Black Panther User Review Thread - Tag Spoilers

[DyeLorean]

So, I've thinking about Black Panther since I saw it last night and why I didn't love it like most people. And I think I know where the movie fell a bit apart for me.

To be clear, I do like a lot, a lot of stuff. The characters are awesome, the look and feel of Wakanda, the music, the ideas it explores. All top notch. But

Spoiler

just when Killmonger executes his mission and as soon as he turns into 'evil Black Panther' it became formulaic routine Marvel Studios and it prevented the film to become something truly unique. The fight just didn't feel exciting and the character in action wasn't as good as in Civil War. Instead of great characters clashing interesting ideals it became 'hero fights evil version of himself' again.

.

 

[samsnee]

So is the first half "slow" because of the lack of action, or just because you don't connect with the characters? The latter doesn't sound right because most reviews are praising the character development.

Is it like GotG2 where you start with a bang, but once Ego shows up, everything just slows down and movie is just exposition until the third act?

 

[DyeLorean]

So is the first half "slow" because of the lack of action, or just because you don't connect with the characters? The latter doesn't sound right because most reviews are praising the character development.

Is it like GotG2 where you start with a bang, but once Ego shows up, everything just slows down and movie is just exposition until the third act?

Was that for me? No, like I said, I really was with the film on the first half, it's in the third act where it fell a bit apart for me. The characters are easily one of the strongest points of the film.

 

[samsnee]

General question for those who've seen it.

It's funny that some are saying the first half is slow while the third act shines and others have the opposite feeling.

 

[Abudefduf]

Pros:
- Had no problem with the story, and the supposedly "slow" first act didn't bother me at all.
- The supporting cast was great, especially Shuri, M'Baku, Okoye and the rhino guy.
- The movie looked gorgeous for the most part.
- Killmonger was a good villain.

Cons:
- Clunky action scenes.
- I was unimpressed with Boseman's T'Challa in Civil War, and I was hoping he'd improve in his solo movie. He didn't. Now that Waititi has redeemed Thor, T'Challa can take his place as the most uncharismatic and dull Marvel leading hero.
- The abuse of CGI. The final fight between [BLACKOUT]T'Challa and Erik[/BLACKOUT] looked so godawful that it completely killed any tension and took me straight out of the movie. Nice job, Coogler.

Final rating: 7/10, but I'll probably like it more once I see it again. That always happens with MCU movies.

 

[Zyraquis]

Here is my review:

Spoiler

Coming into Black Panther when the project was announced, I was both excited and nervous. I was excited because T'Challa is one of the finest characters Marvel has and one of the remaining Avengers characters worthy of his own film series. But, I had some reservation because of some pitfalls the project could have had. I didn't not want to see the version like in Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes where T'Challa is always talking about how they need to do away with their savage ways and be more like the West. For me, it's an offensive way to see the character as it is kind of insulting African culture. I didn't want to see that. But, Ryan Coogler and Marvel not only avoid such problems, they turn them on their head. Black Panther is perhaps the most socially relevant film the MCU has made.

Much of the credit for the film goes to Ryan Coogler. He is quickly proving to be one of the most talented filmmakers working today. I had seen that with this film, he wanted to make something truly African, and he succeeded in spades. Coogler pays much attention to detail with the costume design, the film score, the accents, etc. Wakanda feels real. Coogler also does not avoid asking hard questions. One thing I see much complaint about with the MCU is the amount of fluff and lack of substance or bite. I don't agree with that, but even the most stubborn critic will be hard pressed to level this against Black Panther. This film shows us a country that is more advanced than any other, and asks the question of how they can sit by and allow others to suffer when they can do something about it? I like this approach to the story. Instead of Wakanda needing to be more like Western civilization, we're seeing how the world needs to be more like Wakanda. This was the right approach and a much better thing for T'Challa to struggle with.

The MVP of the movie though has to be Erik Killmonger. For all the flack the MCU gets for its "villain problem" the MCU lately has just been crushing it on this front in phase 3 overall. But, Killmonger may be the best single film villain that the Studio has produced. Much like Loki, we can see why Killmonger is angry at Wakanda, and the world in general, and much of what he is saying you absolutely agree with. The best villains in film always have a point-of-view the audience can understand, and often times see merit in. It doesn't hurt that Michael B. Jordan gives the best performance in any film I have seen him in, as well. While I still give the nod to Loki for his lasting impact on the MCU and how we have seen him evolve, Killmonger I do feel has the single best appearance in a villain role to date.

As for faults with the film, I had really only 2. First, the CG in this film is not fabulous. It's not unprofessional looking like Justice League, but you absolutely can tell what is CG and what is real in this film without any real issue. I don't think it ever reaches the point it takes you completely out of the movie, but a couple points in the movie almost made me pause. The second would be the first 45 minutes of the film is very much world building and the actual plot doesn't really get going. Once the plot gets going, the film gets fantastic really fast and stays there, though. I get the slow burn being required to suck you into Wakanda, but it comes close to feeling slow.

In the end, Black Panther was an important film. It had the opportunity to be the voice for a culture that Hollywood often times does not recognize enough, and it forces you to ask yourself hard questions. Black Panther and Captain America: The Winter Soldier are probably the "smartest" and most serious in tone films the MCU has made to date. But, it also does not forget it is a superhero fantasy film, either. All parties involved nailed T'Challa, I cannot wait to see this new franchise grow. Phase 3 of the MCU has so far yielded the best collection of films, and Black Panther continues this trend.

Overall Rating - 5/5

You pretty much said very well what I wanted to say about this move. So I wouldn't repeat only to second that the story has a stronger social and political message that is relevant superbly delivered by the actors. I can see why the critics love it. I also like that it's unapologetically and proudly African, one can see how much research is done to get many aspects right (I have been to different parts of Africa a few times). The relatively weak CGI, is secondary.

 

[Zyraquis]

General question for those who've seen it.

It's funny that some are saying the first half is slow while the third act shines and others have the opposite feeling.

For me the first act is great, I actually wanted to see more of the world/character building. The third act only the final fight is somewhat weaker than the usual MCU visual effect galore but the rest is fine for me. I am not a big fan of bang bang boom boom visual bombardment kind of person (Hi Batman vs Superman) in general though. Even the Guardians 2 finale is a bit much for me.

 

[Dboi]

Pros:
- Had no problem with the story, and the supposedly "slow" first act didn't bother me at all.
- The supporting cast was great, especially Shuri, M'Baku, Okoye and the rhino guy.
- The movie looked gorgeous for the most part.
- Killmonger was a good villain.

Cons:
- Clunky action scenes.
- I was unimpressed with Boseman's T'Challa in Civil War, and I was hoping he'd improve in his solo movie. He didn't. Now that Waititi has redeemed Thor, T'Challa can take his place as the most uncharismatic and dull Marvel leading hero.
- The abuse of CGI. The final fight between [BLACKOUT]T'Challa and Erik[/BLACKOUT] looked so godawful that it completely killed any tension and took me straight out of the movie. Nice job, Coogler.

Final rating: 7/10, but I'll probably like it more once I see it again. That always happens with MCU movies.

I respectively and wholeheartedly disagree with that notion.

He came across to me as an intelligent, sophisticated and a tolerant hero that wasn't throwing quips around like Thor with a sense of confliction within him as a ruler of the most advanced nation in the MCU and was always willing to reason with others even if they didn't agree with him.

He is a character that is in between the Jokiness of Tony Stark and the stoic nature of Captain America.

 

[zmystico]

Sensational and fantastic! Solid and superb acting from the cast, and a really good story to behold. This is very different from the other Marvel films, which is refreshing and rewarding. Boseman is great as T'Challa, portrayed as a Prince suddenly thrusted to the throne, and must find his way, as well as leading a divided nation. Michael B. Jordan is unforgettable as Kilmonger, a villain, who necessarily isn't the bad guy, he plays his character with a warranted anger and rage that leaves you wanting more of him. Wakanda is a visual masterpiece of African culture and technological wonder. You truly see a world without "European influence" and it's a beauty to behold.

Spoiler moments...

Spoiler

When they killed Klaw, I immediately thought it was a ruse to sneak him into Wakanda, but nope...dead and was like WOW!

Spoiler

Kilmonger basically kicking T'Challa's ass at the challenge, for me it had a Rocky III feel to it, Kilmonger had all the anger/rage/hunger of Clubber Lang, and T'Challa was too distracted with learning the truth of his father/uncle...PLUS his own insecurities of being King, this was obvious when Kilmonger killed Zuri and T'Challa was practically done then.

Spoiler

Kilmonger's death...OMG when he says "bury me in the ocean with the ones that knew death was better than bondage"... he solidified himself as one of the best movie villains ever...IF you really can call him a villain...he didn't cheat to get the crown, and his motives were pretty logical and understandable considering his life.

Spoiler

The betrayal of W'Kabi was not something I expected, but it felt like it carried over the theme of Civil War, in that allowing hate and anger consume you to the point of destruction.

Spoiler

My only regret with this film is the deaths of Klaw and Kilmonger,
most Kilmonger as he would have been a reputable nemesis for T'Challa in squels.

 

[DyeLorean]

Yeah, I get why some people might see T'Challa as 'dull' but he really is royalty, he acts and behaves like a good king. Besides, he is surrounded by some great supporting characters that balance his personality quite well.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Just got back this was really good. Don’t get the complaints about the first act, or Boseman as BP, I thought the former was needed to introduce the world and characters, and the latter was just as good as he was in CW, where I thought he excelled.

It’s definitely not your typical Marvel movie, it’s a lot more serious and deals with heavy themes, and Killmonger is awesome, at one point I actually wanted him to succeed, but then saw that hate and anger was at the fore of plan and knew he needed to Be stopped. Jordan is awesome in the role.

Loved the supporting cast, the girls kicked some major ass, and everyone gave more than solid performances.

There are a few flaws, and they keep it from being a top tier MCU movie for me. As good as Killmonger is, he is introduced quite late and it means we spend less time with him, which does hurt things a little. The CGI isnt poor, buts noticeably questionable in some places. Also the action was poor at times, and filmed poorly also where you can’t make out what is going on at times.

Overall, a very good movie, and highly recommended, 8.5/10.

 

[FunkMiller]

A very good film. Not quite as good as a lot of reviews and coverage would make you believe - there are some very definite flaws here - but a very good film nonetheless. It’s celebration of African culture and iconography was extremely well handled.

8/10

 

[KevTravels]

I'd give it 8.4
It was really good and fantastic but not GREAT that the HYPE had me feeling like it would be. But I definitely will buy the dvd and I'm invested in Wakanda going forward.

I need to get some BP comics

 

[KevTravels]

A very good film. Not quite as good as a lot of reviews and coverage would make you believe - there are some very definite flaws here - but a very good film nonetheless. It’s celebration of African culture and iconography was extremely well handled.

8/10

I totally agree. Africa was placed in the spotlight.

 

[KevTravels]

The action scenes left a lot to be desired. I did enjoy the casino scene in S. Korea though.

But the final battle with BP and Killmonger. They should have done that much differently

 

[jaqua99]

Edit

 

[jaqua99]

So my review.

Spoiler

Let me say, as I have said, I have gotten MCU burnout and my hype has faded for these movies. And I am glad. Because I don't think I would have enjoyed this nearly as much as I did. So overall, I was pleasantlt surprised. The formula was still there, but it wasn't as in your face. The humor was very minor, thank god. Also, this may have been their most mature film in terms of characters, which was the biggest home run for me. I know the Russos did great characrer movies and overall directed the two best MCU movies, but in terms of character, this sets the MCU standard.

Pros:
Characters
Aside from weird pacing with Killmonger, I thought he was great. I felt the movie had you anticipating the meeting of he and T'Challa
Andy Serkis. I dont know why this guy hasn't won oscars, as I think he is insanely talented. But he has been outstanding in every acting credit he has had. Every single one.
The Panthers fighting was cool

Cons:
Killmonger was a just a little rushed UNTIL he became an intregral part of the story
Fight scenes were okay
I don't know really.


I enjoyed this a lot. It's no District 9, but 9.5/10 going by MCU standards

 

[Deck Rickard]

Saw it late last night and loved it overall. I don’t get the complaints about Boseman at all; I thought he was perfect. He has a great arc in the film because he’s constantly struggling between the way that his predecessors have handled Wakanda’s place in the world and whether that is still an option given the situation. It was also interesting to see [BLACKOUT]a hero expressing genuine sympathy for the villain and (rightly) blaming his father’s actions for the creation of said villain. [/BLACKOUT] I also really liked his relationship with Shuri, Nakia and Okoye; they made a really cool team. Latricia, Lupita and Danai really killed it in their roles. Kudos to Coogler and Marvel for understanding that it’s okay to have more than ONE fully developed female character in a movie.

MBJ did a great job, though I didn’t feel he stole the show from Boseman like many are saying. He’s a compelling villain for sure and certainly one of Marvel’s better ones. But I wasn’t moved to tears by his performance as some were, mainly because he was so much of a sociopath that it became hard to sympathize with him.

Sterling K. Brown (had no idea he was in this), Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis and Winston Duke were also standouts. I full on believe Serkis improvised about 90% of his lines. And Freeman really got some great moments to emerge as a real character this time around.

My only real complaints were the score and the CGI towards the end. Something about the music just didn’t work for me but I may just need to see it again. Something about the sound in my theater was weird and maybe that impacted it. And the some of the CGI wasn’t photorealistic but, as another poster said, at least it wasn’t Justice League bad.

Lastly, I agree that this is probably Marvel’s most important film; it’s awesome to see a primarily black cast in a movie of this size, and one with so many great roles for women. I also enjoyed the thinly veiled [BLACKOUT] shot at Trump’s stupid border wall at the end[/BLACKOUT]. At a time when fascism and bigotry are rearing their ugly heads in many parts of the world, films with an inclusive message like Black Panther are needed more than ever. Bravo, Coogler and Marvel. Bring on Infinity War, and Black Panther 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.

9/10

 

[Doug_Moore]

52 years in the making. Thank you, Stan!

 

[Boy Scout]

So is the first half "slow" because of the lack of action, or just because you don't connect with the characters? The latter doesn't sound right because most reviews are praising the character development.

Is it like GotG2 where you start with a bang, but once Ego shows up, everything just slows down and movie is just exposition until the third act?

Aside from a scene or two, I didn’t think the first half was slow at all. But I was very invested in the characters and their storylines. If you don’t connect with the characters, you likely won’t care much for the first half.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Aside from a scene or two, I didn’t think the first half was slow at all. But I was very invested in the characters and their storylines. If you don’t connect with the characters, you likely won’t care much for the first half.

Same, really don’t get the criticisms about the first act.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Spoiler

OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY, I can't WAIT to tell you how much I enjoyed seeing Thor: Ragnarok in theater today, it's the first time I see a movie in theater based on a Marvel Comics property since X-Men 3: The Last Stand (an underrated movie I always enjoyed), and the first MCU movie for me.

Wrong movie? What do you mean I'm in the wrong forums? It's a movie about a prince who saw his king father die and is now obliged to take over the care of the people of the kingdom, but is also face by the turmoil of dealing with the relative his father banished who he now knows of and has to stop from taking place as ruler of the kingdom. Don't forget the guy from the nation who joins the villain of the movie.

It even has the friend from work.

Spoiler

Doesn't count? Alright.
I'll say I loved this movie, but I loved Ragnarok more.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Black Panther – 8/10
Easily fits into the Upper Tier of the MCU. Chadwick Boseman was excellent, he might be one of my favorite MCU Leads right after Chris Evans as Cap. He does an excellent job of bringing actual gravity and emotion to his scenes that you just don’t get out of a lot of the MCU leads. Probably one of the better MCU casts as well. A lot of times I feel like the MCU films will have all these great actors assembled and then put them in wasted roles (like, for example, Rachel McAdam’s pointless ass role in Doctor Strange), but I really didn’t get that from this movie. Everyone had their part (except for Angela Bassett really) and I loved all the new characters introduced; favorites probably being M’Baku and Shuri. They did a great job with designing Wakanda and the way Africa is shown is just beautiful. I also really appreciate the score, first for not being generic like most other MCU scores, and for the African influence. Gave the film a unique flavor. This is also probably the most stand-alone MCU movie so far IMO. No cameos during the main movie and hardly any references to the wider MCU. I think it worked to the advantage too.

Spoiler

Killmonger, great villain, I believe this is also the first Marvel movie where the protagonist straight up loses to the antagonist in a fair fight. Throwing T’Challa over the cliff was a great moment, reminded me of Batman v. Bane in TDKR, except just not as brutal, still one of the best CBM moments.

I was impressed with the number of themes that the film tried to tackle. Black elitism, colonization, abandoned fathers, black-on-black crime, etc. While I don’t think that it necessarily completely delves into all of them, I still felt it was ambitious for some of these things being discussed in a superhero blockbuster and it is probably the most political superhero movie done so far (previous crown holder being TDK). Only things that really hold me back from given this a higher rating is that it moves rather slowly in the beginning, runtime could’ve probably been shortened by about 15 minutes. The other thing is something that I think all the upper tier MCU movies have fallen into and that is not attempting to break the normal superhero movie structure. Great as it was, by the end I felt as if it fell into the good old superhero traps and that’s what truly held it back from being elevated to an even higher level. Will definitely watch it again to determine where I would put it in my overall MCU rankings.

 

[Mistah K88]

I saw the movie late last night, I almost couldn't sleep because I was so excited to talk about it!

Killmonger's last line was pretty potent to me. You definitely understood what he was about... Even though he definitely went about it the wrong way. I'd definitely would put him up there as one of the MCU's best baddies. I can only wonder if DC will handle Black Manta with this kind of care...they probably will avoid THAT faucet of Black Manta all together, but alas.

To tell you the truth I was afraid of the movie having comedic moments that seem rather forced, which can seem to be common in some MCU movies...like the hero doing a stand up routine in an inconvenient moment, which is fine for some characters, but it DEFINITELY wouldn't fit here, however the comedy in this felt pretty natural.

 

[Dasher10]

It was the best Marvel Studios film since Winter Soldier. Period. I loved it.