Black Panther

Black Panther was one of the best characters in Captain America: Civil War. Now, once again played by Chadwick Boseman, he's back in his own same-titled movie. The end result is another win for Marvel and for director/co-writer Ryan Coogler.

The African nation of Wakanda formed around a meteorite containing the metal Vibranium. Their king, the Black Panther, gained super powers from a heart-shaped herb. Eventually, they secretly became the most advanced country in the world.

Years later, Prince T'Challa becomes king after the assassination of his father, T'Chaka (John Kani) during Civil War. His first order of business is to recover a Wakandan artifact from arms dealer Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis). T'Challa soon encounters Klaue's cohort, Erik "Killmonger" (Michael B. Jordan). Killmonger seeks to avenge the oppression of Blacks around the world by arming them with Vibranium weapons. His goal becomes easier when he usurps T'Challa's throne in ritual combat.

T'Challa recovers to face Killmonger again. T'Challa is aided by his ex-lover, agent Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), his sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), his all-female Dora Milaje bodyguards and CIA agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman). They have to hurry before the first weapons leave Wakanda.

There's much to praise about the supporting cast. Everyone, including Shuri, Nakia, the Dora Milaje member Okoye (Danai Gurira) and Ross are strong characters. They all get a memorable moment to help T'Challa take down Killmonger. Klaue makes for a funny, yet creepy villain; I have mixed thoughts about his eventual fate. The Shaman Zuri (Forest Whitaker) is a strong mentor figure. A grand highlight is M'Baku (Winston Duke), leader of the mountainous Jabari tribe, who goes from rival to ally.

Killmonger deserves his own paragraph. His smug attitude may rub people the wrong way but we understand his tragic story. His fighting ability backs up his boasts all the way. It's great to see T'Challa defeat Killmonger and take back the throne. But the audience is affected by the bitterness that turned him bad.

What about our hero, T'Challa? T'Challa is a good man learning to be a great leader. He spares M'Baku in ritual combat and gets an ally in the climax. He's not sure how to live up to the legacy but he learns soon enough. The moment he resolves to challenge Killmonger again is awesome. His story has him learn "might does not make right" and "with great power comes great responsibility." And it's a lesson certain people should learn.

Coogler's brings along his usual band of Marvels, consisting of editors Claudia Castello & Michael P. Shawver, cinematographer Rachel Morrison and composer Ludwig Göransson. This leads to some tense, colorful action scenes with a memorably sleek soundtrack. Wakanda is a perfectly designed Utopia and its colorful production and costume design is outstanding. T'Challa's Black Panther suit is alluring with its glowing purple highlights. Wonder Woman was ignored by the Oscars but hopefully they won't make the same mistake here.

Black Panther makes the best use of its 134 minutes. It's an exciting Marvel adventure which blends the past, present and future in one stunning vision. Its ending was one of the most meaningful ends to a superhero story in years. It leaves us a lot to think about our real world. T'Challa's next appearance in Avengers: Infinity War is even more anticipated now. This film definitely deserves to be seen on the big screen.