Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

I've always considered Black Panther to the most boring Avenger, and thus was skeptical of this film. The trailer was boring, the running time of 160 minutes put me off and I wasn't entirely sure what it would be like. But I have to say that the result is more than good, and just as Eternals was compared to a regular Marvel movie, that goes double for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. There's a noticeable drop in cringe humour and CGI action for the visual gratification of teenagers, and the addition of dense emotions, a thorough look into the system of Wakanda and an adult style that fits perfectly. I also liked the music, which literally beats on the ears and adds noticeably to the whole experience. The first act is second to none (the Queen's speech at the UN and the attack of the new underwater world on the American ship were tense scenes that had me glued to my seat), and is mightily complemented by the excellent musical score and inventive ideas – sirens beckoning enemies into the sea, the background of the underwater race from Talokan, the suits from Wakanda. The second act stepped off the gas a bit, but it skillfully portrayed the motivation of the villain and the whole underwater system, and in the last act we got to see the final battle. I'm surprisingly very excited about the end result, and even though it has its flaws and isn't perfect, the whole film worked unexpectedly well and consistently, and brings in some fun characters that will show us quite a bit in future Marvel movies (enjoy the post-credit scene) (11/13/2022)

I admit that I am giving it the fifth star mainly for how touching it is, and in memory of Chadwick Boseman. Objectively, the second Black Panther is slightly worse than the first, and it's not because T'Challa is missing, but because something is superfluous. The running time seemed to me too generous (read excessive) for what actually happened. Yet a few dozen minutes (and some not so good CGI) less would have made for an excellent action film with a believable political plot and memorable scenes such as the Queen's speech at the UN. Nevertheless, the production design is a feast for the eyes, the music is a feast for the ears, and the new characters certainly have a lot to offer the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the future. (11/12/2022)

A more sweeping and darker sequel. It was similar with Captain America: Winter Soldier, but the more expansive story and the varied motivations of the main characters worked better there, it was tighter and more dynamic as a whole. The second Black Panther has a massive runtime. It wants to say a lot, give lots of emotions and show different worlds and the characters that inhabit them. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t. Most of the time it felt like a mix of Avatar, Aquaman and any random adventure movie set in Africa. It is bearable, but not worth a second visit to the cinema. (11/19/2022)

Flamboyant costumes, set design, make-up, dancing, performances, and all this over and over and over again. The plot begins as simply, unnecessarily and built on scripted crutches as it is resolved in the finale. And it doesn't really matter, because Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is nothing more than another padding link that has no significance to the franchise other than introducing new characters that can be used in the future. The 160 minutes are a total blowout, because Ryan Coogler practically got a blank check to do whatever he wanted. To its credit, it doesn't try to throw in a joke every 5 seconds like Thor: Love and Thunder, but even so, the little bits of humor here are embarrassing to the point of sticking out like a sore thumb over the rest of the film. Visually it's nice and it can entertain the audience, but for me it's a largely useless film, or nothing more than the essence of the whole lame Marvel Phase IV. Useful note: There’s no post-credit scene, go home. (11/10/2022)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is spectacular and colourful – the characters, the production design, the costumes and the excellent arrangements by soundtrack composer Göransson. But it’s also inordinately long, with repetitive dialogue rehashing the same things, a mighty villain with a weak personality, an underwater world that’s not nearly as sophisticated as the one in Aquaman, and the borrowing of ideas from other Marvel movies that don’t fit here (e.g. Iron-Man costumes and flying in them). The first Black Panther was surprising with its distinctive soul and the compelling African mystique of the ethnic roots of a new, superbly functioning superhero movement. This is still a respectable Marvel formula, but altered only for effect. (03/06/2023)