Black Panther: Sleek and polished

Black Panther (2018) • View trailer 
Four stars. Rated PG-13, for considerable action violence and (you gotta love this) a "brief rude gesture"
By Derrick Bang • Originally published in The Davis Enterprise, 2.16.18

Marvel’s superhero movies have come in a variety of flavors thus far:

• Rip-snortin’ excitement (The Avengers, Captain America);

• Shakespearean high melodrama (Thor);

• Goofy adventure (Guardians of the Galaxy); and even

• Vulgar insolence (Deadpool).

This one’s different yet again.

T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman, left) is dismayed by an unexpected challenge to his
birthright, which comes from N'Jadaka (Michael B. Jordan) and takes place at
Warrior Falls (inspired by South Africa's majestic Oribi Gorge).

Black Panther is the first superhero film steeped with honor, nobility and heritage, while still delivering the requisite dollops of action, along with a soupçon of humor. Careful attention is paid, as well, to introducing a culture defined equally by its spiritual, mystical and technological elements.

On top of which, director Ryan Coogler and co-scripter Joe Robert Cole wrap the entire package with a thoughtful discussion of a contemporary Big Issue.

Add a star and supporting cast who bring dignity and grace to their respective roles, and you truly couldn’t ask for more.

The roster is led by Chadwick Boseman’s impeccably gracious and regal portrayal of T’Challa, reluctant new king of the little-known African country of Wakanda, which has been concealed for centuries — by design — from the rest of the world. This kingdom’s essential back-story is provided during an economical prolog, via a fascinating style of “shifting sand” animation later revealed as Wakanda’s signature means of telecommunication.

Boseman’s stance, manner of speech — his very aura — bespeak graciousness and a compassionate ruler’s tendency to suffer over difficult decisions. He rarely raises his voice — never needs to — and there’s no doubt, even when he dons his super-heroic suit and becomes the Black Panther, that he’s the smartest, kindest and most perceptive person in the room.

Well, maybe not the smartest. That honor falls to his sassy, über-cool younger sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), the tech wizard who out-dazzles James Bond’s Q and Batman’s Lucius Fox. Her enthusiastic gadgetry genius aside, Shuri gets all the best one-liners, and Wright has a smirk to die for.

But make no mistake: Shuri also is as ferociously protective of her older brother, as T’Challa is of his entire kingdom.

The multi-layered story demands careful attention until disparate pieces — an essential few emerging later, via flashbacks — complete the narrative puzzle. The initial broad strokes find T’Challa inheriting the throne under tragic circumstances, when his father T’Chaka (John Kani) is killed while addressing world leaders. The explosive strike is orchestrated by South African arms dealer Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) — that’s pronounced “Claw” — who may be remembered from his appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Serkis is a marvelous villain: a giggling, gleefully deranged psychopath with a truly nasty sense of humor ... and, no question, he’s a formidable foe.

But as it soon transpires, he is by no means T’Challa’s sole — or even most serious — problem. Klaue is allied with N’Jadaka (Michael B. Jordan), an oddly passionate man of mysterious origin, who possesses unexpected familiarity with Wakandan culture and technology. N’Jadaka also is a cauldron of barely contained rage; Jordan’s performance positively vibrates with hostility.

Closer to home, T’Challa’s right to the throne is challenged by the imposing M’Baku (Winston Duke), formidable leader of the Jabari tribe, a clan of Wakandans who’ve shunned their country’s technological prowess, regarding it a danger to their cultural legacy. M’Baku and his people wish to guide the kingdom back to simpler, more isolated ways.

But this is just the beginning. The film also is laden with — and propelled by — numerous additional characters, all of them granted plenty of time to shine. (Unlike far too many of today’s directors and writers, Coogler and Cole truly know how to work with a large cast.)

Lupita Nyong’o is appropriately stealthy and resourceful as Nakia, one of many spies — dubbed “war dogs” — imbedded in outside countries, to observe and report back. As such, she has seen the poverty and tyrannical rule that afflict far too much of Africa; she therefore serves as T’Challa’s devil’s advocate, passionately insisting that Wakandan technology could do much to help their myriad dark-skinned brothers and sisters.

Nyong’o brings heartfelt passion to the argument: a degree of sincerity that T’Challa finds difficult to ignore, even as he recognizes the dangers, should Wakandan technology — and most particularly weaponry — fall into the wrong hands. (Klaue’s hands, if he has his way.)

The fact that T’Challa long has loved Nakia further complicates matters.

Danai Gurira is ferocity personified as Okoye, head of the Amazon-esque Dora Milaje, an all-female Wakandan clan known for its battlefield bravery and unquestioned loyalty to the throne. Okoye gives T’Challa a run for his money, in the nobility department; Gurira is a vibrant presence throughout, particularly when Okoye eventually is confronted by a ghastly choice.

Angela Bassett is appropriately imposing as Ramonda, T’Challa and Shuri’s mother, and the late Queen of Wakanda. Daniel Kaluuya, currently Oscar-nominated for his starring role in Get Out, deftly navigates the emotional complexities of W’Kabi, leader of the Border Tribe which — to the outside world — seems the observable totality of Wakanda, while actually serving as the kingdom’s first line of defense.

At first blush, W’Kabi appears to be T’Challa’s best friend and loyal lieutenant ... but the situation isn’t that simple.

Martin Freeman, finally, shuns his British accent to play the fish-out-of-water role of American CIA agent Everett K. Ross (last seen in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War). Although Ross and T’Challa respect each other, and share similar short-term goals, their endgames are vastly different; Freeman has fun sliding into ever-increasing exasperation, as his plans are thwarted constantly by his far more sophisticated Wakandan friend.

All these characters come together in a manner that truly earns the term epic.

We’ve come to expect great things from the essential look of Marvel superhero films; even so, this one is stunning. Production designer Hannah Beachler, visual effects supervisor Geoffrey Baumann and special effects supervisor Dan Sudick give us a Wakanda that literally dazzles: a massive, all-encompassing, carefully conceived structural wonder dominated by a capitol whose architectural opulence rivals Tokyo and Dubai, while still honoring all-essential African roots.

What takes place below the city is even more spectacular: the high-tech mining operation that keeps the country stocked with vibranium, the other-worldly meteoric ore that begat so much Wakandan tech, including the Black Panther’s invulnerable costume (and Captain America’s shield, donchaknow). Vibranium radiation also grants T’Challa his preternatural strength and agility.

These many glowing accolades aside, Coogler ultimately succumbs to the ludicrously protracted, Hulk-smash special-effects melee that inevitably concludes most Marvel superhero movies. This one also drags on much too long, becoming quite silly when W’Kabi unleashes his “secret weapons” ... and even more so when T’Challa’s climactic battle rages on and on and on, under ridiculous circumstances.

It’s a shame, because — until this point — Coogler has resisted such overstated thud and blunder.

Ludwig Göransson’s score also is disappointing: a standard-issue aural tapestry that lacks distinctive character themes.

But these are minor caveats. Coogler and Cole deserve high praise for delivering an intelligent superhero saga that makes us think, while also satisfying the genre’s expected demands. That’s no small feat.