Review: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

What better feeling is there than the release of one of Marvel’s most highly anticipated films of 2022? It is still quite hard to believe that only four years have passed since Black Panther first made its way to the big screen. Black Panther is a film that was revolutionary for the superhero industry. It is also a film that not only features an all-star cast, with the likes of Angela Bassett, Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong’o, but a film that placed an all-black cast front and centre stage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Black Panther is a film that was revolutionary for the superhero industry

So, in 2018 we left off with both the death of Killmonger (Micheal B. Jordan) and the revealing of Wakanda to the world. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever resurfaces as the characters mourn the unexpected loss of King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), following the passing of Boseman in 2020 from colon cancer. Marvel, out of respect for the legacy he had created, decided not to re-cast his character and paid homage to Boseman in the opening credits. However, his absence was notably felt. His portrayal of T’Challa in the first film was remarkable, praised as ‘simply magnetic’, and bringing both ‘poise’ and ‘charisma’ to the role.

After his passing, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) takes to the throne with Shuri (Letitia Wright) by her side. Wakanda remains in the spotlight for their precious possession of vibranuim, a metal with extraordinary properties. Wakanda’s refusal to share this resource displeases those who want to tap into its useful potential. The search to locate the indestructible metal by the US government, unbeknownst to them, exposes the people of Talokan. To much surprise of Wakanda, they too have an unprecedented supply of vibranium and want to avoid its mass extraction. You would think it simple enough, two parties with a mutual interest. However, the film embarks on a journey of conflict between the people of Talokan and their leader Namor (Tenoch Huerta) with the people of Wakanda.

The embedded symbolism of colonialism and the stripping of resources was an interesting image

This trope of good vs bad, however, is not so clear cut. I find it hard to view Namor and the people of Talokan under the view of traditional antagonists. We bear witness to their history and how they came to be. In turn, we sympathise with their plight to keep their home safe and free from human destruction. Here the embedded symbolism of colonialism and the stripping of resources was an interesting image, with the depiction of those from Western countries attempting to extract the virbranium under the guise of it being for the mutual benefit of all.

We see the return of our leading ladies Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira; with the new addition of Dominique Thorne who plays Riri Williams. The exploration and development of Shuri’s character aided the overall storyline. Her character for a large portion of the film grapples with feelings of grief and loss. Wright’s portrayal reflected onto the audience her character’s inner turmoil as she must choose between avenging those she loves or doing the ‘right’ thing.

Verdict:

Marvel has once again captured the beauty of storytelling in Wakanda Forever, whilst bearing many mixed reviews was an incredible continuation of the Black Panther franchise. Bringing both action and a compelling narrative. In true Marvel fashion, the post-credit scenes furthered the excitement for the audience, well for those who stayed long enough to watch them.