The Black Panther sequel is guaranteed to deliver tears to audiences.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is sure to break records this weekend as moviegoers have a high interest in seeing how Director Ryan Coogler addresses the death of our beloved Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman. Ever since Boseman’s passing, there has been a call from one side to recast for T’Challa, so the titular and fan-favorite character lives on in the MCU. However, the majority agrees that it was way too soon to recast. Kevin Feige honored Boseman by making him the only actor to play T’Challa in the MCU.
Synopsis
Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye, and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia and Everett Ross and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.
Wakanda Forever finally introduced one of the oldest comic book characters, Namor. The Sub-Mariner made his debut in Marvel Comics #1 in 1939 and is now part of the MCU. Played by Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Namor came to life with several fundamental changes that make the character better and differentiate him from DC’s Aquaman. The Ant-hero now hails from Talokan, a reimagined version of the comic book realm of Atlantis, the hidden underwater civilization. Mejia looks pretty cool and serious as Namor. Being of Mayan culture was a great move that made his Mesoamerican-inspired appearance stand out and full of details. The most impressive aspect of Namor is how he fights, especially with his winged feet, which give him the upper hand.
Coogler delivers a beautifully shot film that multiple strong women lead.
Queen Ramonda, played by Angela Bassett, realizes that it’s been a year since T’Challa’s passing, and Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, is still not healing nor excepting her new role in Wakanda and needs to step out of her comfort zone. Wright and Boseman had fantastic chemistry in the first film, which is missed in the sequel. Wakanda Forever brings back a lot of familiar faces but also introduces new ones, such as Dominique Thorne. She plays Riri Williams, a 19-year-old MIT student with an impressive skillset that becomes Iron Heart. You will be able to catch her in her very own solo series on Disney+ soon.
The movie pays tribute to Chadwick Boseman.
When he passed at 43 due to colon cancer, Coogler had to take a step back and reconsider the next story. His legacy is felt from beginning to end. My favorite tribute in the film was the familiar Marvel Studio’s intro logo which is all Boseman. It is sure to put a smile and tear on your face. Wakanda Forever is all about coping with grief and overcoming loss. How does everyone move forward in a world where T’Challa is no longer around?
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Verdict
Sitting at 2 hours and 41 minutes, I give Black Panther: Wakanda 4 out of 5 stars. It is the best Phase 4 MCU film of the year and delivers an emotional and beautiful tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman. Finally, this sequel has just a mid-credit scene that will melt your heart and introduces an optimistic future for the franchise.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.