Ephemeris of the Mind (Film Review) Black Panther
Time to read: 2 min read
Movie Poster
Just because something works doesn’t mean that it cannot be improved.
Previous Marvel film reviews:
Review
Black Panther (like most MCU films) has been on my watch-list ever since it came out; Black Panther is one of my favourite Marvel characters and I’ve heard amazing things about the film. The story follows the titular character T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), a king from the futuristic fictional nation of Wakanda in Africa. T’Challa is forced to face a challenger (Michael B. Jordan) from his country’s past.
Aesthetically, the film is gorgeous. The CGI is amazing and there were beautiful shots of nature. What really stood out for me are the costumes; they are comic book interpretations of traditional African tribal clothing like Lesotho blankets (and how they can be used in a science fiction setting). I’m a big fan of the Afrofuturistic design aesthetic of Ruth E. Carter.
That being said, while this film is one of the better Marvel films, it wasn’t phenomenal. I enjoyed Boseman’s T’Challa (RIP) and Jordan’s Killmonger; I also liked many of the side characters, such as Winston Duke’s M’Baku. I didn’t feel that the film’s script gave leeway for truly phenomenal performances. I also felt the pacing to be on the slower side for an action movie.
The central theme for me was an analogy for the philosophical differences between Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X (with T’Challa being MLK and Killmonger being Malcolm X). I felt the philosophies were explored on a superficial level but more thoughtful exploration could have been had.
Conclusion
A decent film with some phenomenal elements.