiction, fame and complicity that also let you get to know and love the person behind the songs, the eyeliner, the beehive, the bloodied ballet slippers and the invasive paparazzi photos. It was no one’s idea of sensationalistic and she’s doing most of the talking.

“Amy” was also a movie that didn’t sit well with her grieving family. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, said it was misleading and contained “basic untruths.” After it won the Oscar, he doubled down saying that it had no bearing on her life and was manipulative. Kapadia, he said, was more exploitative of his daughter than anyone.

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Jason Momoa in a scene from "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

Following her death, Mitch started a foundation in her name to help young people and wrote a book about her and being the father of an addict. Her mother Janis narrated a documentary, “Reclaiming Amy,” released in 2011. And after years of declining to participate in a narrative biopic, the estate decided to allow one with full use the songs. Like many musical biopics made alongside an estate, it’s hard not to look at “Back to Black” skeptically, wondering whose interests the film is serving.

Sam Taylor-Johnson, who directed, has said that she wanted to take the idea of “blame” out of the equation, that the family had zero input on her cut and would not benefit financially. And yet it also seems like a direct response to Kapadia’s film, depicting more than a few key moments wildly differently. They’re not just shown in a different light — some are telling a completely different story.

The screenplay by Matthew Greenhalgh is empathetic to the ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil (O’Connell) and her father Mitch (Marsan), both of whom have been villainized over the years. In the film, most are just caught up in a whirl of inevitability and the retrospective blur of grief.

This image released by Focus Features shows Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse, left, and Eddie Marsan as Mitch Winehouse, in a scene from "Back to Black." (Focus Features via AP)

There seems to be an excessive amount of rationalizing in the way everyone involved talks about “Back to Black,” over justifying its existence and its choices. But just because everyone keeps telling us that it’s a celebration doesn’t mean that we have to get on board. I’m not sure what is celebratory about dramatizing this tragedy, or helpful, or artful, or particularly revelatory about it either. The media, for example, is reduced mainly to the paparazzi camped outside her place as though that’s where the problem stopped.

Taylor-Johnson has said she didn’t want to glamorize depression, addiction or bulimia either, but the latter, which she struggled with before she was famous, is barely even acknowledged. Depiction of eating disorders is inherently fraught, but there had to have been a way to address such a large part of her life and self-image more directly.

Though linear, the story is also oddly confusing, assuming that the audience knows many details of her life (like, say, the bulimia) and the people in it. The film rushes through major career moments in montage, seeming to slow down only for a few things: A performance, Amy’s face in various forms of drunken distress and agony or scenes with her and Blake. Was it attempting a freewheeling jazz form, or is it just messy?

Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in a scene from “Back to Black.” (Focus Features via AP)

In some ways, this portrait of Amy Winehouse makes her immense talent the sideshow and her obsession/romance/heartache over Blake the defining story of her adult life. This is at least somewhat redeemed by the chemistry between Abela and O’Connell, who look far too glowing and healthy to be believable as heroin addicts.

But the greatest failing is how shockingly cliche the ending is. For all of “Back to Black’s” tiptoeing around delicate subjects, its romantically photographed sendoff to Amy is perhaps the most dangerously glamorized shot in the film. It doesn’t even fade to black after a title card announces her death. Before anyone can feel anything, they’ve cut to Amy telling the audience that all she wants is for her songs to make people forget about their troubles for a bit.

By this point, it reads more like a closing statement for a film that never wanted to challenge, offend or move anyone. Mission accomplished.

“Back to Black,” a Focus Features release in theaters Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “drug use, language throughout, sexual content and nudity.” Running time: 122 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

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Predator and Black Panther Will Collide in a New Marvel Mini-Series

Io9 has your exclusive first look at predator vs. black panther from benjamin percy and chris allen..

This summer, there’s going to be a hunt in Wakanda. io9 is incredibly excited to announce that writer Benjamin Percy and artists Chris Allen and Ken Lashley are teaming up on a new Marvel Comic called Predator vs. Black Panther , a four-issue mini-series that will debut on August 21.

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