"Black Panther" has been a prominent figure in the Marvel comic universe for over 50 years now. As king of a fictional nation of Wakanda, Africa, he serves as an unofficial guardian to the African continent. He is strong, agile and dangerous. T'Challa, which is his actual name, often joins in and gives aid to many more well-known Marvel groups like the X-men or Avengers. Yet, what sets him apart as the protagonist of a superhero movie is actually his skin color.
It might be unbelievable, but since the early 2000s there has not been a black (or Asian) superhero movie protagonist in the mainstream superhero movie field. The last movie portraying an African-American hero was "Blade" (1998) and its sequels. Yet, in "Blade," the protagonist was most of the time the only black character shown in the series. In "Black Panther," the vast majority of the cast is black, and although we see some appearances from crucial white characters, it is most definitely one of a kind. Thus, box office numbers might not be the only record this movie is breaking.
What is it about?
"Black Panther" is undoubtedly a heavily political film that showcases the struggles of the nation of Wakanda. At first, the viewers are shown its past with T'Challa's uncle N'Jobu introducing a detrimental policy of isolation to the country to "protect" its inhabitants from the dangers of the outside world. When Black Panther becomes king, he seeks to open up the nation and abolish the harmful administration. His opposition and the one determined to overthrow T'Challa is N'Jobu's son, the so-called Killmonger, hailed by many critics as one of the best villains ever shown in a superhero movie. The movie displays brilliant action scenes, amazing character portrayals, and, surprisingly, some well-aimed jokes.
Critical reception
With an amazing opening week in Europe that gained the studio over $25 million, "Black Panther" has scored an impressive 88 on Metacritic and 97% on Rotten Tomatoes with most critics agreeing on the amazing cast and interesting plot line. According to Dani Di Placido from Forbes, the movie villain steals the show and is the most interesting character in the story.
As reported by Anthony Lane from the New Yorker, a black superhero protagonist in today's film industry has a major impact on the present-day movie market.
The movie certainly deserves a trip to the cinema. Will you watch it?