Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Enough has been said by other reviewers about the film's overall weaknesses - it's overlong, meandering and drags in many places. Instead, I want to focus on a question no one else seems to be asking: what is up with these Wakandans?

I was a definite fan of the first movie, but as the sequel progressed, I found myself more and more annoyed (and irritated) by the film's semi-religious Wakandaphilia. Frankly, the constant self-adulation and smug sense of exceptionalism displayed by every Wakandan character really started to grate. After a while, what I'm sure the film-makers see as a message of empowerment starts to sound a lot like fascistic aggrandizement. If this degree of messianic self-love were displayed by characters in any other (real) country, it would be dismissed as overblown nationalism.

Let's not forget, as the film itself points out, Wakanda is a superpower - possibly the most powerful nation on earth, thanks to its stocks of 'vibranium' - so it's difficult to swallow the idea that they are also somehow persecuted victims. Add to this the fact that they jealously try to preserve their monopoly of this most valuable resource, and its associated technology, and its hard not to see Wakanda as just another arrogant and self-interested power.

Indeed, after a while, my sympathies shifted much more to the rival Talocans, who with some justification came to see Wakanda as more of a threat than an ally. Maybe the next movie could be called Talocan Forever, and show their side of the story instead.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has ambitious goals but does not manage to meet them due to its overlong and sometimes unfocused screenplay that often feels very first draft level in craft and trying to have one too many political conversations to streamline linearly. It has its moments, with some very solid dramatic acting work by its performers, but on the whole it is an admirable effort but also a major step down in quality from its predecessor. I personally feel they should have waited on a sequel, and take more time to figure out what to do with the Black Panther and Wakanda as the Marvel Cinematic Universe was progressing post Endgame and after the unfortunate passing of Chadwick Boseman. The loss of T'Challa is seriously felt in this story, and I think most would have been fine with a recast just a few years later, the new actor might not have been on Mr. Boseman's level, but they could have still performed the part well and carry the franchise further. As is, the mantle gets passed, and its executed just okay, but it would have more impact if the story were more focused. Namor is a nice addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is adapted fine, I would certainly like to see more of him in later installments. Still, you feel that the character probably should have come into the picture a lot earlier on, like in Phase Two or Phase Three at the least.

Sorry, but this was boring. Mind-numbing boring. Sleep-inducing boring. "Are we there,yet?"-boring.

Dang, I liked Mr. Bozeman and they pay some propper respect to his character in the first couple of minutes and it really hits you in the feels but after that we are let known that Wakanda have mastered the technology of exposition dialogue. If that is their main achievement then I say we forget vibranium and let them slink back behind their stealth shield and call it a day.

They could have done so much with this movie and show Africa as a vibrant place full of ideas and hope in the face of many problems. Maybe explore Ubuntu philosophy, or visual art. Unfortunately, Wakandan culture is reduced to a song&dance number for the day-trip tourists in cinema seats.

This was a missed opportunity and almost a missed movie if not for a good double espresso I had before it.

This film had some great stuff in it, there's no doubt of that, but I felt it was overall weak. I can't imagine how hard it was for everyone in the film to come back without a lead, and most importantly, their friend. Chadwick's passing is unbelievably sad but it did leave a gap for Marcel to fill, and they could have done it so well. But they didn't.

Firstly, the good. All the emotional scenes were well-scripted and well-acted, and I have to commend Angela Bassett and Letita Wright for their fantastic acting. I never cry in the cinema but this film really had me going because it felt from the heart in some scenes, and I am sure it was.

I also enjoyed the costumes - wow were they beautiful. The only one I didn't like was the Midnight Angels (or whatever they were called). They didn't feel like they fit. Some of the fighting was great as per.

The rest of the film felt slow, boring almost. I've just come from the cinema and I am struggling to remember much of it.

The story was gaping with holes and so much was skipped over with little explanation. The beginning when T'Challa dies felt cold and rushed. That should have been the pivotal moment for the story, but it was brushed over. However, maybe it was too hard for the cast and crew to linger on.

The Talokan/Atlantis story was odd to me and felt so disconnected from Wakanda. I didn't enjoy that storyline. They could have made it so much better.

Anyway, it was enjoyable and I'll maybe watch it again. But I won't rush to do that.

As the last film in the fourth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) proves that there was no plan for this phase other than to clean up the remains of the Infinity War saga. To its credit, though, Wakanda Forever was burdened with finding an in-universe replacement for the titular Black Panther after the untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman. However, considering how most of Phase 4 was passing the mantle from one hero to the next generation, it fits well within this theming.

There's a line in Avengers: Endgame (2019) where Naka (Lupita Nyong'o) states that Wakanda is aware of an anomaly on the ocean floor near their country and that they were handling it. This throwaway line was likely played for laughs, but it's peculiar how Wakanda was woefully unprepared for the invasion of their land by underwater enemies, even though they clearly knew about it three years ago. Phase 4 of the MCU has highlighted how difficult it is to maintain continuity in a franchise as huge as it has become.

Even though Marvel has introduced new characters in movies outside their own standalone works since the early Phases, I would have liked something more dedicated to introducing Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) considering how influential Iron Man was to the MCU. I also would have appreciated action sequences that weren't so dark or hard to follow, because I can't honestly recall any of them that happened in this movie. Overall, I felt the end of the MCU Phase 4 was average-which aligns with the MCU Phase 4 as a whole. Here's to hoping the next Phase actually goes somewhere.

Phase 4 MCU's average movie to end an average phase, I give Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 3.0 stars out of 5.