Review | ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ leans on supporting cast for emotional spectacle

Director Ryan Coogler navigates the passing of the star Chadwick Boseman while further advancing the captivating world of Wakanda and an enticing new villain. Photo collage by SIMRAH AHMAD, staff photographer

With concession lines extending out the doors and a buzz of excitement in the air at my local theater, there was no question that everyone was there to see “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” It was the most crowded I had seen a movie theater since before the pandemic, and by the time I walked back to my car, I would endure the full range of the human experience. 

On one end, I was reminded that people suck. My chair was kicked about five times, several people were texting throughout the screening and speaking at a volume above a whisper and even left a mess for the underpaid theater employees. On the other end, the film directed by Ryan Coogler reminded me of the joys of cinema as a collective experience and the beauty of storytelling that Marvel once stood on the apex of. 

Working to mirror the world’s incessant need to drain every resource, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” showcases political leaders trying to get their grubby hands on vibranium. When this precious metal is discovered at the bottom of the ocean, the extraction process is interrupted by the underwater people of a civilization known as Talokan. Seeing this as a threat to their peace, Talokan seeks to wage war against the surface people and the young scientist Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) that built the vibranium-detecting machine — who Wakanda now protects.  

Despite the impossible hurdle of losing star Chadwick Boseman — the heart and the engine of the Black Panther character T’Challa — Coogler handles the situation with grace, respect and love from the opening scene. He doesn’t dwell on logistics but instead, uses the heavy emotions to help drive the character’s actions forward. 

The grieving that takes place within the film transcends the medium and reflects the sorrow that the world felt towards Boseman’s passing. Although jam-packed with an incredibly skilled cast, it would be impossible to fake the emotions that they display. The tears are not fake and it’s clear the pain and hurt they feel which exudes from their performances. I felt as though T’Challa’s death in the film might have been rushed, but a friend reminded me that that’s what loss is — it’s abrupt and doesn’t always allow you to cope at the pace you’d like. 

Now without his leading man, Coogler shifts the focus to the supporting cast. Shuri (Letita Wright) plays a prominent role and the lights never seem too bright for her. Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and Okoye (Danai Gurira) also step up to the plate and hit it out of the park. These characters are given the opportunity to shine, each with their own personalities, flaws and arcs. 

Stylistically, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is well rounded in almost all facets. The cinematography by Autumn Durald perfectly compliments the incredible production design. The score from Ludwig Göransson is striking and flows with the range of tones. Most impressive, Ruth Carter’s costume design flourishes — surely securing a second Academy Award nomination within the world of Wakanda (and perhaps another win). 

Coogler’s sequel also faced massive shoes to fill without villain Erik Kilmonger (Michael B. Jordan), however, I thought the leader of the Talokan people Namor (Tenoch Huerta) fit in just fine. Not only did Huerta deliver a powerful performance, he brought a sense of empathy and depth to his character that challenged audience’s loyalties and drew away from the fact that the people of Talokan are oddly similar to the people of Na’vi in “Avatar.”

While I admire everything that Coogler put into this project, there were moments that I could feel the head honchos at Marvel exerting their influence. There were some signature follies that have led to my own personal Marvel fatigue, such as inserting casual conversations in the middle of intense fight sequences and messy explanations of complex science and engineering in order to establish a false ethos. 

If Coogler didn’t have to juggle advancing the narrative of Wakanda with the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film would have been much stronger. This resulted in a lackluster sub-plot — the relationship between government officials Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). If you haven’t seen “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” then Allegra de Fontaine’s presence is quite confusing and it seems as if Coogler attempts to delve into this dynamic as little as possible.

Additionally, the inclusion of Massachusetts Institute of Technology student Riri Williams didn’t work for me. Her role in the film feels shoved in to propel a future Marvel narrative. To me, her comedic relief was both unfunny and unnecessary. Thorne gives the role her best attempt, but it almost seems unfair that she is surrounded by actors who have had the chance to settle in their roles as opposed to someone like Iman Vellani who had a six-episode series to mesh with her character in “Ms. Marvel.” Her abilities are oddly convenient due to a lack of exposition that I’m sure will come in her future series which is set to release on Disney+ in late 2023. 

The tasks of acknowledging Boseman’s death, exploring Wakanda’s conflict with Talokan and setting-up future Marvel projects results in a daunting runtime of two hours and 40 minutes. This oftentimes led to questionable editing decisions as they sought to trim any second they could without sacrificing the meat of the story. Despite this, I was engaged throughout the entire project and left the theater with a whirlwind of emotions, hopeful for the future of Wakanda. 

I applaud Coogler’s efforts in creating such a captivating film and his difficult decision to return to filmmaking in the first place. Though not without its flaws, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is a masterclass in worldbuilding, a beautiful homage and my favorite project of phase four in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

P.S. Please remember to be a considerate audience member when you’re going to the movie theater.