Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Flamboyant costumes, set design, make-up, dancing, performances, and all this over and over and over again. The plot begins as simply, unnecessarily and built on scripted crutches as it is resolved in the finale. And it doesn't really matter, because Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is nothing more than another padding link that has no significance to the franchise other than introducing new characters that can be used in the future. The 160 minutes are a total blowout, because Ryan Coogler practically got a blank check to do whatever he wanted. To its credit, it doesn't try to throw in a joke every 5 seconds like Thor: Love and Thunder, but even so, the little bits of humor here are embarrassing to the point of sticking out like a sore thumb over the rest of the film. Visually it's nice and it can entertain the audience, but for me it's a largely useless film, or nothing more than the essence of the whole lame Marvel Phase IV. Useful note: There’s no post-credit scene, go home. (2022-11-10)

A modest, sensitive, and respectful tribute to an icon, who for inexplicable reasons appears in a movie that lasts three hours. Sometimes less is truly more, and I could have done without several of the action scenes. Whether it was due to budget constraints or the difficulty of filming, the first half of the film practically takes place in darkness, shadow, or underwater every time there's a fight or something particularly dramatic happening. I can't explain how a last farewell to Chadwick Boseman, a therapeutic guide to coping with the loss of a loved one, a political thriller, a battle of empires, and an effort to overcome one's own shadow can all work together, but somehow it does. Maybe thanks to the phenomenal Angela Bassett, maybe thanks to the long-awaited, but inevitable, appearance of the titular suit. 70% (2023-07-07)

A boatload more cinematic, lavish, and epic than the first Black Panther. Thankfully, Marvel has returned to the concept of a complete story at the very edge of its universe, which also appealingly pays Chadwick Boseman about the greatest possible tribute. Wakanda Forever is an utterly wholesome piece of filmmaking that has fully fleshed-out heroes and isn't afraid to show their limits and pains. This time around there really isn't another theme park and altogether this is one of the best Marvel sequels, which definitely has its place among the top ten best things that have been made in the MCU so far. The parallels to the modern world are eerily timely and for the first time in a very long time I felt like all the political proclamations actually made sense. Ryan Coogler has shown that even in the very established and now even somewhat sterile Marvel setting, it's still possible to make a damn good flick that confronts its characters with much more civil themes instead of all the often excessive references and multiverses of its heroes. [85%] (2022-11-12)

An enchanting and transcendent cinematic experience. Absolutely Beautiful! Marvel is back on top and Ryan Coogler has made the most complex and mature Marvel movie ever. Black Panther sets up a powerfully emotional and sad funeral from the opening, with all of Wakanda mourning in grief and it's very palpable. The plot then shifts a year and a brilliantly written political drama begins to unfold (the Queen's speech at the UN is like something out of an Oscar drama, not to mention the speech in Wakanda, everyone was holding their breath there!). The battle for vibranium begins and the new undersea civilization of Talokan comes into play with a stunningly filmed city, impressive depiction of life there and most importantly a villain who quite possibly is one of the best Marvel has ever created, Namor! Anti-hero, snake god, a symbol with good motivation, great backgrounds (the flashback with the conquistadors is great!), and the insight into Mayan culture was also brilliant. Tenoch Huerta is a strong cast hit and whenever he's on set he rips everything from action, to dialogue to dense drama for himself. I also enjoyed Namor's main fighters, they really commanded respect and that fight on the bridge with Okoye is an action packed treat. I liked the way the film is conceived in a very serious, adult, fateful and emotional way. There’s probably the least humour of all the Marvel films, but given the mood that's a good thing. The music is amazing, with Ludwig Göransson delivering another masterpiece and deserving another Oscar. The song “Con la Brisa” during the Talocan introduction is burned into my heart and I listen to it all day, but every single piece fits like a glove and I had my soundtrack list increased by at least 5 tracks. Best music in cinema this year without a doubt. I also enjoyed the action, even though there isn't much of it, it’s grounded, it's not the typical CGI mess where everything just explodes, but it cuts to the chase beautifully. The invasion of Wakanda is filmed in such a way that it takes your breath away, and the finale on the ship is such an epic carnage that it could be compared to the battle in Avengers. There are interesting themes and ideas running throughout the film, I enjoyed getting a glimpse into African culture again, the politics, drama, action, visuals, music, epicness and emotion all work, this is simply one hell of a mature film that has something from everyone and it all works flawlessly. I got goosebumps several times and even held my breath a few times. The peace and quiet in the cinema was really palpable, everyone was blown away. Audiovisual porn, brutal action, emotional inferno, that's all you need to know. Oh, and Letitia Wright handled it more than well. 9/10. (2022-11-13)

A more sweeping and darker sequel. It was similar with Captain America: Winter Soldier, but the more expansive story and the varied motivations of the main characters worked better there, it was tighter and more dynamic as a whole. The second Black Panther has a massive runtime. It wants to say a lot, give lots of emotions and show different worlds and the characters that inhabit them. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t. Most of the time it felt like a mix of Avatar, Aquaman and any random adventure movie set in Africa. It is bearable, but not worth a second visit to the cinema. (2022-11-19)