Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has colonialism and geopolitical intrigue in mind 

Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Greed) directs this sequel to his 2018 film, Black Panther, about T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), king of Wakanda and protector of vibramium. This new film addresses head-on Boseman's untimely 2020 death from colon cancer by opening the story with Wakandans mourning T'Challa's death from an unnamed disease. Leaderless and at risk from outside forces since the vibranium-infused "heart-shaped herb" that turns a person into the superhuman Black Panther was destroyed, Wakanda's only hope is T'Challa's brilliant younger sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), who's trying to synthetically re-create the herb, and their mother, Ramonda (Angela Bassett), who struggles to keep the nation safe from a new enemy, Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía), the superhuman leader of the underwater vibranium-rich kingdom of Talokan, who wants to wage war on the surface and tries to force Wakanda to ally with him. (161 min.)

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• Photo Courtesy Of Marvel Studios And Walt Disney Pictures
• POWER PLAYERS Ayo (Florence Kasumba, left) and Ramonda (Angela Bassett) must save Wakanda from a new foe, an underwater kingdom bent on war, in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, screening in local theaters.

Glen Just writing the synopsis above was exhausting—this story is so rich with characters and details that it's nearly impossible to explain both clearly and briefly. I think what made the original so compelling and successful—it hauled in a cool $1.3 billion—is the idea of an African nation untouched by colonialism. It's an intriguing concept, and Wakanda feels like a fully formed place. Keep in mind, it's a comic book story, so it gets a little wacky, but essentially a meteorite of vibranium led to the creation of the unknown civilization, whose existence was revealed in the first film when a Wakandan living in Oakland wanted to steal vibranium technology and share it with people of African descent around the world to aid them in fighting their oppressors. This time around, a brilliant MIT student, Riri (Dominique Thorne), has theoretically developed a machine that could search for vibranium, and the CIA took her design and deployed it, which led to Namor and Talokan's plan to destroy the surface world. As complicated as it all sounds, the film does an amazing job helping viewers follow along. Well-defined characters, incredible sets and costuming, action-packed sequences, and an astute eye on geopolitical complications make this a very engaging story.

Anna One problem I have with a lot of superhero films is that they try to do too much, and for a casual viewer like me, it can get confusing. I'll give this film some credit in that department—even though it sounds like there's too much going on, it's easy to follow. Boseman is surely missed; he was a great actor and perfect in the Black Panther role, but I'm glad the filmmakers managed to create a story without him that still pays tribute to his unforgettable contribution to the franchise. I'll admit that when the underwater dwellers showed up, I braced for some serious eye rolls, but the story was compelling. Sometimes you just have to give in to the ridiculous world of fantasy and enjoy the morality behind these hero stories. The film was too long for my taste, but they were trying to do a lot here. I get it. In my mind, it doesn't beat the first Black Panther film, but it's a good follow-up and a fitting tribute to Boseman.

Glen I agree, the film was too long and sometimes boring. The Namor backstory involving ancient Mesoamerica colonialism and how he gained superhuman strength—not to mention nifty ankle wings allowing him to fly—was fun. The morals at play involve Wakanda using its superior technology for good, and Shuri using the reconstituted herb not for revenge but for righteousness. After we left the theater, a group of exuberant kids pretended to be Black Panther on the stairs outside the theater, proving the sequel was a success.

Anna If a film can entertain the whole family, it's a winner. I don't plan on rewatching this—it's too long, and I feel like I wouldn't gain anything new—but it was fun to see in the theater. As usual with this type of movie, there was a little bonus scene, and it may be my favorite part. The fights are fun, the storyline is clear enough, and the motivations behind the characters on all sides make sense. It has heart. I just wish it was two hours. Δ

Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Glen compiles listings. Comment at [email protected].