As I stated in my Shang-Chi review, two of the best days in cinema history are 1) the day Marvel Disney announced Black Panther would be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and 2) the day Black Panther hit theaters. Sadly, 18 months later, we would also have one of the worst days in cinema history with the untimely passing of the mega-talent who ushered Black Panther into becoming a phenomenon, Chadwick Boseman.
With a personal, cultural, and cinematic void to fill, writer-director Ryan Coogler, along with most of the original cast led by Angela Bassett and Letitia Wright, have come together to continue moving the stories of Wakanda forward with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Set a year after King T’Challa’s passing, Wakanda Forever focuses on Wakanda’s efforts to move on from its tragic loss while protecting its resources from other governments and battling an emerging threat from the sea.
Expectations for Wakanda Forever were already high because of the first movie’s critical, financial, and cultural success, and continuing the story without its star raised them even higher. How does Wakanda Forever fare after all it lost? Pack your patience and favorite brand of tissue because you are in for a long, emotional ride.
The first Black Panther film was fun and enlightening, giving it a pride that transcended the screen. For this film, vibes continue going beyond the screen but in a starkly contrasting way, as Coogler’s script tells a darker story.
Instead of being the secretive, prosperous nation we saw in 2018, Wakanda is now hunted and hopeless as it has yet to recover from the loss of T’Challa in a sad but accurate example of art imitating life. Coogler’s script easily parallels Wakanda's grieving and current state to our grieving as we coped with loss via COVID, gun violence, or flawed policing that took a life.
Going this route means Wakanda Forever has to move much slower than its predecessor across a 161-minute runtime, and Coogler deftly handles it from the director’s chair. He controls the film in a way that doesn’t drag but does require patient viewing as it proceeds gradually to ensure the characters’ respective agonies are understood and felt. He sets the pace with a beautiful tribute to T’Challa/Boseman, and mostly everything after it is dealing with grief.
That’s not to say Coogler neglects the action-comedy mix that’s become the MCU’s calling card. The action sequences where Namor is turned loose and a lengthy third act are spectacular. The comedy is light, and the comedic moments between RiRi, Shuri, and Okoye are gold. Still, the emotional weight that Wakanda Forever carries doesn’t leave much room for action or comedy at all.
However, there are two upsides to Coogler’s decisions with the script and directing choices. One upside it has is well-written, multidimensional characters, and Coogler’s writing showed the characters as whole people instead of being on a singular track as good or evil. The way he wrote Namor is the best example of this, as we learn everything we need to understand who he is entirely and his motivations.
The other upside is that it set up some extraordinary performances, including one that might make Oscar history if the Academy allows it. The quartet of Bassett, Wright, and franchise newcomers Tenoch Huerta and Dominique Thorne show up and show out.
Bassett turns in what deserves to be the first Oscar-nominated performance in a comic book movie as Queen Ramonda. Her scenes addressing the United Nations and monologue about a failed mission alone should put her squarely on the shortlist for all the Best Supporting Actress awards. Using her voice to establish authority but create empathy or sympathy in a split second is on full display and is a masterclass in oratory skills.
Wright hushes any naysayers who thought she was solely a sidekick to T’Challa. She starts with the wisecracks and quick wit that made her a fan favorite in the first film. As the film progresses and Wright cycles through emotions, she proves she can easily carry a heavier load. Huerta makes his mark by possibly being the best MCU Villain since Thanos and Thorne’s RiRi Williams smoothly takes up Shuri’s comic relief mantle.
How much you enjoy Wakanda Forever depends on what you’re willing to invest in it. If you appreciate an emphasis on details and fully fleshed-out narratives, your return to Wakanda will be weepy and a little triggering but satisfying. If you're the “here for a good time, not a long time” type that favors constant action, it’s a challenging but enjoyable watch if you have the endurance to complete the feels trip thanks to the performances of Bassett, Wright, Huerta, and Thorne.
Σχόλια