Michael B Jordan IS Erik Killmonger!

[Spider-Fan]

Easier, but still chaotic nonetheless and would inevitably leave Wakanda open to attacks. That's why it's entirely duplicitous.

How so? They can always make more weapons.

 

[Neptune]

He's talking about racism and the fact even to this day, black people don't have the same opportunities white people do. Arming those with less with higher tech weapons gives them an advantage to take on the people in power (largely better weapons = military advantage and victory historically speaking). As for the other parts of your point, yeah that would be possible, but again, Killmonger is the VILLAIN. He is not entirely right, nor is he entirely wrong. As for why he is giving those away, Killmonger's biggest beef with Wakanda is they had resources to help people with their resources. If he is selling them, that undercuts his entire point. Wakanda is a powerful and rich nation, but Killmonger is trying to create his own vision of a rich world. It's a flawed view of the world, yes. But that is how he saw the world.

I think you missed the point of the film a little.

I know he's the villain but considering people are praising this character so much i would expect a better one. At least a motivation that is completely understandable. Killmonger seems like a watered down version of Magneto.

Yes racism exists but that's not the same as black people being oppressed all around the world, that's stupid. I am a black guy living in Holland, i am not oppressed. Which black people do not have the same opportunities, where exactly and how? Killmonger can't just throw that out there and expect people to buy it. And what about black people who discriminate each other? Also, what about people who are not black? Do they automaticly have everything handed to them their entire lives? Do they never get discriminated against? I think Killmonger confused black people with poor people. Giving them guns would only create more violence, fear and hatred. Those people are not trained soldiers anyway and would most likely be killed by their "oppressers".

So yeah i get that he's a villain but that doesn't mean his motivation can't make any sense. I think he actually is entirely wrong.

 

[Spider-Fan]

I know he's the villain but considering people are praising this character so much i would expect a better one. At least a motivation that is completely understandable. Killmonger seems like a watered down version of Magneto.

Yes racism exists but that's not the same as black people being oppressed all around the world, that's stupid. I am a black guy living in Holland, i am not oppressed. Which black people do not have the same opportunities, where exactly and how? Killmonger can't just throw that out there and expect people to buy it. And what about black people who discriminate each other? Also, what about people who are not black? Do they automaticly have everything handed to them their entire lives? Do they never get discriminated against? I think Killmonger confused black people with poor people. Giving them guns would only create more violence, fear and hatred. Those people are not trained soldiers anyway and would most likely be killed by their "oppressers".

So yeah i get that he's a villain but that doesn't mean his motivation can't make any sense. I think he actually is entirely wrong.

I am not going to really get into this argument of minority statistics and various mistreatment around the world. I will just say you have the internet, use it. There is plenty on this topic out there. PLENTY.

As for your other points, his focus is on black people given his heritage is from an African country, therefore that's all he is really focused on. The problems of HIS people (in a global sense...not meaning the Wakandans). Killmonger WANTS there to be more violence. Kind of his entire point. As for them not being trained soldiers, while not clearly stated, my assumption is his spies were to help with that as well.

Killmonger does have aspects to Magneto, which is not really a coincidence. The X-Men is a book about racism and hitting on similar themes that Black Panther did.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Maybe in Holland there is no racism. But in America, where Killmonger is from, the racist criminal justice system that gives black men disproportional drug sentences is well documented. As well as the sordid history of police brutality. You can see it on American television. The story of another young black man being killed is all too common. Hence why Killmonger was not disturbed by the death of his father. It was just the way life is where he was from.

 

[Y0nder]

Fav Killmonger line:

[BLACKOUT]"I killed in America. Afganistan. I-RAQ!"[/BLACKOUT]

Especially the way he venomously barks out that last line.

 

[Visualiza]

Killmonger was a well written villain, but I couldn't get behind MBJ's performance; I found it so incredibly distracting. I'm well aware that I'm firmly in the minority on that one, as even the reviews that lean mixed to negative showered him with praise, but this is genuinely how I feel.

Primarily, it has to do with the way he delivers his lines. It was all very "first take", in the sense that his delivery often felt like he was reciting his lines verbatim directly from the screenplay, as if it were an early rehearsal. It was as if the character was speaking another person's words, rather than his own, and it rarely ever sounded natural to me. As far as physicality and intensity however, he brought the goods full stop. I think it would be a good idea for him to experiment with improvising his lines to better match up with his speech patterns and inflections, because it really felt like he was reading from a script verbatim. Normally when I see things like this I'd say that the actor's range is the issue, but again, he was believably fierce, physical, and intense when he needed to be, so that can't be it. There were just two lines in his entire performance that felt sincere and believable to me:

[BLACKOUT]"The world took everything I ever loved!"[/BLACKOUT]

and

[BLACKOUT]"You believe that? A little kid from Oakland running around believing in fairy tales..."[/BLACKOUT]

Even that much lauded (and justifiably so) last line of his felt very stilted and unnatural.

This may sound like a nitpick to some, and I wish I felt the same way, but it really killed the immersion and believability for me. Felt like instead of seeing 'Erik Killmonger' on the screen, I was watching MBJ audition for the role of Erik Killmonger, and that's an issue. Again, very well written character and he served the story perfectly, but the performance itself was a mixed bag.

 

[Y0nder]

I enjoyed the sort of 'street swagger' Killmonger embodied too, it only amplified his displacement and gave his interaction that much more tension with the Wakandan tribes.

 

[Y0nder]

And him being more physically imposing, just the scars & body language before he challenged the king, you kind of knew [BLACKOUT]T'Challa was royally screwed. It reminded me of Apollo Creed vs Ivan Drago[/BLACKOUT]

 

[Greens]

Killmonger was a well written villain, but I couldn't get behind MBJ's performance; I found it so incredibly distracting. I'm well aware that I'm firmly in the minority on that one, as even the reviews that lean mixed to negative showered him with praise, but this is genuinely how I feel.

Primarily, it has to do with the way he delivers his lines. It was all very "first take", in the sense that his delivery often felt like he was reciting his lines verbatim directly from the screenplay, as if it were an early rehearsal. It was as if the character was speaking another person's words, rather than his own, and it rarely ever sounded natural to me. As far as physicality and intensity however, he brought the goods full stop. I think it would be a good idea for him to experiment with improvising his lines to better match up with his speech patterns and inflections, because it really felt like he was reading from a script verbatim. Normally when I see things like this I'd say that the actor's range is the issue, but again, he was believably fierce, physical, and intense when he needed to be, so that can't be it. There were just two lines in his entire performance that felt sincere and believable to me:

[BLACKOUT]"The world took everything I ever loved!"[/BLACKOUT]

and

[BLACKOUT]"You believe that? A little kid from Oakland running around believing in fairy tales..."[/BLACKOUT]

Even that much lauded (and justifiably so) last line of his felt very stilted and unnatural.

This may sound like a nitpick to some, and I wish I felt the same way, but it really killed the immersion and believability for me. Felt like instead of seeing 'Erik Killmonger' on the screen, I was watching MBJ audition for the role of Erik Killmonger, and that's an issue. Again, very well written character and he served the story perfectly, but the performance itself was a mixed bag.

Agreed.

 

[Boy Scout]

Killmonger was a well written villain, but I couldn't get behind MBJ's performance; I found it so incredibly distracting. I'm well aware that I'm firmly in the minority on that one, as even the reviews that lean mixed to negative showered him with praise, but this is genuinely how I feel.

Primarily, it has to do with the way he delivers his lines. It was all very "first take", in the sense that his delivery often felt like he was reciting his lines verbatim directly from the screenplay, as if it were an early rehearsal. It was as if the character was speaking another person's words, rather than his own, and it rarely ever sounded natural to me. As far as physicality and intensity however, he brought the goods full stop. I think it would be a good idea for him to experiment with improvising his lines to better match up with his speech patterns and inflections, because it really felt like he was reading from a script verbatim. Normally when I see things like this I'd say that the actor's range is the issue, but again, he was believably fierce, physical, and intense when he needed to be, so that can't be it. There were just two lines in his entire performance that felt sincere and believable to me:

[BLACKOUT]"The world took everything I ever loved!"[/BLACKOUT]

and

[BLACKOUT]"You believe that? A little kid from Oakland running around believing in fairy tales..."[/BLACKOUT]

Even that much lauded (and justifiably so) last line of his felt very stilted and unnatural.

This may sound like a nitpick to some, and I wish I felt the same way, but it really killed the immersion and believability for me. Felt like instead of seeing 'Erik Killmonger' on the screen, I was watching MBJ audition for the role of Erik Killmonger, and that's an issue. Again, very well written character and he served the story perfectly, but the performance itself was a mixed bag.

I can actually kind of see where you’re coming from, even though I disagree. I think the delivery of his lines was deliberate. I’m obviously only speculating here - and forgive me if this ends up sounding very messy, because I’m trying to choose my words carefully - but I think MBJ was channeling a very specific type of black male. The speech pattern, the wardrobe, the machismo, the aggression...I’ve seen it all before. Many times, in fact. I can’t say I’ve ever met anyone as extreme as Erik Killmonger (thank God), but there were many things about him that felt very familiar to me, to the point where I was almost taken aback by how visceral and real the character felt.

Understand, I’m not trying to imply that your issues with MBJ are illegitimate, or that you have to be black to “get” Killmonger. Just explaining my own point of view.

 

[KingCheops]

He was great! Probably one of my favorites.

Spoiler

I was hoping he'd have a change of heart and surrender so that we could have him in another movie but alas!

 

[JtheDreamer]

I enjoyed the sort of 'street swagger' Killmonger embodied too, it only amplified his displacement and gave his interaction that much more tension with the Wakandan tribes.

The whole street swagger thing just doesn't appeal to me at all and was quite jarring when mixed with the Wakandan backdrop. Felt more like a black male stereotype than anything.

 

[Boy Scout]

That was the point. It was supposed to be jarring.

 

[Tg11]

Either way his performance was nothing short of iconic well as far as villains go in CBM history

 

[InCali]

I know he's the villain but considering people are praising this character so much i would expect a better one. At least a motivation that is completely understandable. Killmonger seems like a watered down version of Magneto.

Yes racism exists but that's not the same as black people being oppressed all around the world, that's stupid. I am a black guy living in Holland, i am not oppressed. Which black people do not have the same opportunities, where exactly and how? Killmonger can't just throw that out there and expect people to buy it. And what about black people who discriminate each other? Also, what about people who are not black? Do they automaticly have everything handed to them their entire lives? Do they never get discriminated against? I think Killmonger confused black people with poor people. Giving them guns would only create more violence, fear and hatred. Those people are not trained soldiers anyway and would most likely be killed by their "oppressers".

So yeah i get that he's a villain but that doesn't mean his motivation can't make any sense. I think he actually is entirely wrong.

You should come hang out where I grew up. 77th and Spring in LA or City Terrace or Echo Park or 7th and Alvarado or Inglewood or....

Well, anyway, glad things are going well for you.

 

[samsnee]

Killmonger was Clubber Lang and had that eye of the tiger while T’Challa was Rocky who got complacent as champion.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

I can completely understand why some people might be off put by his performance, but considering he was a kid that grew up in the hood/ghetto parts of Oakland during the early 90's it all made perfect sense to me. I knew a ton of dudes that walked and talked like him growing up, and even some now. I actually really like the fact Coogler went there with the character, because it definitely makes him unique in a way and not only as far as other MCU villains go, but the contrast between him and the Wakandans was interesting.

 

[InCali]

Killmonger was Clubber Lang and had that eye of the tiger while T’Challa was Rocky who got complacent as champion.

I don't want to get into anything that might be considered a spoiler, but I disagree. I think there was hesitation based on some combination of decency and/or caring rather than complacency.

Spoiler

IIRC, there was a point where I think T'Challa could have taken him out

 

[Boy Scout]

I don't want to get into anything that might be considered a spoiler, but I disagree. I think there was hesitation based on some combination of decency and/or caring rather than complacency.

Spoiler

IIRC, there was a point where I think T'Challa could have taken him out

One or two times, yeah.

 

[Raiden]

I don't want to get into anything that might be considered a spoiler, but I disagree. I think there was hesitation based on some combination of decency and/or caring rather than complacency.

Spoiler

IIRC, there was a point where I think T'Challa could have taken him out

That's what I thought too, especially his hesitation after he cut Killmonger's face during the challenge.

 

[gabelandeskog]

I watched the film a few days ago and I was really looking forward to this Killmonger character, especially seeing how much Michael B. was being praised. I thought he was good (the challenge scene in Wakanda between him and T'challa was magnificent..). And he definitely looked like a Badass. However, I do agree with the comments said about his delivery. It seemed a bit off at times, and too much? Too theatrical? I was waiting for a moment or flashback where we could witness just a glimpse of all his pain, but unfortunately we didn't really get to see it, so it was hard to sympathise with this character because all I could see was a brutal killer. We don't know who he was before that.

I think the end, where we see him breakdown, saved the character. I really felt for him in that moment.

 

[eon001]

I actually really enjoyed the "over the top" delivery. I felt MBJ was channeling his inner Ice Cube. And believe it or not some people actually talk like that.

And I think sometimes people forget that this IS a comic book movie. I find the cartoonish delivery works within the context of the scene.
"IS THIS YOUR KING!!?"
[YT]BLfAbMWEsI4[/YT]

 

[eon001]

Fav Killmonger line:

[BLACKOUT]"I killed in America. Afganistan. I-RAQ!"[/BLACKOUT]

Especially the way he venomously barks out that last line.

Lets relive that scene.
[YT]sfp6ChqE9mk[/YT]

 

[Kane52630]

I was waiting for a moment or flashback where we could witness just a glimpse of all his pain, but unfortunately we didn't really get to see it,

Did you not see the movie?

 

[eon001]

Remember when Loki "died" in 2 Thor movies?

[BLACKOUT]Marvel aint wasting Killmonger. We didn't see the body. I think Zemo and Killmonger would be a sick villain team up.

I'm calling it now, T'chala put Killmonger in one of those cryo coma tubes. He conscience won't let his cousin die. [/BLACKOUT]