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Black Panther, Black Panther Wakanda Forever, Black Panther Wakanda Forever Review, Chadwick Boseman, Ironheart, Letitia Wright, Marvel, MCU, Namor, Ryan Coogler, Wakanda, Wakanda Forever review
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Review by Paul Bowler
The tragic loss of lead actor Chadwick Boseman, who died of cancer in August 2020 aged just 43, brings an added sense of poignancy to Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Writer-director Ryan Coogler’s sequel to his 2018 smash hit Black Panther is both a sombre tribute to the death of the Oscar nominated star and an epic-scale superhero movie that builds on the original film’s powerful themes of colonisation, vengeance and forgiveness.
Ryan Coogler’s screenplay co-written with Joe Robert Cole (who also co-wrote Black Panther with Coogler), makes the passing of Chadwick Boseman an integral part of Wakanda Forever. Opening with the heart-rending death of Chadwick’s King T’ Challa unfolding off-screen while his scientist sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) desperately seeks a cure for the unnamed malady that has struck him down, the raw emotion conveyed by Wright’s performance and Shuri mother Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) in these tragic moments are deeply heart-felt and movingly real. Following the emotive funeral sequence, events return to Wakanda a year later.
However, Wakanda is now a nation adrift without either its king or his iconic alter ego Black Panther, and the Wakandans must find a way to embrace the next chapter of their great nation. As Shuri and Queen Ranonda struggle with their grief, M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba) unite as the world powers set their gaze on Wakanda for a share in the nations rights to their precious metal resource vibranium following King T’Challa’s death. With the interventions of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), Everett Ross (Martin Freeman), Dominique Thorn as MIT student Riri Williams/Ironheart and Michaela Coel as Wakandan warrior Aneka a new path slowly begins to emerge for the kingdom of Wakanda.
The political turmoil and intrigue is stoked further by the introduction a flying Mayan merman called Namor (Tenoch Huerta) who emerges from the ocean depths of his kingdom to wage war on the surface world. Much like Wakanda, Namor’s civilisation has its own rich culture and technologies built on the previous recourse vibranium. He fears the forces the surface world will seek to overthrow and colonise his people as the Spanish conquistadors did his ancestors. Namor then proposes an ultimatum for Ramonda and Shuri, to either join him in his war against the surface dwellers or Wakanda will become his enemy.
It is this moral conflict and quandary that drives the narrative of Wakanda Forever and places Shuri front and centre at the heart of the action. Given the film has a veritable plethora of main and supporting characters, Letitia Wright very much takes the lead here in Wakanda Forever and gives an outstanding performance as Shuri. The film does feel a tad overlong though, the pace drags a tad in the mid-section, but things soon pick up once Namor make his presence felt and everything builds to a satisfying showdown on barge in the Atlantic.
While not quite in the same league as the original film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever manages to respectfully address the passing of Chadwick Boseman and weave some intriguing foreshadowing into what future the MCU may hold. Amidst all the action, spectacle and world building at its core it is Basset’s and Wright’s standout performances that really ground the film and keep everything on an even keel. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever may not be the most spectacular Marvel movie, but it is certainly a deeply moving one on which to close Phase Four of the MCU.
About The Author
Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook
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Not having seen the film yet, I keep hearing that the film’s length is a detriment and made me wonder if I should just watch it on Disney+, but the film sounds interesting enough to watch it in theaters. Solid review BTW.
Wakanda Forever’s long time did put me off a little bit as well. I’m glad I saw it at the cinema though as it is a good film – albeit a very somber and thoughtful one than the usual MCU staple. Thank you, glad you enjoyed the review.
Meh. Perhaps I will catch it on Disney +
Yes, I was in two minds about Wakanda Forever tbh, mostly because of the long run time, but I’m still glad I went to see it. However, it is a very solemn and slower paced movie than we are used to in the MCU.
Honestly i would have preferred a recast.
Hi Paul, I still have to watch the first Black Panther yet, but I will get round to watching both when I can. Because there is so much MCU material to take in I find it hard to follow/get into Marvel stuff (and not having streaming subscriptions doesn’t help either).
You could go see Wakanada Forever without seeing the first film, the story is easy to follow and fills in the gaps, but I wouldn’t recommend it as the first movie was far better IMOP and Wakanda Forever wouldn’t have quite the same impact for you. Even if streaming isn’t an option for you, most films arrive fairly quickly on DVD or on regular TV nowadays, so you won’t have too long to wait. If I were you I’d treat yourself to the first Black Panther film on DVD / Blu Ray, it’s a great movie I’m sure you’d enjoy.
I might just treat myself to the DVD for my Christmas present this year instead of VIP tickets to a Star Wars movie! Thanks.
I was wondering how filmmakers might deal with Boseman’s death, and it sounds like they’ve struck the right chord.
They have indeed with Wakanda Forever, it makes for a more somber superhero movie, but it’s also a very fitting tribute.
I do love how they handled the passing of Boswick and made it feel quite natural narratively in this sequel. Personally, this was Marvel’s best outing since Endgame and it was about time! I wasn’t a huge fan of Val and her shenanigans but I guess it’s necessary to build the future of the MCU. Great write-up, Paul!
I agree, they respectfully handled the passing of Boseman and made it an integral part of the film. Wakanda Forever was a standout film in Phase Four of the MCU and set up lots of potential for the future.l Cheers, glad you enjoyed the review.
I thought the first Black Panther movie was good. Not as great as its reputation, but still good. Even so, Chadwick’s performance was probably my favourite thing about that movie. The fact that this movie is both 3 hours long and not as good as the first makes me hesitant to watch this. I probably will eventually, but I still haven’t watched Thor: Love and Thunder either. That said, I’ve heard that movie is a complete mess and leans way too far into comedy for its own good.
I liked the first Black Panther movie, but you right, it was a big overrated. Yes, I was the same, I’m not usually fond of going to see movies that are 3 + long at the cinema, but I’m glad I did as Wakanda Forever was still very good. It’s a very somber film though from what we have usually had from the MCU. Thor Love and Thunder was ok, but it was a bit too silly for my taste as well.
It is the movie where Wright shines on her own as she jumps on her missions though the limelight sticks to Namor. Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta Mejia all in his glory to flaunt his mettle and brawn that may open doors for fellow north americans. the movie centers on the grief as a human condition but also makes it a very successful enterprise by its high gross of $ 700 Million, despite any bigger star to cast as the new black panther.
I agree, this MCU movie has a great cast, and I expect it will lead pave the way for even more diversity in future films. Wakanda Forever has been a huge hit and rounded off Plase IV in fine style indeed.