29 Nov 22 - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

***This review is dedicated to SouthSide’s Mother (04 Aug 48 – 20 Apr 20)***

 

Let’s pause for a moment in reverent silence to honor the death of the beloved King T’Challa of Wakanda i.e. the Black Panther aka Chadwick Boseman…

*silence*

Before beginning this review, SouthSide would like to commend Marvel and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures for the touching tribute to Chadwick Boseman during the opening sequences, blogspot readers. The lost of this actor was felt immensely on and off the screen around the world yet the tribute in this reviewer’s honest opinion helped lessened the heartache and pain for MCU fans. Still the question remained – how would Marvel and Disney pull off a Black Panther sequel without Chadwick at the helm and or main focus within the plot?

Well, blogspot readers, no need to worry. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever develops a storyline where the main characters Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and Shuri (Letitia Wright) are averting a global takeover of other foreign powers attempting to “acquire” vibranium while in the midst of grieving over the loss of T’Challa. It seems everyone wants their share of the rich mineral including the United States from Wakanda – a nation in which the rest of the world considers as a “third world” however the US wants to be first (as always) to control and monopolize who gets what and how much. However, unknown to Wakanda and the world powers, there’s another nation also enriched by this vibranium emerging either as a possible ally or enemy …depending how one perceives at Namor (Tenoch Huerta – from Forever Purge) and his people of Talokan. This underwater nation has reason to war with Wakanda since he blames T’Challa for exposing vibranium and its uses to the world and desires to “burn” the surface world like Shuri does to avenge her brother’s unexpected death.

What happens next?

SouthSide is definitely not telling but highly recommends that you see Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to see how the Wakandans handle and avert a global takeover while dealing with their own internal issues with the inhabitants of Talokan. Also in this movie, we meet other new characters like Maya (Dominique Thorne), a young prodigy who creates a machine to find vibranium and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louise Dreyfus) a director head of the federal agency where Everett Ross works …who also happens to be his ex-wife. Plus, there’s more character presence for returning characters like M’Baku (Winston Duke and his funny improvised one-liner), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o).

Overall, blogspot readers, SouthSide liked the direction of where this Black Panther sequel was heading …like where Star Wars did when The Empire Strikes Back debut on the big screen. It took the storyline towards a deeper, darker turn in which themes of colonialism, isolationism and vengeance have a prominent presence within the plot and a couple of the characters. Still, the movie does its best not to be too preachy or political though touching on what’s happening politically on a global scale today in reality. The United States does have a bad habit of trying to gain and control of things considered to be of value for their purpose instead of sharing with the rest of the world without having to negotiate what they could get out of the brokered deal. However, in the MCU, the United States now has to deal with two united allied nations with the unlimited supply of vibranium instead of one. The odds are definitely stacked against them, blogspot readers.

On a personal note, blogspot readers, SouthSide can relate to and connect with the character Shuri and how she deals with the aftermath of her brother’s death during the movie. She too understands how a sudden death of someone you love and are close to can cause feelings of pain (of not being able to save them), anger, vengeance (watch for a special appearance of Michael B. Jordan) and more before reaching the final stage of grief – actually grieving over the loss. One day, she will be able to reach that final stage, blogspot readers, like Shuri did.

Oh, one final thing!  Whatever you do, do not leave during the middle of the movie credits, blogspot readers! There’s always one final scene (or two) after each Marvel Comic Universe movie and there’s certainly one after this Black Panther sequel that you must see. It might bring a tear or two but you’ll love how it might tie in with the ending of the movie. So, stay, sit and watch that final scene, blogspot readers.

Until next time, blogspot readers, support your local scene,

SouthSide