Black Panther: Wanda Forever is a fitting capper to phase 4. Processing grief has been a consistent theme throughout this phase. Wakanda Forever takes that theme established in WandaVision and deliver’s an emotional wallop of a film with Wakanda Forever.
Director Ryan Coogler succeeds in crafting a loving sendoff and remembrance for Chadwick Boseman. He also succeeds in setting up a conflict between Namor and the Wakandans. The conflict allows Shuri to come into her own. Coogler warrants plenty of praise for his ability to mesh immense grief with humor, action and everything else required of a marvel film. Although the film has too many storylines to handle everything with equal quality.
The performances across the board are terrific with Letitia Wright and Winston Duke following Angela Bassett‘s lead. Wright’s performance as Shuri is phenomenal. She carries as much dramatic weight in this film as Boseman did in 2018’s Black Panther. In the first film, Shuri was the fun side character who had the luxury of bucking tradition. In T’Challa’s absence, Wakanda Forever thrusts Shuri and Ramonda into leadership. Bassett portrays Ramonda as a proud queen worried for the one child she has left, mourning the sun she’s lost and ruling Wakanda to near perfection.
Filling the antagonist role is Namor played with understandable anger and intelligence by Tenoch Huerta. Namor is a mutant with wings on his feet and the leader of the underwater kingdom Talokan. Namor wants to ally with Wakanda in a war with the surface world. If Wakanda refuses, Namor will destroy Wakanda first before proceeding on.
One of the key attributes binding Wakanda and Talokan is the possession of Vibranium. MIT student Riri Williams enters the picture having designed a Vibranium detector. Talokan wants to kill Riri. Shuri wants to protect her, but also wants to prevent war. Dominique Thorne is magnetic as Riri. Equal parts brilliant, bright-eyed and awkward Thorne’s scenes opposite Wright and Danai Gurira‘s Akoye jump off the screen.
Wakanda Forever is an overstuffed film. Martin Freeman‘s Everett Ross returns and is pretty much useless. Adding Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘s Valentina Allegra de Fontaine as his ex-wife takes away from the conflict between Namor and Shuri. The political deterioration between Wakanda and the United States is an interesting story. However, it’s simply one storyline too many.
In spite of those issues, Wakanda Forever is a tremendous accomplishment. The action sequence sand underwater shots are breathtaking. Ludwig Göransson‘s score is even better than is Academy Award-winning score from the first film.
Wakanda Forever easily surpasses Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder to be the best MCU film of the year.
With the overview out of the way, let’s take a deeper journey into the end of phase 4 of the MCU. There may be some minor spoilers. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in theaters now.
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Love prevails in Wakanda Forever
In the words of Paul Bettany‘s Vision, “What’s grief but love persevering?” Wakanda Forever is more than a loving remembrance of T’Challa. It takes a deep look at grief and how different people process unimaginable loss.
Ramonda has lost a son. Shuri has lost her brother. Both are trying to carry on in their own ways. Ramonda is leading Wakanda. Shuri buries her emotions down deep and focuses on work. Shuri is also burdened by guilt. She wasn’t able to find a cure for her brother’s disease before his death.
A mother-daughter conversation between the two showcases the generational divide and the love they have for T’Challa. Ramonda is comforted by knowing T’Challa is with their ancestors. Shuri doesn’t believe in these traditions and her mind goes to a far darker place. In spite of Shuri’s pain, she’s the one who takes responsible action to find Riri and tries to find an alternative to war with Namor.
The story concocted by Coogler and Joe Robert Cole excels at knowing exactly when to return to the themes of grief and vengeance.
Ironheart
Riri has created a Vibranium detector as part of an MIT project. Namor wants to kill Riri. Her device can be used to find Talokan. Namor wants to remain hidden. Namor issues a word of warning to Shuri and Ramonda.
Akoye and Shuri head to Massachusetts to find Riri. The interactions between these three powerful women feature some of the best dialogue in the film. Akoye tries to fend off Namor’s forces. However, Shuri and Riri are kidnapped.
Shuri wants to avoid war and prevent Riri’s death. She asks for a tour of Talokan, to which Namor agrees. Talokan is a visual marvel no pun intended. Eventually, Namor reveals his real plan. He wants to join forces with Wakanda and destroy the surface world.
Thorne is terrific in a role that gets overshadowed in the 3rd act. Basically, when Nakia enters the fray, Riri is thrust into the background. Akoye is also underused but shines in every scene. Overall, the Dora Milaje doesn’t receive nearly enough time in the spotlight. I can’t wait to see Riri’s next adventure.
Broken people, best leaders
Throughout the film, Coogler showcases powerful characters who are unquestionably broken.
Namor is a mutant who is neither human nor is he completely like the rest of his people. He’s determined to destroy the surface world which he believes is cruel. Namor’s hatred for humanity could be better explained.
Namor declares war on Wakanda. Nakia is able to save Shuri and Riri, but kills one of the Talokans in the process. Shuri is forced to confront the darkest aspects of herself. Shuri can’t uphold the traditions of her brother and mother. She must chart a new path forward. However, before she can move forward, she must break.
Wright is devastating as Shuri in the 3rd act of the film. She fears her destiny but doesn’t have her mother and brother’s reliance on tradition. By being broken, Shuri is eventually able to put the pieces back together with some help from an interesting ancestor.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Final Thoughts
Wakanda Forever is an overstuffed, heartfelt, terrifically acted film that closes out this phase with hope for the future.
The Review
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Review
PROS
- The performances by Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett and Lupita Nyong'o go a long way in processing the loss of T'Challa and by extension Chadwick Boseman.
- Ryan Coogler continues to be one of the best directors on the planet.
- Ludwig Göransson's score is even better than in the first film.
- The introductions of Riri Williams and Namor are terrific.
CONS
- Too many storylines for one film.
- Not enough Dora Milaje.
