Ever since the Black Panther’s first appearance in a 1961 comic book and then finally seeing a cameo in Captain America: Civil War; I was beyond excited to watch the Black Panther movie come out in February 2018. A few things I was looking forward to in the film. To begin I wanted an appropriate cast aka (black people live in Wakanda), unapologetically showcasing of African history and technology, and good fighting scenes. I think Black Panther came out at the perfect time. Even though this film is a comic film first and many will argue that, this film is a movement for the black community without question. Personally, one thing about movies being made from a book or a comic; I appreciate when the casting matches the characters in the books. Also, Im not a fan of white -washed films. So once I saw all black faces across the screen, I knew they made this movie right. This is a movie that has a predominately black cast and was directed by Ryan Coogler. The film has been increasing at the box office since it premiered. I hope this movie is taken as a precedent to those who doubt the influence that the black community has, because this film proves that black excellence exists.
This movie hit almost everything on the nail. To begin I loved the intro and it set the vibe for the rest of the movie. At first I was curious as to what all the animations meant, but as you watch the movie you notice the influence of music, science and history blend all together. One of my favorite parts is the influence of music and science. In history it’s said Africans were the first to create music and create science and you can see that in the movie. Their use of Vibranium, which is basically a form of energy made of vibrations/sound, is clearly shown throughout Wakanda. Its included in the infrastructure and weapons and they learned to manipulate it to their advantage. This hits another point that this could be a reality if there was no Western colonizaton.
Another pro to this movie was the wardrobe on set! They instilled what traditional African clothing in the movie.
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What I realized along with the audience, is the placement of white people. I feel like during the theater I heard more scoffs, sarcastic laughters and you can tell some were uncomfortable, especially when they were called “colonizers”. I enjoyed it not because it was making them feel bad, but in hopes of opening there eyes more of how it feels to be a minority or dismissed. Unfortunately in 2018 we still have the issue of racism and films like the Black Panther I’m glad have helped create a conversation.
There wasn’t much that I disliked about the movie. I already made plans to rewatch it. One thing I wished director Ryan Coogler put more focus on adding small details from the comic book. For example, in the comic book the army that protects the crown is all women. Warrior Gurira’s Okoye and Kasumba’s Ayo were lesbians and you can see it in the comic. They were known as the midnight angels because they would recruit women in the comic book. They’re some people who say that there wasn’t enough room for a LGBTQ presence, but I think it would be a great addition because its in the comic books but also for the LGBTQ community.
The New Black Panther Movement
Ever since the Black Panther’s first appearance in a 1961 comic book and then finally seeing a cameo in Captain America: Civil War; I was beyond excited to watch the Black Panther movie come out in February 2018.
The New Black Panther Movement
Ever since the Black Panther’s first appearance in a 1961 comic book and then finally seeing a cameo in Captain America: Civil War; I was beyond excited to watch the Black Panther movie come out in February 2018.
The New Black Panther Movement Ever since the Black Panther's first appearance in a 1961 comic book and then finally seeing a cameo in Captain America: Civil War; I was beyond excited to watch the Black Panther movie come out in February 2018.