Despite surprising amount of social stigma, Marvel’s newest movie is a gem
BY : Will Murry
Art & Life Editor
Before I go into depth in this review, I’d like to speak in the massive social stigma that surrounds this movie. Not only was there massive resilience from the right wing bombing the rotten tomatoes review
page with negative reviews before the movie had its first screening, there were staunch pro black leftists that were proclaiming all over social media that white people shouldn’t even go see or review the movie despite their actual opinion on the film and what it stands for. All of that is crap. Regardless of your race or political leaning, just go see this movie.
‘Black Panther’ starts out where Captain America: Civil War leaves off, and just like that movie, this one is a solid eight out of 10. The characters are fantastically written and the writers weren’t afraid to use this movie to speak on social issues, which perfectly reflects the social activism Black Panther has been known for since his first appearance in Fantastic Four issue 52 released in July, 1966.
This film takes place in the secret fictional African country of Wakanda and follows The Black Panther, Prince T’challa, to be crowned the new king of the nation following his
father’s assassination. All is said and done until an American Iraq war veteran, Erik “Killmonger” Stevens, shows up with the mark of a Wakandan and the dead body of the British man who’s been trying to get at their prized mineral (vibranium) which makes their civilization so advanced.
Killmonger reveals himself as the son of T’Challa’s uncle, N’Jobu, and then challenges T’Challa for the throne and successfully usurps his command by seemingly killing him in ritual combat, Killmonger then starts his plan to send Wakanda’s weapons to arm black people all over the globe to fight the tyranny that faces them in everyday life. T’Challa is later revealed to be alive, saved by the mysterious Mountain tribe of Jabari, the gorilla worshiping outcasts of Wakanda.
T’Challa and The Jabari then lead an assault on the Wakandan Capitol, and an emotional brawl between Killmonger and T’Challa happens. Killmonger, once defeated, delivers the best line of the film; “Bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from the ships, because they knew death was
better than bondage.”
This movie was absolutely huge. It’s the most talked about, controversial movie of 2018 so far and it’s probably going to stay that way for the rest of the year. My only complaint about this movie is that they missed the golden opportunity of partnering with the car company Jaguar in favor of Lexus. How great would that have been?
