{"id":143549,"date":"2022-11-12T10:45:01","date_gmt":"2022-11-12T00:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/?p=143549"},"modified":"2022-11-12T10:46:29","modified_gmt":"2022-11-12T00:46:29","slug":"black-panther-wakanda-forever-movie-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/black-panther-wakanda-forever-movie-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (movie review)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Marvel Cinematic Universe returns to one of its most successful characters with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. With director Ryan Coogler (Creed<\/a>) back in charge, the signs were good for this sequel. But the film never really comes together, despite a lengthy runtime and some excellent performances.<\/p>\n

As the film opens, King T\u2019Challa is dead. As Wakanda mourns, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) takes the throne. But a long way from Wakanda, events are conspiring against her. Mercenaries attack a Wakandan outreach centre looking for vibranium weapons. At the UN, Western nations accuse Wakanda of playing a dangerous game, and demand access to the super-metal. Queen Ramonda responds by presenting the captured soldiers. Tensions rise when another attack targets an exploration rig in the ocean which seems to have stumbled on a vibranium deposit – which would be the first discovered outside Wakanda. The Americans suspect the Wakandans are behind the attack, in an attempt to maintain their monopoly on the resource. But other forces are at work – specifically a civilization of mer-people led by the volatile Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mej\u00eda).<\/p>\n

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Shuri (Letitia Wright) meanwhile has retreated to her lab following her brother\u2019s passing. And while she seems to have some good ideas, her grief seems to be getting in the way. She finds a purpose though when Namor asks for her help in locating a particular \u201cscientist\u201d. This \u201cscientist\u201d turns out to be a university student, Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne). She\u2019s jerry-rigged a device that can detect vibranium – a dangerous thing in the wrong hands. It soon becomes clear however that Namor wants to eliminate Riri; something Shuri won\u2019t stand for. Differences emerge between Namor and Queen Ramonda, which could spell disaster for Wakanda.<\/p>\n

Coogler reunites with Black Panther<\/a> screenwriter Joe Robert Cole on the script. But where Black Panther felt tight, Wakanda Forever feels bloated. I think a few things might be contributing. First, the film introduces a new adversary in Namor (referred to in the Marvel comics – but not in this film – as the Sub-Mariner). And while Namor might be developed further in the next installment (which is clearly flagged here), he doesn\u2019t bring the same sense of menace as Killmonger. Indeed, at times it feels like he doesn\u2019t even \u201cfit\u201d within the franchise. Also, Black Panther was essentially a personal story. Wakanda Forever tries to embrace a wider palette, but that leads to some rather bland and ultimately pointless CGI action sequences. But probably the biggest issue here is the absence of T\u2019Challa, following the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman.<\/p>\n

Wakanda Forever – like its characters – spends a lot of time searching for a replacement. But both character and actor cast a huge shadow over the production; and it struggles to get out from under. Perhaps ironically though, the film is at its best in dealing with issues of grief and loss. The real-life loss of Boseman no doubt informs Coogler\u2019s approach, and he handles it with assurance and sensitivity. The film includes at least three touching tributes to Boseman, such was his importance to the franchise.<\/p>\n