Black Panther Movie Review

It’s hard for a good man to be a king.

Reviewed by Lynn Barker on Feb 15, 2018

Rating:

Kidzworld saw Black Panther in 3-D. Is the movie a great origin story addition to the Marvel cinema universe? Check out our movie review.

By: Lynn Barker

When T’Chaka (John Kani) dies, his son T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) will be king of Wakanda, a nation in Africa that has long hidden its high tech accomplishments by posing as a poor, third world country. T’Challa will also continue to fight evil as Black Panther. Little does he know that past family transgressions will surface to haunt him and his kingdom forcing him to fight for his throne and to prevent weapons made of Wakanda’s rich vibranium deposits from reaching the wrong hands all over the world.

T'Challa looks regal on his throneCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Centuries Ago…

In Black Panther, we learn that, centuries ago, a meteorite of vibranium (the strongest metal on Earth) fell in the middle of Africa. Five tribes warred over the alien metal, until one warrior discovered the "heart-shaped herb”, a plant affected by the vibranium which, when ingested, gave him superhuman strength and reflexes. With these new abilities, he became the first "Black Panther" and united the five tribes to found the nation of Wakanda. Using vibranium, the Wakandans developed highly advanced technology but shut themselves off from the rest of the world, posing as a poor, third world country.

Killmonger confronts T'ChallaCourtesy of Marvel Studios

1992

We are shown that, in 1992 Wakandan Prince N’Jobu (Sterling K. Brown) felt that Wakanda’s isolationist beliefs hadn’t helped oppressed African-descended people worldwide. He wanted to share all the high tech so those oppressed could triumph. He went undercover in the U.S. and told arms dealer Ulysses Klaue (Klaw, Andy Serkis) who then invaded Wakanda and stole some vibranium. When N’Jobu’s brother king T’Chaka learned of the betrayal, he reluctantly killed N’Jobu and to keep all of this a secret, abandoned N’Jobu’s young son by an American woman, who will later be known as Erik Stevens ( Erik Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan).

Klaw wants Wakandan vibranium weaponsCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Present Day

With T’Challa about to be crowned king, he wants the love of his life Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) extracted from her undercover assignment to stop human traffickers so that she can be there for the ceremony. General Okoye (Danai Gurira), head of the elite royal guard the Dora Milaje will help him. They are successful but, returning home, T’Challa is challenged for the throne, defeats M’Baku (Winston Duke) leader of the rival J’Bari tribe and is crowned king.

Nakia and T'Challa look spiffy undercover in KoreaCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Klaw Strikes Again!

Klaw, wearing his vibranium arm weapon, steals a Wakandan weapon from a British museum to sell to a buyer in Korea. T’Challa, with Nakia and Okoye, go to Korea to stop him but it is discovered that the buyer is actually old pal Everett K. Ross of the CIA (Martin Freeman). The Wakandans plus Ross end up in a wild car chase that results in Klaw’s capture. He is soon rescued by Erik Stevens, now going by Killmonger and Ross is badly injured. T’Challa takes Ross back to Wakanda where his high tech whiz sister Shuri (Latitia Wright) can use advanced medical tech to save him.

CIA man Ross questions briefly captured KlawCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Another Challenge

Killmonger kills Klaw, takes his body to Wakanda to show his “good will”, reveals he is the son of N’Jobu and has a right to the throne. T’Challa has his Black Panther powers temporarily removed and Killmonger beats him in combat and throws him over a huge waterfall. He then, as the new king, drinks the special herb and gets his own Black Panther powers. Enforcing his father’s old plan, he prepares tons of Wakandan weapons to be distributed to shady and “oppressed” people everywhere. Brokenhearted Ramonda (Angela Bassett), T’Challa’s mom, with Nakia, Shuri and recovered Ross, goes to the J’Bari tribe asking for help only to learn that they are caring for the frozen but still living T’Challa. Okoye, sworn always to protect the Wakandan king, reluctantly sticks with Killmonger.

T'Challa fights Killmonger for Wakandan kingshipCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Wakandan Future?

Will T’Challa again become Black Panther? Will Killmonger succeed in shipping vibranium weapons all over the world? Will Okoye again protect King T’Challa? Will Wakanda ever reveal its riches and share its vast knowledge with good-hearted people of the planet?

Okoye is happy to see T'Challa as kingCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Black Panther unmaskedCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Wrapping Up

Black Panther succeeds as a wonderful origin story for the superhero with well-expressed family intrigue and great character development at its core. It also looks good in 3-D. Acting is really top notch all around and the look of the movie is mind-blowing. Production design, costumes, weaponry (a virtual reality car, etc.) and music all combine to create a colorful, believable high tech African nation that is a successful mix of tribal tradition and otherworldly power.

Black Panther atop a virtual reality carCourtesy of Marvel Studios

The movie’s serious themes are lightened with some very fun humor. The head of the J’Bari tribe tells his visitors that he will serve them to his people as dinner then breaks into a grin with “I’m just kidding. We’re vegetarians”. When a giant armored hippo is headed straight for Okoye, it suddenly stops short and licks her face. None of the humor in the film seems forced.

Nakia and Shuri will fight for WakandaCourtesy of Marvel Studios

T’Challa and on-again, off-again love Nakia have a great bantering relationship that is enforced by some chemistry between Bozeman and Nyong’o. Fans of Danai Gurira’s “The Walking Dead” character Michonne will love her in her new kick-butt role as she swings a long spear instead of a Japanese katana sword. The whole film is packed with intelligent and physically fierce females and the guys aren’t shabby either. Bozeman is charming and powerful as both T’Challa and Black Panther and Andy Serkis is his wacky yet dangerous best as Klaw.

T'Challa's mother Ramonda asks for helpCourtesy of Marvel Studios

As usual with Marvel films, stick around after the credits for a scene in which Shuri is medically tending to a very interesting patient.

Shuri loves showing her brother her new inventionsCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Black Panther is entertaining as heck, different, successful at establishing the superhero and well worth your trip to the cinema. We can go five stars.