Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, more than any Marvel film before it, serves two purposes. The first is presenting another story about Wakanda, its inhabitants, its rulers, and its heroes. The second is serving as a tribute to Chadwick Boseman following his untimely death. Other films might struggle with this balancing act, but Wakanda Forever pulls it off beautifully, weaving the grief of losing Boseman into the narrative and telling a story about loss, remembrance, and legacy.
Ryan Coogler returns to direct, along with writing the story and screenplay (working with Joe Robert Cole on the latter). Building on the strength of the first Black Panther, Wakanda Forever surpasses its predecessor in every way, earning its place as the best Marvel project of 2022 and easily the most quality piece of entertainment the Studio has released since Avengers: Endgame.
The story begins with T’Challa’s death and subsequent funeral. There’s a real connection between film and audience, as the characters mourn a son, a brother, and a king, and the audience mourns the loss of an actor who was well on his way to a great career, and whose roles touched so many people. Even the expected arrival of the Marvel Studios logo will likely bring some tears.
Following the loss of its leader, Wakanda is put in a precarious position. The vibranium-rich country has once again mostly closed itself off from the rest of the world, though it appears the choice was warranted as other countries attempt to get their hands on the precious (and powerful) metal, including the United States. However, in the search for Vibranium, Wakanda has attracted a new enemy: the kingdom of Talokan and its ruler Namor (Tenoch Huerta).
Huerta’s Namor is a welcome addition to the MCU, and serves as potentially the most complex villain since Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger. The undersea ruler, who was previously confirmed as being a mutant, is both compassionate and threatening, letting Wakanda know that he does not war with them, but he will do what is necessary to protect his home and his people. That includes capturing (and, it’s suggested, killing) the inventor of a machine capable of detecting vibranium; a young MIT student named Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne).
Namor’s backstory, similarly to Killmonger or Wakanda itself, is informed by colonialism. As his people lost their home, they built a new one free from oppression and hidden from the rest of the world. These big ideas were also touched on in the first Black Panther, but in many ways are toned down in Wakanda Forever. It’s unfortunate that the movie only briefly calls attention to American imperialism, mostly through the scenes featuring Everett Ross (Martin Freeman).
However, this is not a movie about the American government, it’s focused squarely on the lives of Wakanda and how they’ve changed following the loss of T’Challa. In that regard, Wakanda Forever is a triumph. All of the performances are informed by real loss, but Angela Bassett and Letitia Wright carry much of the story’s emotional weight. As Queen Ramonda, Bassett delivers a stirring performance. Ramonda is caught between defending her people and mourning her son, and Bassett captures every moment perfectly, from a quiet, peaceful conversation on a riverbank, to an emotionally charged gathering in the throne room.
In opposition to Ramonda, Wright’s Shuri has buried herself in her work. She refuses to embrace her mother’s spirituality, instead taking a more blunt approach to her brother’s passing. Wright, in particular, had a tumultuous time shooting this movie, but she delivers an admirable lead performance. Shuri ends up, perhaps unsurprisingly, as the main character of the movie, taking an emotional journey that results in a poignant and bittersweet final scene.
As Riri Williams, Dominique Thorne exudes youthful confidence, and her role in the story is integral enough that she doesn’t feel forcefully included in order to set up the upcoming Ironheart series on Disney Plus. Returning players Winston Duke and Danai Gurira are reliably solid as M’Baku and Okoye, respectively, and Michaela Coel does well in her debut MCU role, as limited as it is. The only main player who is somewhat sidelined is Lupita NYong’o’s Nakia. While she has a role to play in the story, Nakia doesn’t feel quite as crucial to the narrative. It’s too bad, because Nyong’o is a strong performer, and her character’s relationship with T’Challa was a huge part of Black Panther.
Aside from its script, Wakanda Forever is also just a beautiful movie, packed to the brim with awe-inspiring costumes, sets, and underwater cinematography. It may not be at the level of Avatar: The Way of Water, but the scenes of Talokan and Namor’s forces leading attacks beneath the surface are impressive nonetheless. There are some moments of dodgy CGI, as has come to be expected in Marvel films by this point, but they are very brief and don’t distract from the rest of the action. The finale is a huge step above the rubbery, weightless final fight of its predecessor.
Ruth E. Carter, who won an Oscar for her work on the first Black Panther, returns to design the costumes here. On top of her Wakandan designs, Carter also does excellent work with Talokan, creating vibrant and elaborate pieces based on Mayan culture. Returning production designer Hannah Beachler (who also received an Oscar for her work) brings vibrancy and life to Wakanda and Talokan, filling each of them with unique touches that help define each culture.
Also returning is composer Ludwig Göransson (yet another Oscar recipient for his work on the previous film), who delivers a masterpiece of a score, blending all sorts of cultural influences into dynamic compositions that lend emotional weight to slower scenes and tension to the action. Like Carter and Beachler, Göransson also builds on Namor and Talokan’s presence by layering in musical cues from Central America. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the more generic scores that have been plaguing blockbuster films lately, and it shows just how much of a rising star Göransson is in the world of composing.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is both an excellent movie and a monument to Chadwick Boseman’s presence. His absence can be felt throughout the story, but it never feels overwrought. Of course, this being a Marvel movie, there are still a few surprises in store for fans. However, this is much less of an Easter egg factory than previous movies. It’s a far better story for it, one that is packed with beauty and tragedy in equal amounts.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releases in theatres on November 11.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever