Black Panther

Just meh. Nothing special just an ever age superhero movie which for some reason people praise way too much. No idea why.

At a time when Marvel was excelling in every project, a very unique one appeared.

After all, we hadn't had any risky proposals, and "Black Panther" certainly was.

With Ryan Coogler at the helm and Chadwick Boseman (RIP) as T'chala, this film became a milestone, so much so that it earned Oscar nominations, being the only MCU film to do so.

The big question here is whether it's that big a deal or was it simply a scheduling issue and nothing more.

I think this film is a gray area, a middle ground. Black Panther had already been presented in "Captain America: Civil War," being one of the highest points and highlights, so a standalone film was a safe bet.

If we add the imposing presence of Michael B. Jordan, this combination had everything going for it.

Its box office takings shouldn't deceive you by the fact that this film has several flaws in the script, especially in the CGI. To this day, the fight between the two Black Panthers on the train tracks is an eternal meme.

Regardless, I consider it a film with soul, and each of its members gave their all. We saw it and see it every time we rewatch the film.

It kicked off the entire finale of the Infinity Saga.

I remember it fondly, but it's definitely not the work of art that most people believe it to be or want us to believe it to be.

Lasted an hour before I bailed. I like the cast but the movie is done in by terrible writing that most of the actors could not overcome. Halfway through the film and there's little to no character development. I have no reason to care about 99.9% of the people on the screen. As a huge fan of the preceding films, I expected much more from Black Panther. Very disappointing. The hype and over-the-top praise of this movie is misplaced.

"Black Panther" follows some typical superhero plot points, but it does make a few changes along the way. Perhaps the biggest is in how the villain is represented. He doesn't really play a big part until close to an hour into the film. Until then, we are entertained by a more minor villain named Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis). There are several stabs at humor (not unusual for a Marvel flick), and thankfully the jokes are very good-natured and funny.

Speaking of the villain, he's one of the most interesting villains Marvel's put together. He's given interesting reasons behind taking over Wakanda. Michael B. Jordan gives an energetic performance that adds a layer or two more than what you might expect a villain to have. As for Boseman, he aptly provides the heart and soul of the strong but gentle-hearted character. Lupita N'yongo gives a memorable performance as the kind Nakia. Movie fans and "Lord of the Rings"/"Hobbit" fans, may be excited to see Martin Freeman (reprising from "Civil War") and Serkis together again in an interesting scene. There are a lot of characters to keep up with, however. This makes veteran actors such as Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker have less screentime than people might have hoped for.

Ludwig Gorannson's score cleverly mixes African beats with some orchestral pieces. The production design and costume design carry bits and pieces of originality and uniqueness. The visual effects, like most superhero movies, are impressive, but sometimes over-the-top. The action sequences are exciting, but the camera work is a bit shaky in places.

As for the usual Marvel elements, Stan Lee's cameo doesn't disappoint. And the second post-credits scene is worth waiting for.

Thanks for a wonderful performance even while battling cancer. Few people could've done what you did and even fewer could've done it with such panache.

This movie doesn't deserve a 10 star rating, I agree, but it doesn't deserve all those 1's and 2's from the haters either. It remains to this day, one of the best standalone Marvel movies ever made.

You'll be sorely missed.

8/10