LOS ANGELES, CA — Director Ryan Coogler had the daunting task of completing a enormous film without the services of the star as the original Black Panther in Chadwick Boseman who passed away due to complications from a long battle with cancer. The studios elected not to recast, but instead continue the legacy of the Black Panther in a slightly different direction with the aid of King T’Challa’s (Boseman) sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) moving the story forward in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The film pays tribute to Boseman in the opening moments of the film and throughout the opening credits, which still raises a range of emotions. With action starting in the film as only the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) could engage the audience with, Angela Bassett who continues her role as Queen Ramonda, gave a very strong and riveting performance that allowed her to balance the movie on her shoulders as the incredible actress she is. In every scene she appears in throughout the movie, Bassett commands excellence and brings a dynamic that only Boseman brought in the original Black Panther film. Bassett as Queen Ramonda allowed her country and her enemies know who was making the final decisions as it pertained to Wakanda.
Introducing the moment of Namar (Tenoch Huerta), who isn’t necessarily the villian but more of the anti-hero, showcased the brilliance of Coogler as a director to ingratiate the story of the Talokan people and why his thought process was that of domination of the world that included destroying the country of Wakanda. The film also showcases a heartfelt conversation between Shuri and Namar where he explains his story and obsession with declaring war on the surface people. His manipulative ways are seen by Shuri, who refuses his offer for an alliance and the war on Wakanda begins.
When deciding how to defeat Namar, Shuri has an epiphany that she needs to become the Black Panther in order to save Wakanda, and travels through her subconscious where she runs into a familiar face in her cousin Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) seeking advice.
Lupita Nyong’o returns to her character as Nakia after being summunded by Queen Ramonda for a recon mission and eventually aids her beloved country by defending it against Namar.
A great surprise to audiences is the introduction of Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) who appears to be apart of the Ironheart franchise which is sure to wet the appetite of the MCU for this upcoming film. Winston Duke returns as M’Baku, while Danai Gurira returns as Okoye in the film. The cinematography in this film is outstanding along with the fighting scenes that really keep the audience engaged.
Heavy is the head who wears the crown, and Shuri manages to hold on to the crown long enough to elevate in victory and keep Wakanda standing again. Be sure to stay tuned past the credits for a much needed viewing of that part of the film. (7.5/10)
