Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

*Black Panther: Wakanda Forever* is a somber and underwhelming follow-up to the groundbreaking original. While it attempts to honor the legacy of Chadwick Boseman, the film struggles to find its own identity.

The introduction of Namor and the underwater kingdom of Talokan is a missed opportunity. The character lacks the depth and complexity of the original film's villains. His motivations are inconsistent, and his actions often defy logic. The conflict between Wakanda and Talokan feels forced and lacks the emotional resonance of the first film.

The film's focus on grief and loss, while understandable, is overly drawn out. The constant reminders of T'Challa's absence become repetitive and hinder the narrative's progression. Shuri's transformation into the new Black Panther feels rushed and unearned, lacking the character development necessary to support such a significant role.

The film's exploration of Wakanda's vulnerability is a promising concept, but it is ultimately undermined by a predictable plot and underdeveloped characters. The third act descends into a generic superhero battle, devoid of the cultural richness and thematic depth of the first film.

*Black Panther: Wakanda Forever* is a disappointing sequel that fails to live up to the high standards set by its predecessor. While it pays tribute to Chadwick Boseman, it ultimately falls short of honoring his legacy.

This film had some great stuff in it, there's no doubt of that, but I felt it was overall weak. I can't imagine how hard it was for everyone in the film to come back without a lead, and most importantly, their friend. Chadwick's passing is unbelievably sad but it did leave a gap for Marcel to fill, and they could have done it so well. But they didn't.

Firstly, the good. All the emotional scenes were well-scripted and well-acted, and I have to commend Angela Bassett and Letita Wright for their fantastic acting. I never cry in the cinema but this film really had me going because it felt from the heart in some scenes, and I am sure it was.

I also enjoyed the costumes - wow were they beautiful. The only one I didn't like was the Midnight Angels (or whatever they were called). They didn't feel like they fit. Some of the fighting was great as per.

The rest of the film felt slow, boring almost. I've just come from the cinema and I am struggling to remember much of it.

The story was gaping with holes and so much was skipped over with little explanation. The beginning when T'Challa dies felt cold and rushed. That should have been the pivotal moment for the story, but it was brushed over. However, maybe it was too hard for the cast and crew to linger on.

The Talokan/Atlantis story was odd to me and felt so disconnected from Wakanda. I didn't enjoy that storyline. They could have made it so much better.

Anyway, it was enjoyable and I'll maybe watch it again. But I won't rush to do that.

I just got out of Black Panther

I found it pretty underwhelming. It's a better put together movie than both Thor: Love & Thunder and Doctor Strange & The Multiverse of Madness, and there is no sense it was butchered in the editing room, like both of those movies. That said I probably had more fun with those two.

The Chadwick Bosman stuff was touching, but I expected more. Disappointed not to see at least, Bucky there. When I heard there was a cameo, I expected it to be someone at the funeral. I DID NOT see that cameo coming. I thought the Marvel logo was a nice touch.

Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett are both good, but I'm not sure where this Oscar nomination talk is coming from. Then again, I didn't think Black Panther should have got a nomination for Best Picture, so she could get one. Winston Duke was a bit wasted as Umkaku, disappointed by what he did at the end

There is no reason for it to be as long as it is. I was bored a few times. I was especially bored during the story between Martin Freeman and Julia Drefuss, it was really weak and unnecessary. Was it just there to put some white people in it? I didn't like the scientist girl, she irritated me and had awful dialogue. Some of the CGI/Green screen work was not the best, too.

I can safely say, with the exception of Spider-Man: No Way Home, nothing from Phase 4 will be rewatched, never mind find its way into my collection.

Overall I found it OK.

Enough has been said by other reviewers about the film's overall weaknesses - it's overlong, meandering and drags in many places. Instead, I want to focus on a question no one else seems to be asking: what is up with these Wakandans?

I was a definite fan of the first movie, but as the sequel progressed, I found myself more and more annoyed (and irritated) by the film's semi-religious Wakandaphilia. Frankly, the constant self-adulation and smug sense of exceptionalism displayed by every Wakandan character really started to grate. After a while, what I'm sure the film-makers see as a message of empowerment starts to sound a lot like fascistic aggrandizement. If this degree of messianic self-love were displayed by characters in any other (real) country, it would be dismissed as overblown nationalism.

Let's not forget, as the film itself points out, Wakanda is a superpower - possibly the most powerful nation on earth, thanks to its stocks of 'vibranium' - so it's difficult to swallow the idea that they are also somehow persecuted victims. Add to this the fact that they jealously try to preserve their monopoly of this most valuable resource, and its associated technology, and its hard not to see Wakanda as just another arrogant and self-interested power.

Indeed, after a while, my sympathies shifted much more to the rival Talocans, who with some justification came to see Wakanda as more of a threat than an ally. Maybe the next movie could be called Talocan Forever, and show their side of the story instead.

Sorry, but this was boring. Mind-numbing boring. Sleep-inducing boring. "Are we there,yet?"-boring.

Dang, I liked Mr. Bozeman and they pay some propper respect to his character in the first couple of minutes and it really hits you in the feels but after that we are let known that Wakanda have mastered the technology of exposition dialogue. If that is their main achievement then I say we forget vibranium and let them slink back behind their stealth shield and call it a day.

They could have done so much with this movie and show Africa as a vibrant place full of ideas and hope in the face of many problems. Maybe explore Ubuntu philosophy, or visual art. Unfortunately, Wakandan culture is reduced to a song&dance number for the day-trip tourists in cinema seats.

This was a missed opportunity and almost a missed movie if not for a good double espresso I had before it.