Black Panther Wakanda Forever is the most incredibly beautiful tribute to Chadwick Boseman and his T’Challa while simultaneously moving along its narrative of marginalized groups in an emotionally powerful film. Director Ryan Coogler meshes heart and vibrancy in this new Marvel Studios favorite as the Wakandans mourn their King while battling a new enemy. Read on to get our full Black Panther Wakanda Forever Review.
Angela Bassett as Ramonda in Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER. Photo by Annette Brown. © 2022 MARVEL.
Black Panther Wakanda Forever Review
In Black Panther 2, the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, fighting to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. If you thought this movie was *just* going to be a big blockbuster superhero film with lots of CGI and epic battles, you thought wrong. Black Panther Wakanda Forever has a heavy theme of grief, and take that word for what it is and where it fits for you.
Danai Gurira as Okoye in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
Grab your tissues because Marvel Studios, Ryan Coogler, and the cast of Wakanda Forever upped the ante with this film. From the moment the movie rolls, the feels hit and it is heavy, as it probably should be. For anyone living under a rock, Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed the titular Black Panther role, lost his battle with cancer in August 2020. Wakanda Forever opens addressing the loss of Boseman as T-Challa in Wakanda, followed by the sounds of the winds in the Ancestral Plane and a slowly moving Boseman/T’Challa-themed purple, black, and white Marvel Studios marquee. There was nary a dry eye in the house.
Letitia Wright as Shuri in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
Black Panther Wakanda Forever Review: What Works
The Writing
Writer/Director Ryan Coogler is one of the most humble people walking this planet. In the press days, he talked (as little as he could get away with) about the grief of losing Chadwick Boseman and its impact on the film, as it relates to the cast, the story, the characters—all of its aspects. Not only did Shuri lose her brother, Queen Ramonda lost a son, Nakia lost a partner, but Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, LupitaNyong’o, and others lost a friend.
This movie very clearly celebrates the life of both Boseman and T’Challa at the forefront, while mourning the loss of the King of the people of Wakanda, and every emotion that falls in between. It’s an honest exploration of how the characters would react in a situation to losing a child, a brother, a friend, or a leader—and that is accomplished through the writing and the talent of the cast. Grief drives the story.
The Cast of Black Panther Wakanda Forever is wildly talented
The ability to explore such vastly unique and honest feelings of grief while rallying to trudge on with the daily life of ruling over and keeping Wakanda a functioning nation, especially in the light of the impending threat, speaks volumes to the talent of the cast.
Angela Bassett as Ramonda in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
Shuri’s balance of rage and focus, Queen Ramonda‘s heartbreak and misdirected anger, Nakia‘s need to process alone, and Okoye‘s added dedication with consequences are all valid and well-shown acted examples of how people mourn differently.
Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
The new cast fits in nearly seamlessly. We finally get Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor and Dominique Thorne as RiRi Williams/Ironheart. While Namor was called a MUTANT and we’re getting an “Ironheart” series on Disney+, we’re definitely excited to see more of these two after their MCU debut. Huerta was menacing, sadistic, and sinister as an antagonist. Thorne was the lighthearted feisty punk one could have hoped for.
Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
The Cinematography in Black Panther Wakanda Forever
The underwater scenes in Wakanda Forever are nothing short of breathtaking. The fight scenes overall are brilliant: well choreographed and beautifully shot. If I could add 5 more minutes to the Boston car/motorcycle chase on the bridge, I’d trade just about any of the underwater shots. That chase and the following fight scene were wicked.
The Cameos in Black Panther Wakanda Forever
We’re not giving away any cameos that are spoilers, but you can expect to see some fan favorites in this film—both some you expect (such as Shuri’s favorite colonizer Everett K. Ross played by Martin Freeman) as well as surprises. Thank you MCU Phase 4 for continuing to craft interwoven stories that tie all the pieces together.
Letitia Wright as Shuri in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
The Music in Black Panther Wakanda Forever
It’s been 11 days since I first saw this film, and I still can’t listen to Rhianna’s “Lift Me Up” without getting choked up. The whole soundtrack for Black Panther Wakanda Forever is FIRE.
The Mid-Credit Scene in Black Panther Wakanda Forever
Yes, there is ONE credit scene—and it is a doozy. If you read the comics, you may have seen this coming in some fashion. I’m not spoiling it here, because that’s not how we roll.
The final post-credit scene is simply text saying “The Black Panther will Return.” Duh.
(L-R): Danai Gurira as Okoye and Letitia Wright as Shuri in Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER. Photo by Eli Adé. © 2022 MARVEL.
Black Panther Wakanda Forever Review: What Doesn’t Work
As with many of these giant films that are heavy on CGI, there are definitely times, especially during huge CGI-driven battle scenes when it’s obvious the CGI is at capacity. Heads on suits/bodies aren’t seamless, characters seem to float when they should be grounded. But if you can take that with a grain of salt given the rest of the technical aspects that are spot on, you’ll love the overall CGI.
Black Panther Wakanda Forever Review Final Thoughts
The challenge with this film was the balance of focus—is the audience to focus on paying tribute to Boseman in a way that honors his memory and the power he brought to the role of King T’Challa/Black Panther or the movement of a new chapter in the story of Wakanda and the passing of the Black Panther mantle?
Which is to get a heavier focus, or are they to be equal? It wasn’t clear until the end of the film—though that isn’t necessarily a bad thing and it may not even matter. Coogler moves along the narrative of marginalized groups while delivering an emotionally powerful film heavy with grief and legacy and that is what matters.
(L-R): Danai Gurira as Okoye and Angela Bassett as Ramonda in Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER. Photo by Eli Adé. © 2022 MARVEL.
About Black Panther Wakanda Forever
In Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira), and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. Introducing Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor, ruler of a hidden undersea nation, the film also stars Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena, and Alex Livinalli. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore.
Genre: Action-Adventure
Rating: PG-13, for sequences of strong violence, action, and some language
Runtime: 161 mins
Director: Ryan Coogler
Producers: Kevin Feige, Nate Moore
Executive Producers: Victoria Alonso, Louis D’Esposito, Barry Waldman
Cast: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Winston Duke, Martin Freeman, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Coel, Alex Livinalli, Mabel Cadena
Black Panther Wakanda Forever in theatres November 11, 2022.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. © 2022 MARVEL.
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