Words: Julia Stitely and Lien Hoang
Before Avengers: Infinity War and Ant-Man and the Wasp, Black Panther is one of the Marvel movies premiering this year. Already gaining praise from its stunning visuals and the wonderful energy, Black Panther is already top of the box office. The movie showcases a rare representation for African Americans in the entertainment business with the majority of its cast being black.
Black Panther is easy to follow due to it being an origin story. With his introduction in Captain America: Civil War, we barely knew anything about the Panther himself, T’Challa, and where he came from. The story of Black Panther is set in the technologically advanced nation of Wakanda. In this hidden society, the future king, T’Challa, faces several challenges including a rising competitor for the throne. The strength backing up the community derives from an extraordinary metal called Vibranium, the material of Captain America’s shield.
Now, what really makes Black Panther is the African-American cast and production team. The team includes director of Creed, Ryan Coogler, head of the beautiful costume design, Ruth E. Carter, and many others. Chadwick Boseman returns as T’Challa, giving him more background and passion. Although the villain usually acts as an evil character for the hero to defeat, the audience can sympathize with Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan, and the reasons behind his actions. The idea behind his cause is sensible, but his way of carrying out his plans is questionable. The new additions of Letitia Wright as his sister, Shuri, Lupita Nyong’o as the caring Nakia, and Okoye, played by Danai Gurira, are fresh displays of female empowerment. It is seen through amazing fight scenes and women holding high positions of power. In fact, the king’s right hand man, in this case woman, is the head general Okoye.
Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther is a force to be reckoned with. The different outfits the people wear are so colorful and great to look at. In addition to that, the landscape is beautiful to view in the background. Black Panther depicts unimaginable technology and it stands out from other movies, hopefully inspiring many others to come.
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