In the age of activism and #blacklivesmatter, it is particularly poignant that we get an origin story about a warrior who must fight to stay on the throne. Directed by Ryan Coogler (Rocky Creed) and starring Chadwick Boseman (carrying over from his Civil War appearance), it claws at the struggle for power after the death of his father, the king of the tribal yet futuristic nation of Wakanda.
Before similarities are drawn with The Lion King, consider that this origin story deals more than just an uncle and a jealous brother. Under the guise of a developing third world country, a secret nuclear element lies dormant which powers this nation’s peaceful existence but its discovery overseas poses it as a weapon which in the wrong hands could be devastating.
From the onset, this film oozes sensuality and style. Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd lend their vocals to a killer soundtrack mixed with tribal odes, but every detail from the cheeky screenplay to the sleek costumes makes its mark as a distinctly African Hollywood film.
Flipping the tokenistic paradigm are Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis, respectively as an FBI agent on the trail of the weapon exchange and the businessman about to broker the deal for its international use. Aside from an ostensibly South African accent from Serkis that forays into farce, it’s a convincing clash of cultures initially between the old world order and the new civilisation. Eventually it branches into the strength of family ties and the personal sacrifices of government that trumps these obligations.
Fight sequences will not disappoint the most ardent Marvel fans, and there are enough changing allegiances to muddy the goodie/baddie waters. More than a superhero movie, but nothing less of a solid origin story, it lays enough groundwork to slot comfortably in the Marvel Cinematic Universe without sacrificing the integrity of its own idiosyncrasies.
Black Panther takes its place on the throne.
Verdict: 8.5/10
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