Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther is one of this year’s most anticipated movies, and for good reason. The excitement seems to stem from the current state of political affairs or a gut reaction to unprecedented representation in blockbuster cinema, but the film is so much more than either.
Black Panther is a continuing conversation that’s simultaneously about colonization and the dissociation of black Americans from Africa, and it’s also a joyous celebration of African culture.
Black Panther opens with a father, N’Jobu, telling his son the history of the nation of Wakanda. One of the rarest metals on Earth, vibranium, is used to construct the people and buildings of Wakanda’s past in a magical retelling of the country’s origins. N’Jobu informs the audience that the first Black Panther united warring Wakandan tribes, and that vibranium became their most valuable resource.
From the archives of Wakanda, the film flashes forward to 1990s Oakland. A makeshift basketball hoop rattles as kids play a on the blacktop way past dark. A Wakandan ship hovers above, obscured by clouds.
It’s a moment that allows us to contemplate the similarities and differences between these two worlds. When the outside world began invading the areas surrounding the unconquered land of Wakanda and enslaving their peoples, the nation’s leaders could have helped the locals or remained hidden and protected their valuable resources. Either choice could have catastrophic consequences. The Wakandans chose to invest in themselves instead, concealing vibranium — and the technological advantages the material provides — from the rest of the world.
In showing the legacy of Wakanda, which is filled with wealth and knowledge, and juxtaposing it with the hardships that black youths faced in Oakland, Coogler establishes a conversation around the dichotomy of being African-American versus African.
Throughout black American history, there’s been a desire to go home to Africa. We read about it in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, when Nettie Harris discovers the beauty and freedom Africa has to offer. Spike Lee explored the idea of returning to the mother continent in Malcolm X. In both cases, Nettie and Malcolm describe a feeling of finally belonging. Home is a powerful thing.
Black Panther is the best Marvel film thus far. Aside from the incredible representation and the gorgeous visuals, the story is terrific. I have never cared for a villain the way I care for Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger. Standing with feet shoulder width apart, he always has his hands clasped in front of him, and he never looks at anyone straight on unless he intends to end them. Killmonger is as attractive as he is intimidating. But Jordan wasn’t hired for just his sex appeal. That sharp eye and wounded heart shine through a tough exterior to illuminate a real human being. He is the crown jewel of an incredibly wealthy project.
It’s hard to describe the first viewing of Black Panther. There is pride in seeing so much black excellence in a single film. Sometimes, there may be too much. T’Challa is an infallible character; every decision lies on a straight moral compass. But the design elements of the film, the incredible performances and a killer soundtrack more than make up for any small flaws.
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