Spoiler Review ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Is the Perfect Conclusion To Phase 4
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WARNING: SPOILERS FOR BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is an absolute marvel of a film, and the perfect way to conclude Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The sequel gives us a fresh, new story with familiar characters, while also honoring the ones we lost.
The presence of Chadwick Boseman is felt throughout the film. The film begins with a funeral for the fallen king. The people of Wakanda are in white, dancing in celebration of his life as his casket moves through the streets. The scene then fades into the Marvel opener, where instead of the ones we are familiar with, goes into a montage of Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa. Shuri and Queen Ramonda talk about him on the beach as the queen tries to help Shuri with her grief. We see him in flashbacks during the film, and near the end, when Shuri is trying to connect with him. The film honored the actor beautifully, and in a way that fits with the story.
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We are first introduced to the people of Talokan when our antagonists attack a military ship in order to protect the vibranium found in the ocean. It turns out that Wakanda is not the only place where vibranium can be found. Namor makes his first appearance as an outline of a man in the sky as he takes down a helicopter. When he approaches Ramonda and Shuri at the beach of Wakanda, we get to see the god in all his glory. Tenoch Huerta is absolutely wonderful as Namor as he enlists the help of Wakanda to protect his people and their vibranium.
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This introduces us to Riri Wiliams, the MIT student responsible for designing the vibranium detector that discovered the metal in the ocean. Because of this, she is now targeted by Namor. Shuri and Okoye track her down and try to take her back to Wakanda for protection. However, U.S. government agents move in on them. This is where we are introduced to Riri’s Mark I Ironheart suit. The three almost avoid capture until the Talokanil warriors intervene. A fight breaks out, and Shuri volunteers herself to be taken to Namor.
The entire Talokan sequence is beautiful. Namor shows Shuri his underwater city and tells the story of how Namor and the Talokanil came to be. Their Mayan roots add a new layer to the story. He also tells Shuri that he wants Wakanda to help them take on the surface world before they have a chance to take whatever they want from Wakanda and Talokan. Similar to Killmonger, Namor is tired of what happened to his ancestors when they were on land, and he wants payback. The film does a good job of never making Namor seem like the villain and more of an anti-hero. There are times when you even start to sympathize with him because all he wants is to keep his people safe.
We are not introduced to the Black Panther until two-thirds of the way through the movie. The loss of Wakanda’s protector is felt by everyone. Wakanda’s weakened condition allows Namor to cause massive damage to the Golden City. Shuri takes up the mantle of Black Panther after she successfully synthesizes the heart-shaped herb.
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We are treated to a surprise cameo when Shuri enters the Ancestral Plane after ingesting the heart-shaped herb. Michael B. Jordan returns as Killmonger, and Shuri is surprised to see him in the Ancestral Plane. This comes into play later when Shuri is about to kill Namor to get revenge for what he did to Wakanda and her mother. She remembers what Killmonger said, and then sees her mother. She realizes that she is better than this and that killing Namor will not bring back those she has lost. Her showing mercy to Namor mirrors T’Challa when he gave Killmonger a chance to yield. Namor yields to the Black Panther and accepts their alliance. Their fight ends, and the two groups go their separate ways.
Ryan Coogler was able to capture the magic again in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Everything about this film is beautiful, from the costumes to the sets. The actors are superb in portraying the characters. The film has a long buildup but comes together to a satisfying conclusion. You can feel the love that went into this film to honor Chadwick Boseman and also expand the storylines of the characters that are still around. This film was able to deal with grief in a way other Marvel films have not. It was a beautiful tribute to someone who was taken from us too soon. Ryan Coogler has made one of the best films of Phase 4, and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
Rating: 9/10
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