 Meow! Hey guys, this is my review for Black Panther, the latest film in the Marvel Universe. This is the last one before Infinity War. This film kind of gives more of an explanation as to the idea of Wakanda, the whole story of Black Panther and how the child has to take over from his father, and just basically setting up Infinity War. There was two reasons why I wanted to see this movie. The first one was Ryan Coogler. He is a fantastic director who, while he has a small resume, is still a very impressive resume. My first introduction with him was Creed, a movie that was far better than it had any right to be, but that was a fantastically well made movie with Michael B. Jordan in it. I have yet to see Fruitville Station, but I know it's a good movie, but the material in which it's talking about is so disheartening just to read that it's really, I have to build up the emotional level to go see that. The Ryan Coogler does a great job of adding culture to this movie. The thing that a lot of people have always said for the longest time is that a cast of international or mainly in very broad terms, non-white cast, don't do well overseas. This movie is absolutely kicking that theory out the door. It's one of the highest grossing films, and I think it's like the ninth highest grossing film in its first weekend of all time. The thing that he does is it's great culture. There's so much in just the way people talk to each other, the costumes, the mix of both ancestral or ancestor old ways with the new ways. The thing about Wakanda that's so interesting is that it is both a land of highly advanced technology, advanced ideals, but also very, very respectful and garnering to the ways of the old, the old rite of passage, the old challenge of combat and all these ancestral aspects. And I like that it melds the two without seeming forced and it's actually pretty interesting. Like for instance, the biggest example I could say for you is there's this gentleman in the film who has a lip disk in his, like I'm apologizing if I'm saying I know that's not what it is, but that's what I know is this that lip disk and he has it throughout the entire movie, but most of the time he's also in a really snazzy suit and I thought that is basically the movie in its entirety. It is both a means of respecting the past as well as following the ways of the past, but also being up to date and melding with the ways of the future. And honestly, that's kind of the interesting aspect of it. And I thought that Kugler did this really well. Kugler really brings you into this world and it's probably the best world that's been built in this movie since Asgard. I really liked Asgard as it was in the first Thor film. The first Thor film itself is not really that great, but the world building aspect in that movie was really good. However, Black Panther kicks that movie out of the park. World building is a big aspect for me. He also brings a bit of a more up to date sort of view for a villain with the second reason why I saw this movie, Michael B. Jordan. His character of Killmonger is a great aspect, a great view on current political aspects. Michael B. Jordan is an embodiment of the anger and the frustration and the want to change those aspects, however violently. And Michael B. Jordan is probably one of the best parts of the movie, but there's two things that kind of sour his character. One, people were saying that he's the best Marvel villain ever. He's not. He has the potential to be it though in this movie, but it's not fully realized. He is not in it enough to fully develop him. He's not really in it until by like half way through the film and when he's really brought into the story. And the thing that is so unfortunate about it is when he is introduced, he has two sides. He either has this incredibly radical but ingenious want to right the wrongs of the world, help those that are oppressed, take down those who are oppressing others and super douchebag. He literally switches back between the two on a flip of the hat. And that is probably one of the reasons why I don't like his character as much. I want to like his character so much. I actually feel for his cause. I feel for his wants and his desires. He's one of the, he's a fucking relatable villain. It's something that Marvel hasn't been able to do in since fucking Loki. They have not been able to make a relatable villain. And Michael B. Jordan almost gets there. He almost gets there. Especially with the final scene of the film. There's something he says at the end of the movie that's like, holy shit. It's heavy. But because of the lack of screen time and the random douchebag moments that are thrown in, his character is sour. And that is kind of something I feel about throughout this whole movie. I enjoyed the film, however it follows the exact same Marvel footnotes that have been in every single Marvel movie before. And some people may say it's about the journey, not about the destination. That's true, but when you've seen the same destination and the same journey in the sense, what, fucking, we're on the 10th now? I don't even know how many, but we've literally seen the same movie over and over again, and they can only change the variation of that same journey so many times if the destination is always going to be the same. That is probably one of the things that's holding this movie back, is that you know exactly what you're walking into. Sure, there's a really cool cultural aspect to it. Sure, there's an interesting villain. There are parts, there's about two or three parts in the film that are like, oh, I'm actually surprised they did that. However, in the back of your mind, this movie keeps on popping in my head. It keeps, my friend and I, who I went and saw it with, we both were sitting there going, this is the Lion King. Sure, it doesn't follow it to an extent, but there are so many similarities. I'm not taking that away, I'm not saying the movie copied it, but there's definitely some stuff that's borrowed. The thing is, it's just a movie you've seen before, however it is different in certain aspects to update itself, but it still follows that same footnote. And also the end climax, I thought was dumb. I just thought it was so ridiculously by the numbers. There's this horrible overabundant of CG at the end, it's so bad. I don't know, it just, Black Panther is a good movie. I've been kind of talking about my aspects of it. The action is alright, the comedy is actually pretty well placed, it's probably the best one in terms of jokes, like there aren't any jokes that you're gonna be like, eh, eh, eh, eh. They actually all follow really well. You really connect with T'Challa, you actually connect with his journey, you see him develop both from the ways of his father and make it the whole idea of Wakanda and the rule of King as his own. And there are some really cool side characters. I love the women in this movie. All of them were super good. Best female characters by far in the entire Marvel Universe, besides maybe Gamora in comparison. But that's it, there hasn't been a good female character setup as the three women who are in this movie. They are fantastic. I will not try to pronounce their names because I will butcher it. But all three of them, the general, his love interest and his sister are all fantastic characters in this movie. I really enjoyed them. I thought they were great screen presence. So with all these layers on top of it, what do I give Black Panther? I'm gonna give it a five out of seven. It's not as groundbreaking as people are expecting it to be in terms of story. It is groundbreaking in terms of how much it embraces the culture that the film is about. I like that aspect. However, that would not bring me back. And that's one point that I'm taking away from this movie is the rewatchability. I couldn't watch this again. I'd be bored. It was so by the numbers. And there's such little development with areas that would draw me back. For instance, if there was more delving into Michael B. Jordan's character, I would certainly be brought back. There's a part in the movie. I can't say it without spoiling it, but they do this inner journey with Michael B. Jordan's character at one point. And something to do with his father. And it is a great scene. However, right after he ruins it with douchebag-ness. And that's what I mean, that that's the problem with this character is he's probably like the pivot point of this movie. He has the ability to make it go above and beyond. And he raises it like right here and then it just drops to the floor. That's actually something I would also say. If I had a timeline, like a heartbeat sensor for this movie. Awesome intro. Pretty standard stuff. Michael B. Jordan's in. Michael B. Jordan's in. Michael B. Jordan's in the entire climax of the movie and then the ending. That's the movie in a heartbeat. It is definitely one of the better Marvel movies. I would put it above the first two Thor's Iron Man 2. And I would put it above. It's out there. It's probably like maybe the top 10 for me or maybe the top seven. I don't know. But it's not my favorite one. But to those who do enjoy this movie, who are saying it's your favorite one, by all means. But definitely congrats to Ryan Coogler. Congrats to Marvel. And congrats to the entire crew for a film that is so diverse with its cast and just the culture of the film to be so successful. That's fantastic. And hopefully that continues into more and more adaptations of any form of comic book movies or any form of any sort of entertainment. I just don't think it's as good as everyone else does, but that's just my opinion. Anyways, guys, I hope you liked this review. It went for a little while, but I just really wanted to explain my small gripes with the film. I still enjoy it. I still think you should totally go and see it. But I wanted to give enough time to establish it without sounding like an asshole. So anyways, I hope you like this review. I hope you enjoyed it. If you liked it, maybe give me a like. And if you're interested in more, maybe subscribe. Otherwise, guys, I'll see you guys in the next one.