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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Wednesday 7 February 2018
Review: ‘Black Panther’ is

dazzling grand-scale filmmaking

By JAKE COYLE identity. “Black Panther” Serkis’ black-market arms
AP Film Writer stands for everything that’s dealer Ulysses Klaue, begin
NEW YORK (AP) — The sup- been missing from Marvel’s causing havoc for T’Challa.
posedly cosmically vast — and Hollywood’s — uni- Boseman’s Panther is a pol-
Marvel Cinematic Universe, verse. itician at heart who’s virtu-
as it’s called, spans planets Coogler opens with exposi- ally always flanked by a trio
peppered throughout the tion on Wakanda, a mighty of powerful women: Lupita
galaxy, but Ryan Coogler’s African country that ap- Nyong’o’s Nakia, part of
Earth-bound “Black Pan- pears from the outside, Wakanda’s all-female spe-
ther,” glittering and galva- as one Western sneers, as cial forces, the Dora Milaje;
This image released by Disney shows Michael B. Jordan, left, nizing, stands worlds apart. “Third World.” But hidden the special forces leader
and Chadwick Boseman in a scene from Marvel Studios’ For those of us who have from sight is a shimmering, Okoye (Danai Gurira); and
“Black Panther.” sometimes felt pummeled technologically advanced his younger sister Shuri (a
Associated Press by the parade of previous metropolis whose stealthy terrific Letitia Wright, who
Marvel movies, the sheer growth has been fueled by supplies most of the film’s
richness of Coogler’s film vibranium, a cosmic min- comic moments).
is almost disorienting. Can eral deposited deep in its There are the expected
superhero films, so often mountains by a meteorite special effects set-pieces
a dull mash of effects, be thousands of years ear- and a very Bond-like trip
this dazzlingly colorful? Are lier. Vibranium makes up to a South Korean casino.
genuine cultural connec- the suit that T’Challa dons But the conflict at the heart
tions allowed in modern- as Black Panther, and its of “Black Panther” is be-
day comic book block- power is much guarded. tween separate factions
buster-making? Is a $20 bil- An early flashback, to 1992 of an African diaspora in
lion refund in order? Oakland, California, shows a mythological realm filled
Unlike many of its more hol- one Wakandan’s failed ef- with colonizers and racists
low predecessors, “Black forts to smuggle Vibranium who curse the Wakandan
Panther” has real, honest- in order to empower strug- as “savages.” It’s powerful
to-goodness stakes. As the gling African-Americans. myth-making not just for its
most earnest and big-bud- When the king of Wakan- obvious timeliness but for
get attempt yet of a black da dies, T’Challa returns the film’s sincere grappling
superhero film, “Black Pan- home to take the throne, with heritage and destiny.
ther” is assured of being an where he finds the coun- The traditional-meets-futur-
overdue cinematic land- try’s five tribes — each istic costumes and jewelry,
mark. But it’s also simply with their own distinct color by Ruth E. Carter, are rav-
ravishing, grand-scale film- and attire — are beginning ishingly detailed. T’Challa’s
making. to bubble with discord. mystical visit to his ances-
There are familiar Marvel W’Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya) tors is gloriously rendered
beats here. Just as he did of the Border Tribe, in par- on a twilight plain beneath
in the surprisingly sensation- ticular, would like to see a pink-hued sky and the
al Rocky reboot “Creed,” the historically isolationist glowing eyes of panthers
Coogler hasn’t reinvent- Wakanda give more in for- in a tree. And most of all,
ed the genre so much as eign aid and to refugees. Jordan’s bitter, wounded
electrified it with a new The issue is brought to warrior is uncommonly ten-
perspective and a rare tal- the fore by an unknown der. He is a “villain” only in
ent for marrying naturalistic Wakandan exile, Erik “Kill- quotes; his means are ex-
character development monger” Stevens (Michael treme but his cause is just.
with spectacle muscle. B. Jordan), an American- Created by Stan Lee and
“Tell them who you are” is made soldier who aspires Jack Kirby, Black Panther
the encouragement shout- to take Wakanda’s power first appeared in 1966. But
ed at the title character, to rebalance black power the character has sparked
T’Challa (Chadwick Bose- around the globe. “The the imaginations of many
man) prince of the African world’s gonna start over since, including the film-
nation Wakanda. But it and this time we’re on maker Reginald Hudlin, the
could just as well serve as top,” he vows in the film’s author Ta-Nehisi Coates
the overarching rally cry of climactic moments. and Wesley Snipes, who
a film that for many symbol- But his mission isn’t initially labored for years to adapt
izes a big-screen affirma- so clear, as he and a band the comic into a movie. q
tion of African-American of rogues, led by Andy

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