Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

It’s hard to overstate just how much of a phenomenon Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther was. A sea-changing moment in Hollywood for representation in film and a billion-dollar grossing blockbuster that instantly became a cultural touchstone. At the heart of all that success was, of course, star Chadwick Boseman. When news hit of his tragic passing in the summer of 2020, after a private battle with colon cancer, it was a shock that was felt throughout the world. So the decision to move forward and continue the legacy of the Black Panther was always going to pose an uphill battle for director/co-writer Ryan Coogler and his creative team after writing a draft of the script before Boseman’s passing. Coogler and co-writer/longtime collaborator Joe Robert Cole take the real-life tragedy and weave in into the narrative of the film, using the sequel as a tribute to Boseman’s legacy. Given the circumstances at hand, the filmmakers have accomplished a miraculous feat. This is a sequel rich with poignancy and emotional intelligence.

Boseman had quickly become one of the more important and influential artists of his time, and the world didn’t get to realize that until he was suddenly gone. Wakanda Forever tackles those themes of grief and serves as both an examination and a reflection of the ongoing process. The film finds T’Challa’s mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), and sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), attempting to move forward, maintaining bureaucratic diplomacy since revealing Wakanda’s resources to the world and leading their nation without its king. For much of the first act, we spend time with the ensemble, also including Winston Duke’s M’Baku, Danai Gurira’s Okoye, and Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia grappling with T’Challa’s passing. It’s these moments of genuine grief from both sides of the camera that make this so emotionally impactful.

There are some vulnerable and complex performances here, with Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett carrying the brunt of the emotional heft. Lupita Nyong’o brings an infectious warmth and grace to the screen and Danai Gurira continues to show more layers and unbelievable charisma. Tenoch Huerta’s Namor is easily one of the more interesting antagonists Marvel has introduced in some years. Not a true villain, this character occupies similar traits with that of Tom Hiddleston’s post-Avengers Loki. This isn’t a character so much set on the destruction of the world, rather the safety of his people. Huerta’s quiet intensity and nuanced portrayal makes for a unique new presence in the Marvel universe.

Winning an Oscar for his work on the first film, returning composer Ludwig Göransson’s score is more melancholic and experimental with its mix of African Drums and Latin Instruments. The introduction scene to Namor is highly suspenseful and the score in this sequence adds a heightened sense of unease with distorted choir vocals haunting the background.

Coogler is given the unfortunate task of not only having to reckon with the loss of his star while moving the story forward, but introduce a major new world and establish a new phase in the MCU. It’s impressive with how much Coogler is able to weave together, even if the film can sometimes feel overstuffed. The segments where the narrative wanders off to connect to the next Phase of the MCU feel strained and awkwardly wedged in. Notably, the return of Martin Freeman’s Agent Ross is wholly unnecessary and sucks all the weight and momentum out of the narrative, further bloating the 162 minute runtime.

Coogler’s precise filmmaking craft is largely why these films feel so much more sweeping and vibrant than the glut of typical Marvel flicks. Even at the films messiest points, Coogler is delivering more casually dynamic characters, urgent dramatic stakes and tangible character depth than most of the now-30 MCU spectacles. In that first film you felt as though you were transported to a breathtaking new world in Wakanda and were surrounded by a plethora of exciting new characters. Here, Coogler brings some of that sense of wonder in the further exploration of Wakanda and the introduction to the undersea nation of Taloken.

The water-heavy effects give Coogler, and cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Teen Spirit), new avenues to differentiate from the usual Marvel color palette. Coogler is notably taking a page or two from James Wan’s filmmaking playbook after the success of Aquaman, but with an added emphasis on practical water effects more akin to Waterworld — and that is meant to be taken as a compliment. Unfortunately, the action sequences don’t stand anywhere near the swift style of the first film. However, the climactic battle in the final act is quite visually dazzling and finishes with a dramatically potent conclusion.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a deeply moving tribute to the legacy of Chadwick Boseman. While a bit bloated and overstuffed, this is a stirring and dramatically rewarding follow up that is among the most emotionally resonant blockbusters.