Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a superhero movie, the sequel to 2018's Black Panther. The movie begins with the death of T'Challa(as a result of the death of Chadwick Boseman), as Wakanda mourns world powers get bolder in their attempts to seize vibranium and a superpowered-secret-underwater-nation is discovered and is inexplicably and totally hostile particularly bafflingly to Wakanda.
Perhaps as a result of superhero fatigue, the quick turnaround, and the untimely death of it's star there's a lot of weariness about the movie, in it's script, visuals, direction, and it's cast. Letitia Wright becomes the defacto lead and is unfortunately not up to it, she is clearly out of her depth and is unable to bring the presence needed to hold the movie together and the script calls for her to act counter to what has been set up in her previous appearances. Angela Basset, Lupita Nyong'o, and Winston Duke are the only ones that are able to recapture their electricity, quite frankly they are the only ones that really feel human in an increasingly convoluted illogical story. The wonderful Danai Gurira is done a disservice and is mostly side lined(as well as burdened with a truly awful 'superpowered' suit). All in all it's kind of a mess.
Visually the movie is dreary, dark, overly stuffed with CGI verging on the indecipherable at times. The idea of the Talokan is intriguing but it's execution strains credulity far beyond the shattering point. None of it make sense. The score is more muted and underutilized than it's predecessor, there are in essence no stand out scenes(dramatic, comedic, or action) with or without a needle drop. It is clear this was rushed and it is clear it was made by people still processing their grief. It's heartbreaking but it simply does not come together, it fails to capture virtually every aspect of the first film that made it great. The movie is book ended with two moving tributes for T'Challa and by extension Chadwick Boseman, and those are really powerful, if this movie had to be made it should have only dealt with the death of the Black Panther, introducing new characters, a war, international espionage, an entirely new civilization is simply too much.
Exhausted and exhausting. Too soon.
Currently in theaters, coming soon to Disney+.
Don't See It.
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