MPAA Rating: PG-13/ Genre: Superhero/Stars: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett, Isaach de Bankolé, Dorothy Steel, Danny Sapani, Mabel Cadena, Alex Livinalli, María Mercedes Coroy, Kamaru Usman, Richard Schiff, Lake Bell/Runtime: 161 minutes

I think it is a fairly safe bet to make that the slice of cinema that is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is most assuredly one film that is by no means the film that both the creative teams working on it to say nothing of the general public thought that they would be developing back when work on the sequel began in the aftermath of the first entry’s truly massive success back in the year 2018. Oh make no mistake I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever dear reader that scribe/helmer Ryan Coogler always envisioned that this slice of cinema would be the one to finally bring in the iconic Marvel character that is Namor the Submariner into the MCU so he could operate, as he has quite a few times in the comics themselves, as the counterpoint for the hero in the narrative that he was putting together. On top of that, I have no doubt that quite a few of the story beats that we wind up getting here were also part of the package as was every single one of the returning cast members from the first one. With all of that in mind however, there was just one teeny tiny little caveat that was also part of the deal. That being that the hero Namor was supposed to square off against was supposed to be now-King T’Challa in a continuation of his story following the events of both his first solo film as well as the pair of Avengers films from 2018 and 2019 respectively. Tragically, as we all know by now, life didn’t exactly see eye to eye with this arrangement and in 2020 Chadwick Boseman passed away from cancer. As a result, not only was the initial vision for this slice of cinema thrown into disarray, but the entire film was thrown into doubt as to if it should even be made period. As a result, both cast and crew were placed headfirst in what surely was one of the most heartbreaking spots one could ever be put into. That being that they not only had to make some significant adjustments to the narrative that this slice of cinema was going to operate with, but also to work on this film hoping that their work would be enough to respect the memory of a phenomenal talent who was one of the finest collaborators everyone involved had ever worked with. Suffice it to say that this is by no means a just set of circumstances for a person to have to deal with and even more so when you’re still trying to process and come to terms with a horrific loss such at this. Yet if anything dear reader this just says volumes about the skill and heart of every single person that was involved in bringing this slice of cinema to life in the way that it ultimately does. Indeed, make no mistake Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is most assuredly not your usual entry in the MCU. Sure, there are moments where it is that trademark Marvel brand of fun, but by and large this is an extremely emotional and quite potent cinematic outpouring of grief that is not only riveting and quite moving, but that is also incredibly well done and well made by both sides of the camera thus giving us a film that is something genuinely special in every sense of the word.

The plot is as follows: Following a pair of heartbreaking sequences that show both the tragic and untimely passing of King T’Challa as well as his funeral procession that is attended by seemingly everyone in the country of Wakanda, our slice of cinema proceeds to move forward a solid year in time. In that time, we see that T’Challa’s loving mom, Queen Ramonda, has ascended the throne in his place until such a time that his successor can be named. Yet despite having done a valiant and fairly good job at weaving her way through the complicated political machinations that have ensued as a result of T’Challa opening up Wakanda to the rest of the world, there is still fallout present with such a decision. Namely that, even after the assistance Wakanda provided the rest of the planet during the whole Thanos debacle, we see that trust in other countries hasn’t been earned in high enough of a degree for them to be able to enjoy Wakanda’s reservoir of vibranium. Complicating matters even further is the fact that, instead of actually making an effort to be a better international ally, the United States makes the decision to just move on and start trying to find vibranium somewhere else. Yet in an unlikely turn of events we see that, due in large part to a device being created that operates as a sort of vibranium metal detector, the U.S. is actually successful in finding the coveted metal elsewhere. To that end, we see that a drilling expedition is sent to retrieve this deposit that is at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. However, it isn’t long before things go terrifyingly sidewise when a group of blue humanoid entities show up and proceed to annihilate everyone involved. It is that last bit that is a wee bit of an issue since with no one alive to say otherwise, the Wakandans are quickly and swiftly blamed for what has occurred. It isn’t long though before we see Ramonda and Shuri learn who is really responsible and why. A message that comes in the form of a being named King Namor who proceeds to tell them about his hidden under the ocean country Talocan and how they are responsible due to feeling they were being invaded by the outside world. However, because he holds the Wakandans responsible, we soon see Namor issue them an ultimatum in the form of either snatching and eliminating the scientist who came up with the device or be destroyed. Thus it is now up to the Wakandans, with a few new allies in tow, to come up with a solution that will not only pacify the temperamental Namor, but also keep their country safe no matter what the cost……

Now much like the characters within it, this slice of cinema is one that quite often gives off the vibe of being torn right down the middle. That is because while everyone is still in their own ways grieving the tragic and untimely loss of their loved one, they must also strive to do everything they can to protect their home and the lives of the people within it from Namor and his plans. Likewise, this slice of cinema must also strive to both honor the life of its fallen star in Chadwick Boseman, but still give us that which we have come to expect from an entry in the MCU by this point in time. It is with that in mind that I can say that, by and large, the crew behind the camera do manage to do a great job at keeping up this cinematic balancing act even if there are a few times where it does look like a critical misstep might be imminent. This starts with the brilliant screenplay penned by both Coogler as well as Joe Robert Cole which manages to do a beautiful job of rooting itself in those emotions of both grief as well as the terror at how swiftly we could lose the people we care the most about. Indeed, this dynamic writing pair manage to root every choice that occurs in this film through that as we see that Namor is scared that the world’s desire for a certain substance could see the kingdom he loves more than anything fall whilst the Wakandans are desperately trying to keep their country tough even as they are all in grieving for their own untimely loss. More than anything however, I think it can safely be said that this film is at its pinnacle when it permits its helmer to fully showcase the pain and heartache that a lot of the people making the film had about having to move on in the wake of Boseman’s untimely demise. Yet while his absence definitely is felt throughout the whole movie, the film’s script manages to be wonderfully touching in not only paying tribute to him and recalling how important of a man he was, but also in trying to move on from the heartache his loss has caused. Perhaps this is why you should know at this time dear reader that this film has easily some of the more emotional points in an MCU entry to date. A feat that is only possible because the helmer makes the wonderful choice to let the movie go slow at points to both ponder Boseman’s absence whilst also residing in the shadow of that loss for a while. Yet even with the wave of sadness and grief that has soaked this film to its center, it should still be noted that the crew has also managed to make this film an amusing and engaging follow-up with some truly distinct and riveting action beats attached. Indeed, there is one action beat that definitely comes to mind where we see a trio of characters go through quite a few different modes of transport and ends with a quite visceral bit of combat between one of the characters and an operative for Namor that feels less like a Marvel fight and more like a flashback to the greatness that this director pulled off with the first Creed movie back in 2015. It should also be noted that, much in the vein of the first Black Panther from 2018, the crew has done a wonderful job at expanding both Wakanda as well as the country of Talokan. Indeed, not only do we get a vibe for how massive these places are, but we also learn a fair bit about the people within these locations to say nothing of the influence their rulers have on them. Finally, I also think praise must be given to both Ruth Carter whose costume designs in this one prove to be even more vibrant and lively than her incredible work in the first film as well as composer Ludwig Göransson who manages to build off the brilliant Oscar-winning work he did in the first one and manages to come up with a brilliant musical accompaniment to play alongside a certain character in particular coming into their own as the newest hero to come out of the iconic locale of Wakanda.

Of course, I would be completely in the wrong if I didn’t take the time to mention the just as potent work done by the fantastic cast in front of the camera as well. Indeed, this starts with the screen icon that is Angela Bassett who I have admired for a long time thanks to efforts in such films as 1995’s critically underrated Strange Days, 2013’s Olympus Has Fallen, and even her iconic turn as Tina Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do With It? In this film however, we see that Bassett in her reprisal of Queen Ramonda manages to give one of the most emotionally charged turns in an MCU film to date. Indeed, Bassett does a great job at playing this woman less as a regal presence and more as a grief-stricken mom who is desperately trying to do what’s best for her country even as she has to come to grips with the very real possibility that she might lose another child way too soon. Suffice it to say that it is a truly powerful performance and one that might cause you to shed a few tears by the time the film is done. We also see that this slice of cinema also permits some of the better support characters in the MCU like Okoye, Nakia, and even the always delightful M’Baku to have their own distinct arcs in this that not only lead them down new paths in life, but also even tinker with who they are as people as well as just what they hope to get out of life. With all of that in mind however, there is no denying that this slice of superhero cinema most assuredly belongs to Letitia Wright as Shuri. Indeed the character of Shuri is one that, more than the vast majority of the cast in this, needs to be able to become a living representation of the anguish, fury, terror, and even irritability that are all vital parts of having to move on in the wake of loss and Wright manages to showcase all in a way that is both wonderful and yet moving as well. Yes, Shuri may not wish to be her country’s hero, but by the time this film wraps up I can safely say that she is most assuredly one of this franchise’s most intriguing characters and I hope we get to see her again sooner rather than later. Of course, a hero (or heroes in this case) are only as good as the antagonist they are squaring off against. It is in that regard that I can happily tell you at this time that Huerta, in the role of Namor, is absolutely pitch perfect in the best way possible. Indeed, in an eerie way this take on the iconic Marvel character is quite similar to how the first film approached the character of Killmonger in that one. As a result, we get a character that we can surprisingly understand where they are coming from in the grand scheme of things even if we still are able to find that how they choose to showcase their argument to the world around them is more than just a wee bit on the questionable side. Even with that in mind, there is no denying that Huerta truly does hook you in from the moment he first appears on screen as this leader who genuinely loves the people he is the ruler of and who is also willing to do virtually anything if their joy comes under duress. Yet despite Huerta definitely delivering in the action beats, we see that some of the finer moments for the character come when we get a chance to see him either let his guard down and reveal his human side or when he and Shuri desperately try to find a middle ground between their two countries that would permit both to exist in peace. Suffice it to say that there have been several Marvel antagonists who have managed to stand the test of time and I think it is safe to say that we can now add Namor to that list as well and I honestly do hope that we get to see more of him in future MCU films down the line.

All in all and at the end of the day I can’t really lie to you dear reader: like quite a bit of the cast and crew who poured their hearts and souls into the making of it, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is one slice of cinema that consistently gives off the vibe of being a movie that isn’t quite sure as to how exactly to move on without its king/leading man. Thankfully, this is not a detriment to the overall film by any means, but a touchingly beautiful positive. I say that because what both cast and crew manage to pull off here is take that distinct brand of uncertainty and approach it not from an angle of trepidation or resignation, but with genuine and bountiful degrees of both heart and soul. As a result, what could have been a serious misstep is instead transformed into a gorgeous ode to loss as well as a potent reminder that just because a person passes away doesn’t mean their legacy dies along with them. Suffice it to say therefore that this film is really its most intriguing when we get to just sit and grieve with everyone as they try to, however tentatively, begin to put the pieces of their lives back together. Having said that dear reader you should know that this slice of cinema is by no means a “perfect” superhero film nor for that matter is it on the same level as its predecessor from 2018 though in all fairness that isn’t exactly a fair bar to place on this film for reasons that I am pretty confident you can figure out for yourself. Yet despite being an imperfect product, there is still no denying that the powerful work done by both cast and crew as well as its incredible skill at walking along the balancing act of being both a superhero film and a meditation on loss and grief not only help to make this one of the most emotional MCU films to date, but also one of the finest entries that Phase 4 in this franchise is blessed to have. Make of that what thou will and Wakanda Forever! On a scale of 1-5 I give Black Panther: Wakanda Forever a solid 4 out of 5.