It’s finally here! The much-awaited sequel, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is in theaters. Directed by Ryan Coogler, and starring Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Winston Duke, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, Michaela Coel, and Tenoch Huerta, the sequel deals with the loss of T’Challa, the kingdom of Wakanda becoming vulnerable, and a new threat from the sea called Namor. With the Black Panther gone, it’s up to Shuri, Okoye, Queen Ramonda, and others to protect their home while overcoming losing their King and family member. Namor, on the other hand, will protect his people, by any means, even if it means washing away Wakanda to do it. Before I continue, MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!
Man, this movie did NOT have to go as hard as it did. Not only did it have the Herculean task of shooting after the passing of actor Chadwick Boseman, but they had to incorporate into the story how T’Challa died. In the movie, he passes due to illness, and his passing is a very painful and recent one, for the Royal Family. With Queen Ramonda assuming the throne. Shuri buries herself in her work, after not being able to create a synthetic heart-shaped herb to save her brother. M’Baku is now on the Council while learning to be more diplomatic, and Okoye continues to be the General of the Dora Milaje. While fending off incursions from different nations trying to gain Vibranium, Wakanda still mourns the loss of its leader. While the discovery of Vibranium is found away from Wakanda, we encounter Namor and the Talokan. After discovering that the surface world won’t stop from invading his waters, Namor “reasons” with Queen Ramonda and Shuri to find the scientist responsible for giving the technology to find Vibranium to invaders, or Wakanda will be caught in the crossfire of a war. While Queen Ramonda and the Council debate on how to handle this new threat, Shuri and Okoye find the young scientist, Riri Williams, who’s responsible for creating a machine that can discover Vibranium. A gifted inventor, who designed her own version of an Iron Man suit, the three ladies are hunted by both the F.B.I and the Talokan. As Shuri is kidnapped, fragile Wakanda braces for war.
First, this movie did a remarkable job of paying tribute to Chadwick Boseman. From the burial scene with a mural dedicated to him to the breakdown of Shui frantically trying to save T’Challa, to the heartbreaking speech of Queen Ramonda admonishing Okoye and the Council of losing her entire family (Oscar-worthy, btw.). This movie will become an example of how to honor the passing of a beloved actor and the character they portrayed. Duke as M’Baku continues to shine, giving “wise, but grumpy uncle” vibes. He even attempts to mentor a revenge-driven Shuri, after Namor attacks Wakanda and, kills Queen Ramonda in the process. (Damn, Ryan! So many emotional gut-punches in this movie!) We see more of the badass elite Dora Milaje, Riri Williams creating her new suit, and of course, the arrival of Namor! Huerta delivers in spaded, portraying Namor. A beloved ruler by his people, Namor gives off a true sense of regality and danger. He doesn’t posture or give monologues, he means what he says. When he threatens, he means it. We learn his backstory, of how Vibranium saved his people from a plague, how they created Talokan, and how his hate for the surface world began. After seeing his people enslaved, Namor distrusted any human and dedicated his life to protecting what’s his. While not a maniacal villain, Namor’s reasoning for his action is somewhat sound. Even when discussing terms with Shuri, you get a feeling that both suffered, and would make better allies than enemies. But, when his people are killed in a rescue attempt, Namor stays true to his word.
Speaking of Shuri, Wright really holds her own. After still dealing with the loss of her brother, Shuri becomes even more dedicated to technology, perhaps as a distraction from tradition and accepting her loss. After Queen Ramonda is killed, Shuri creates a new heart-shaped herb, blended with the vibranium she got in Talokan. However, during the ritual to go to the Ancestral Plane, Shuri doesn’t see her brother, mother, or even her father. Shuri sees Killmonger! They debate over how Killmonger is ultimately responsible for all of this, while Killmonger argues that her and T’Challa’s methods were half-measures. Instead, he tells Shuri to do whatever it takes to protect Wakanda. Even if it means killing Namor. With that, Shuri becomes the new Black Panther and creates a plan of attack.
The final battle is two-fold, with M’Baku and Okoye fending off the Talokan warriors, and Shuri facing off against Namor. While engaging in one of the most brutal fights in the MCU, Shuri makes Namor yield, and peace is made between the warring nations. The ending begins somewhat rocky, with a couple of messy subplots including Agent Ross and Countessa Valentina (Martin Freeman and Julie-Ray Dreyfus) being divorced. But perhaps the real tearjerker is when Shuri finally finishes the burial ritual. We finally find out why Nakia wasn’t at T’Challa’s funeral. She had to raise her son Toussaint! Learning that Nakia didn’t want her 5-year-old son to live with the burden of the throne, Shuri also learns his true name…T’Challa. The tears….Man, the tears when Rihanna’s song, “Lift Me Up” plays.
Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been both the most lukewarm and the most personal of the stages. Greif and loss seem to be the main theme of Phase 4. While some of the projects feel hollow and churned out of a copy machine, Wakanda Forever greatly shines. All the cast and crew had to deal with losing their leader, and fans had to deal with losing an icon in the making. With this sequel, we can put both to rest in a respectful manner. From the costume department run by Ruth Wilson, to the score by Ludwig Gorranson to the incorporation of Mesopotamian inspirations for Namor and the Talokan. Not to mention creating yet another villain that has motives that are understandable. He doesn’t want to rule or destroy the world. He just wants to protect his home and civilization. Namor’s methods, however, remind one of Killmonger and brings up the question, “How far is too far, when fighting for liberation?”. And can we talk about female empowerment?! From the Dora showcasing why they’re the best fighting force in the MCU to Riri becoming Ironheart, to Shuri becoming the new Black Panther (called it!), this is proper representation of women saving the day. Wakanda Forever is a sequel that not only stands next to its predecessor on equal footing but gives us performances that truly leave audiences in tears. I give it a 9.5 out of 10. That’s it for me, fam. Post your comments below, be sure to share with others, and till next time, fellow blerds! Wakanda Forever!!!
Entergalactic is streaming on Netflix, and I have to admit, I ALMOST slept on this special! I damn near slapped myself, for thinking about passing on this one! A love story, with beautifully animated melanin-blessed characters, animation that reminds one of Into The Spider-Verse, a soundtrack by Kid Cudi, AND an all-star cast?! Yeah, I’m gonna watch it.
Entergalactic follows the main character Jabari (Kid Cudi) an upcoming comic artist who just moved to Brooklyn, after being dumped by his ex-girlfriend Carmen (Laura Harrier). While trying to move on, he meets photographer Meadow (Jessica Williams) at a house party, and the two have an instant connection. Jabari’s friends, Ky (Ty Dolla $ign), Jimmy (Timothee Chalamet), Jordan (Jaden Smith), and Downtown Pat (Macaulay Culkin..yes, that Macaulay Culkin!) all share their opinions about love and life in their own unique way. As does Meadow’s best friend, Karina (Vanessa Hudgens), who’s in the midst of having a baby. The two eventually hook up, letting love take the wheel. However, an unexpected text from Jabari’s past messes up his potential future and sets him and Meadow in a whirlwind of emotions as they both figure out what love means to them.
While I’m not a die-hard Kid Cudi fan, I do feel his music hits hard when you’re in a certain mood. And this film seems to capture every mode with certain songs, from stress to being in love, to wondering about where life takes you. As I said before, the animation reminds one of Into The Spider-Verse, if it were greenlit by HBO cause they’re some…” pleasure moments” in the film, lol. The banter between friends is funny and realistic, as co-writer Kenya Barrris delivers. Subtle guest appearances from Keith David, Teyana Taylor, and Luiz Guzman deliver, the embracing of smoking Marijuana being a message, and the classic “boy meets girl” love troupe being reinvented for black and brown people really set this apart from other romance projects this year. While the ending may be a bit cliché, I’m not mad at it. After finishing this movie, it left me wanting more in this particular style of animation and storytelling. Animation can be more than animorphic characters, superheroes, or mechs. The animation department, headed by Robh Rupeel, really nailed the aesthetic and I hope to see more. I'm giving Entergalactic a 9 out of 10.
What is representation? How do we, as a civilization define it? Who gets to define it? What does it mean in different cultures, different genres, and different forms of media? In today’s modern world, inclusion and representation can be seen in many forms. As a sign of progress, for some, and as a forced form of being “woke”. Then, there’s the argument of being “woke”, and how it’s affecting everything. In film and television, gone are the days when movies and shows would only have one person of color. Instead, we have multiple examples of proper representation of people of color, without them being stereotypical characters. But still, on Shuri’s good internet, there are some who view this step forward as taking two steps back. The people who question why representation is even needed, claim that it’s forced, or even a form of racism itself. From video games like Horizon Forbidden West¸ tv shows like Dear White People and Watchman, documentaries like Everything’s Gonna Be All White, even huge film franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, etc. are catching flack for certain projects that have persons of color, or POC’s in the spotlight more.
Oh, the humanity! A black Captain America?! Chinese superheroes?! Women not being solely used for sexual devices?!
Even the latest James Bond film, No Time To Die drew out backlash over a black woman being the new 007. The question remains, why? Why the outrage? It’s not as if there isn’t a plethora of shows, movies, and games where there are almost all white people who are cast? And where is the outrage, with projects that became “white-washed” (a form of media that had mainly POCs as the main characters but were replaced by a white person.)? The Last Airbender had an almost all-white cast, despite the source material having the characters being from different Asian cultures.
Hollywood REALLY thought this was gonna fly with fans...
It seems only fitting that with Black History Month ending, I do a piece on why representation matters in various forms of media.
Growing up, I always had a love for all things science fiction. Whether it was related to superheroes, cartoons, etc. And whenever I did see someone that looked like me in a show or film that wasn’t regulated to being an extra, I was overjoyed. I felt like. “Wow! That could be me!”, or “That person looks like me!”. And during the 90s we had what was commonly referred to as the “Black TV Renaissance” with shows like Martin, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Moesha, My Brother and Me, and more on the air. In the realm of sci-fi, Star Trek Deep Space Nine exceeded expectations, showing a single black father taking care of his son while being in command of a space station.
Movies like Love Jones, Bad Boys, Boomerang, Crooklyn, and Higher Learning were making waves at the box office. And comic heroes, both old and new, were getting some shine. Black Panther was getting a resurgence in sales, as were other Marvel heroes like Storm, Bishop, and Luke Cage. Over at DC Comics, they had created a new company called Milestone Media, which was founded by African-American artists and writers, like the late great Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek Dingle. They gave us new heroes like Icon, Static Shock, Rocket, and more! To this day, their heroes still make their presence felt in comics. And who can forget about the newest anti-hero on the scene, Spawn?! Created by Todd McFarlane, Spawn outsold both Batman and X-Men comic titles, when first introduced. Shortly after came action figures, a movie setting Michael Jai White, and an HBO mature cartoon series with Keith David killing the role.
We REALLY gonna say this guy didn't take the 90s by storm?!
Representation was always in different media. However, I feel that with today’s current climate, whenever a Black person is given a high priority role in a series, or if a documentary is made, showing the truth about certain topics like race and politics, some use the “woke” card. For example, go back to when Amazon released their new Lord of The Rings spin-off, The Rings of Power, toxic fans lost their minds when they saw black people as elves! Like, seriously!? This, THIS is where you draw the line?! In a world with hobbits, talking trees, and magic rings, black folk is the draw that breaks your back?! That is what’s considered “unbelievable”?! And the critics will say that “Oh, it's not true to what Tolkien’s vision was!” That excuse won’t fly with me. Sorry, there are black elves now. Deal with it, or don’t watch.
So, in a world where talking trees are acceptable, black elves are a non-starter?! Mmmmm...O.K
Even films like “The Harder The Fall” garnered some criticism for not having enough white people in it. The movie is not about yall?! We can’t have nothin?! Even long-standing franchises such as Star Trek and Star Wars are taking attacks for being considered “woke”, for their casting choice and storytelling. Ironic, considering both franchises were always ahead of the times when dealing with topics like race, sex, religious beliefs, politics, and war. It’s almost like they didn’t even watch the shows and movies, over the years. Superhero media has also been criticized, either for lack of diversity or diversity being forced. While some may have cringed with two Black versions of Superman (Val-Zod and Calvin Ellis.) Wonder Woman (Nubia) and even a black Batman (Jace Fox), I see this as improvement. Sure, comics could and do have more original POC characters being introduced. But since we’re talking fiction here, seeing how a black Batman combats police brutality, or a black Wonder Woman tries to end wars with her mission of bringing peace to mankind, that’s not only good storytelling, it says to the next generation after ours that, “Hey, you can be this character too!” After all, that was the whole driving point of Spider-Man Into The Spiderverse.
In closing, representation not only matters but is vital for all aspects of life. For cosplayers, writers, actors, athletes, gamers, podcast creators and more. We’re not going to be content with being that one person of color, anymore. What’s more, when people of color mention how diversity is or isn’t being shown, instead of taking it personally, try to look at it from our point of view. Thank you for taking the time to read this and keep on creating! Till next time, fellow blerds!
