I can't say for sure why the death of Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman two years ago had such a profound impact on so many people, myself included.
It probably has something to do with the intersectionality of Boseman's dedication and compassion combined with the intrinsic nobility of T'Challa, the royal leader and superhuman protector of an afro-futurist kingdom in a comic-book universe. He was an actor who recognized the significance of being the first black superhero on the big screen, and carried himself like a king, but with abject humility. Such a loss!
Following up the immense success and cultural impact of the first Black Panther (2018) would have been a tall order even if Boseman had lived; with the director and studio refusing to recast the character, how do you carry on?
Well, to begin with, you lean into the grief.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens with the death of the eponymous character from an unnamed disease and carries on from there with the grieving of T'Challa's sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) and his mother Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), as well as the kingdom of Wakanda.
But Wakanda must also deal with an increasing number of nations becoming increasingly desperate to obtain the African nation's greatest resource, vibranium, and are becoming ever more forceful in their efforts. Wakanda's uncompromising defensive stance makes it all too easy to blame them for an attack on a ship that has found the miracle element at the bottom of the Atlantic.
But a new player has entered the MCU -the undersea kingdom of Talocan and its headstrong ruler Namor (Tenoch Huerta) - and like his vainglorious namesake from the comics, Namor does not hesitate to demand Wakanda turn over the scientist who helped locate the oceanic vibranium so they can be killed.
Director and co-writer Ryan Coogler has to deftly weave together a story that not only balances personal grief and geopolitics, but also introduces established comics characters like the Sub-Mariner and Ironheart, while establishing a credible way for the Black Panther's mantle to be passed on to a worthy successor.
The fact that he does this as well as he does should not come as too big a surprise, but the fact that he does so almost exclusively through the lens of black women, including T'Challa's lover Nakia (Lupita N'Yongo) is absolutely amazing, in my opinion. Coogler and his co-writer Joe Robert Cole (who also co-wrote the original BP) have re-entered the world of Wakanda and its amazing people at full stride in one of the MCU's better sequels, with a screenplay that blends Lee/Kirby comics chutzpah with realpolitik out of John LeCarré or Tom Clancy, all against a backdrop of ongoing family tragedy that is Shakespearean in both its depth and scale.
Is it as strong a movie as the first? Sadly, no. It is probably a smidgen too long (at 2:41, the second-longest of all the MCU), and Namor's imperiousness is no match for Killmonger's righteous anger from the first film. There is a hint of a same-sex relationship that Marvel again fails to capitalize on and no one can be surprised that the climax of the film is a massive set piece that begs to be reenacted with action figures.
But that last bit, despite feeling a bit inevitable or compulsory when considered alongside most ot the other 29 MCU films, makes sense in the context of this story, and is engaging and unpredictable as it sets the stage for a possible revenge.
And Namor's origin and that of the Talocans (a stand-in for the Atlantis of Marvel Comics) is a brilliant mix of science and fantasy that will prevent any comparison to the undersea denizens of the Distinguished Competition, and firmly establishes him as more of an anti-hero, despite his undeniably villainous actions. Design-wise, I think Namor is also the best cinematic homage to the comic look since the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The green trunks are in play and yes, they even managed to make those tiny ankle wings cool - don't ask me how.
And I am always glad to see the corners of the MCU fleshed out a little bit, as they do in a handful of scenes featuring CIA Director Valentina Allegre de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and operative Everett Ross (Martin Freeman). I hope they repeat this and more things like it a few more times before the release of Marvel's Thunderbolts in 2024.
Most importantly though, is that every scene with established characters drips with belief and power. Bassett's grief as Queen Ramonda feels real. Wright's anger at Shuri's inability to save her brother is evident even in scenes where that is not the focus. The frustration and shame of Okoye (Danai Gurira) is palpable. And even Huerta's Namor vacillates between imperious and marginalized in a complex manner that is compellingly charismatic.
Wakanda Forever may not feel quite as seismically significant as its predecessor, but it continues the story of Wakanda - and introduces those of Namor and Ironheart - with grit and feeling, right in the sweet spot between the comic book fantasy we love and the real emotional heft we need. And you can feel the spirit of both Chadwick Boseman and T'Challa throughout the film - hats off to Ryan Coogler and company for taking what could have been merely the salvage recovered from tragic circumstance, and turned it into a treasure of a touching adventure film.
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