[6]

Somewhere in Africa, there’s a secret society hidden away by fancy technology. They have, like, a really super-strong metal there that the rest of the world wants, but the secret African people know the rest of the world will just destroy itself if it ever gets their metal, so they don’t share it. But then one of their metal weapons is found in a museum and stolen by bad guys, and so the secret African people (Wakandan? or something like that) have to get it back. I *think* that’s what Black Panther was about. But to be honest, I was so bored for the first half of the movie, I could be way off the mark.

For the most part, I thought Black Panther was just like nearly every other Marvel movie. It’s colorful, it moves around a lot, its plot is convoluted, and it tries to scrape by on the strength of a few charismatic characters. I was expecting way more action. Like WAY, way more action. There’s a big fight at the end, nearly marred by some cartoony-looking rhinoceroses (rhinoceri?). The best part of the movie is a car chase in the middle. Other than that, I’m hard pressed to remember much action. The secret African people have boxing matches to figure out who their leader is. I guess that’s action. I thought those fights were stupid, though. With all their advancements in technology and with their otherwise superior morals, why would they beat the shit out of each other to determine who the new king is?

Then there’s the main guy, Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther. He’s sullen and haunted by the past and shit, so I know its hard for him to sparkle and shine and really carry the movie like I wanted him to. He’s just so easily overshadowed by his supporting roster of characters in this movie. Let’s face it. The bad guys, played by Michael B. Jordan and Andy Serkis, dance circles around him. And his female warrior companion, Okoye, played by a fierce Danai Gurira, is so utterly compelling and charismatic on her own, you wonder why in the Hell the movie isn’t called Okoye instead of Black Panther. Angela Bassett is where she belongs, playing a regal queen, and Letitia Wright is fun and charming as Black Panther’s Q-type character, to bring in a James Bond analogy.

So there you have it. Black Panther. Another Marvel movie. It’s all right. Just nothing to get excited about.

With Daniel Kaluuya, Martin Freeman, Lupita Nyong’o, and Forest Whitaker.

Academy Awards: Best Score, Costumes, Production Design

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Song, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing

Who needs Black Panther when you have women like these?!?!?!