PG-13
2h 41m
★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)

When film star Chadwick Boseman passed away on Aug. 28, 2020 due to cancer, the ripple of his death was felt as an entire global community mourning his loss. When the sequel to “Black Panther,” the movie he had previously starred in, was announced, fans naturally began to wonder: who would take up the mantle as Black Panther in the next film? Would the film be canceled? Would an actor replace him? Would it pass to another beloved character? It wasn’t until the drop of the trailer that fans knew and the excitement for the film grew by each passing day. 

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is simply overwhelming with its emotional scope and scale. Not just from the theme of loss, but from the beauty of its cinematography as well. 

It has the standard action movie themes, but its roots run so much deeper. The movie covered subjects outside of loss and dove into themes of the stages of grief, forgiveness, love and so much more. The sequel honored the prior entry in such a way that it felt like a cohesive duology.

 Care was put into the smallest of details to make the world feel lived in and the characters familiar. Characters have complex emotions, a concept that many western films leave out. The depiction of African culture within a world of technology created a beautiful contrast.

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”  held so much within it that going into details can risk spoiling the plot for all those who haven’t seen the film. No words can explain the beauty seen on the screen with this film. The first stood out from other Marvel films and allowed the sequel to stand with it. The only major criticism from some viewers was that it’s too female powered and because of events in 2020 it’s only popular because of the “agenda,” but “Black Panther” came out in 2018 and held the same morals as its sequel. It follows no agenda except for creating a powerful film. 

Those who enjoy action and want to enter a world of heroes can jump into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Once caught up, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is a beautiful and welcome addition to the marvel catalog.