2.230

I know the plan was to stop writing at night, but the day offered little opportunity and… I just had to talk about Black Panther!

I’m on the Panther bandwagon. I believe the character is a solid build–vulnerable, nuanced, dedicated, and bad ass. However, the Panther wasn’t the star here. It was the women of Wakanda who turned it up a notch and turn this movie into something I want my kids to show their kids as part of the Marvel canon. The movie is about the crowning of T’Challa as king of Wakanda and the challenges made to that crown. It is also about the idea of what Wakanda is and how that culture practices a form of isolationism that is all too familiar to the American populace. You cannot see the film without recognizing the all too obvious political overtones.

This is a black film. This is a black and African film. This is about pride in culture and people in a form that argues that we ought to be proud of our style and culture and ought to be chill about showing others that we are proud and we are inclusive. It definitely doesn’t start that way, but by the ten minute mark you’ve felt the political overtones radiating outward like a force blast.

I was happy to be a part of the opening weekend. I think Marvel picked a winner here, because it was a solid film that didn’t rely too heavily on superpowers and CGI to get the job done. In fact the moments where the CGI are the heaviest are the weakest parts of the story. This is a people story.

This is my people’s story.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *