Four-Color Coverage

I saw Black Panther Thursday night (opening weekend)… and again last Sunday night.

Like my previous reviews, this is going to be a two-part review:

• The first part will be more of a synopsis and spoiler-free.
• The second part will be more in-depth.

Part One: Synopsis

I loved this movie.

Over sixty years after his debut in Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) Issue 52, the King of Wakanda was made the lead of his own movie. Ryan Coogler, his cast, and his crew put together an amazing vision of a young man, his country, and the legacy that he upholds.

It’s taken my Top 3 Superhero Movies and made it a Top 4. (I really need to figure out my Top 5.)

Part Two: In-Depth Review

To quote En Vogue:

And now it’s time for the breakdown…

There are some who might say that I gave this movie a “10” too easily. While my immediate reaction would be “It’s my opinion  – and my blog – so step off,” the better answer is this: This was an incredibly well-made film with good pacing, excellent character development, and a well-told story. It hit all the marks I want in a movie.

Much like Wakanda itself, this film was very self-contained: You don’t have to know anything else about the Marvel Cinematic Universe to enjoy it. It’s a globe-spanning tale that needed nothing else to complete it. But, if you’ve seen movies from the MCU – they use footage from Captain America: Civil War to remind you that T’Challa has already ventured beyond his nation’s borders – this movie just adds to the richness of the world-building that the folks at Marvel Studios have done.

I loved that the movie opened with a story. And it wasn’t just any story. It was a story, told from father to son – from T’Chaka to T’Challa – about the history of Wakanda and her people. It was beautifully told. I freely admit that it reminded me of Mufasa telling Simba of the kings who came before them in The Lion King.

Next, we are sent back to 1992 and introduced to a young, vibrant T’Chaka, as king and Black Panther, checking in on agents he has dispatched to America. We learn that one of the agents is his brother, Prince N’Jobu. We also learn that N’Jobu has come to disagree with Wakanda’s isolationist stance and has even aided an outsider in stealing Vibranium from his homeland. After a brief confrontation, the king is forced to kill his brother to help maintain Wakanda’s facade as an impoverished third-world nation.

The movie jumps forward to present-day London, where a young African-American man, named Erik Stevens, is perusing African artifacts. He identifies one item as Wakandan and declares his intent to steal it, which he does with the aid of Ulysses Klaue, last seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Klaue intends to sell the artifact to undercover CIA agent Everett Ross, last seen in CA:CW.

We later discover that Erik is actually N’jadaka, son of N’jobu, and that he has a righteous mad on for the people who killed his father and abandoned him. He also has designs on the Wakandan throne and the mantle of the Black Panther. N’Jobu’s death set into motion the arc that turned his son Erik into the monster known as “Killmonger.” We learn that everything he has done since his father’s death was done to bring this plan to fruition.

This movie also brings two quotes to mind:

• “The sins of the father are visited upon the son,” and
• “The villain is the hero in his own story.”

N’Jobu’s sins were not the only ones brought to light. T’Chaka’s decisions – not only to kill his brother and orphan his nephew – but also to hide Wakanda’s true nature from the world are the sins that weigh upon T’Challa as he tries to decide what kind of king – and man – he wants to be.

Nowhere was this more evident that in the two scenes spent on the Ancestral Plane. Upon T’Challa’s first journey, he asks the spirit of his father how to be a good king. T’Chaka looks soberly at his son and simply states:

You are a good man, with a good heart. And it’s hard for a good man to be a king.

On his second visit to the Ancestral Plane, T’Challa calls out his father – and all the Wakandan kings before him – for hiding away from the world and for leaving a lost little boy alone in that world. He also states that he cannot rest, knowing that it is Wakanda’s fault for creating Killmonger and the threat that he poses.

The climactic battle was waged on many fronts: T’Challa vs. Killmonger, the Border Tribe (now loyal to Killmonger) vs. the Dora Milaje, and Agent Ross vs. Wakanda fliers.

Wakanda – from the border plains to Warrior Falls to Birnin Zana, the capital city – wasn’t a one-note nation. It was a rich melange of people, living together and acknowledging, celebrating, and embracing their common origins and beliefs, as well as their tribal diversity. I loved seeing members the agrarian tribes walking among their “city-folk” kinsmen as equals. And they were all connected. Not just as kinsfolk, but through their technology, as well.

Chadwick Boseman once again gave a great performance. You could see that his T’Challa took his role as king and people’s champion very seriously, though not without some doubt – as you would expect from one who was suddenly thrust into a new role. You could see the weight of his father’s decisions on him, as he learned of long-buried secrets and lies used to insulate and isolate Wakanda, but also as he struggled to shake that weight from his shoulders and bring Wakanda into the world community. You could also see that he was attempting to carve out his own identity as king, bringing all the facets of his life together harmoniously. I thought that it was an exceptional choice to end the movie with the young California boy asking him “Who are you” and T’Challa just smiling and saying nothing, as the screen cut to black, because there were so many answers to that question.

Michael B. Jordan’s performance as Killmonger exemplified the second quote that I noted above: He didn’t see anything he did as wrong or evil. He saw themas a means to achieve an end goal: To get answers for what happened to his father and to exact his revenge upon those who did it. In his eyes, the end justified any means. Watching the movie the first time, I realized that he and T’Challa reminded me of four figures:

• Malcolm X (before his pilgrimage to Mecca) and Martin Luther King, Jr., and
• Magneto and Professor X

In each of those examples, both sides had a very clear ideal of what the world should look like and how to achieve that goal. Killmonger, like Malcolm and Magneto, was willing to do whatever it took; T’Challa, on the other hand, sought more peaceful and diplomatic means.

Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda was equal parts Queen Mother and mother. While she did not have much screen time, brought a quiet grace to each scene she was in. (This also served to remind me how much I wish she had been cast as Storm in the X-Men franchise.)

Letitia Wright as Shuri was a refreshing breath of air. Equal parts brilliant, sarcastic, and witty, she leads the Wakanda Design Group as chief scientist/engineer. And, while her lack-of-age may be called into question, her scientific acumen can not be. Many people are wondering if Shuri is going to step into the Tony Stark/chief scientist role at the end of RDJ’s time as an Avenger, if not fully assuming Riri Williams’ role as the new Iron Man/Ironheart. I’m just waiting to see her meet Tony and for them to start geeking out, in the same way that Stark and Banner did in the first Avengers movie. Of course, I then want to see her pat Tony on the head and tell him “Nice try…” with some of his technological creations and/or call out his role in creating Ultron as a “rookie mistake.”

Lupita N’yongo’s Nakia was brave, independent, and fierce – a fine complement to T’Challa. Her time outside Wakanda opened her eyes to the plight of the weak and downtrodden against those in power. It also opened her eyes to what Wakanda could do – and could become – in helping the outside world. Thus, her new struggle became convincing her king and former love.

Danai Gurira as Dora Milaje General Okoye was, well… if the Panther needed tooth and claw, she would be it. I never read The Walking Dead, but when Michonne, also played by Ms. Gurira, appeared in Season Three, my first thought was “Huh. She’s a badass.” Okoye is Michonne turned up to “12.” A proud Wakandan, she faced the turmoil of duty to her country versus loyalty to her friends and loved ones. This was evident in the scenes where Nakia tries to convince her to flee with them and Okoye states that she can’t because “…[her] loyalty is to the throne, no matter who sits upon it,” and when she faces W’Kabi in the climactic battle and threatens to strike him down “for Wakanda.”

Martin Freeman returned as CIA Operative Everett Ross. I have enjoyed Freeman’s characterization of Ross over the course of these movies. He comes across as a man whose straight-forward nature lines up with how he expects the rest of the world to be. We see his worldview shift, after his exposure to Wakanda and its marvels. He eventually comes to see that there is more to this “third-world country” than simple farming.

Andy Serkis portrayed the same Klaue we last saw in South Africa, during Avengers: Age of Ultron. I grew up watching Klaw battle the Fantastic Four in comics and cartoons; I’ve also seen him appear in other shows.

Klaw

One difference between the MCU Klaue and his four-color and/or cartoon counterpart was that he knew what the Wakandans were capable of and seemed to fear and respect it… to some degree. He tried to warn Killmonger off from going to Wakanda, not knowing his heritage and true aims. This Klaue was a bit more outre’ than his comics counterpart; by the same token, the character design was far more grounded than the comics/cartoon Klaw. His role in this movie was as more of a catalyst than antagonist – he served as Killmonger’s e-Ticket to the Birnin Zana and a path to the throne. This is unfortunate, as I would have liked to have seen him return to trouble Wakanda and the Black Panther again.

Winston Duke’s M’Baku, Chief of the Jabari, was fantastic.

…to rule. He fought with the passion of one who believed that his cause was just. Not a villain, per se, but one who saw a potentially different path for Wakanda – one that was more steeped in tradition and less so on mirroring the outside world. After he was defeated, I didn’t expect to see him again in this movie. I was pleasantly surprised when Nakia suggested that they turn to him for aid after Killmonger assumed the throne. His presence exuded power and authority when Nakia, Queen Ramonda, and company stood before him. And, let’s face it: The scene where he started barking/grunting at Ross and threatened to “…feed you to his children,” was one of the most genuinely amusing scenes in the movie

My one – ONE – nitpick with the movie comes from a comic book bias: The Dora Milaje. In the comics, the Dora are not only the royal bodyguard, they are also the ceremonial wives-in-training for unmarried kings. (I’m actually glad that they left the latter out of this story.) As the royal guard, they are THE be-all/end-all of warriors in the Wakandan armed forces. The scene where they fought the Border Tribe at the movie’s climax should have seen them easily handing the Border Tribe their asses. I made the comment that, at the fight’s end, when the Border Tribe had Nakia and three Dora surrounded, that would have been a fair fight.

As I said before, this was an incredibly well-done movie. It touched on so many personal and social topics that it’s hard to believe that it was all done in two hours and change. It was an excellent addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as a great stand-alone piece. As I said in my review of Wonder Woman, it was worth the wait. It is just unfortunate, in both movies’ cases, that we had to wait so long.

Addenda:

In preparing this post, I’ve come across a few articles that add to the richness of understanding what went into making this movie. I share them here with you:

• to Make a Point About White Supremacy
• This Black Panther Toy Commercial Is More Important Than You Understand
• Building Wakanda: An Interview with Black Panther Production Designer Hannah Beachler
• Watch Ryan Coogler Break Down Black Panther‘s Stunning Casino Fight

Also, I will be on Monday’s episode of Geekshow Podcast, discussing the movie and its importance. Check it out!

Monday – 05 June 2017
I saw Wonder Woman this past weekend.

I saw it Friday early afternoon, affording me the opportunity to avoid most spoilers, either in conversation or in the media.

Like many of my previous reviews, this is going to be a two-part review:

• The first part will be more of a synopsis and spoiler-free.
• The second part will be more in-depth.

Here we go…

Part One: Synopsis

I thought that this was a fantastic movie. Period. Full stop.

Almost eighty years after her introduction, we finally got Wonder Woman. Leading her own movie. On the big screen. And she was everything that you expect her to be: Warm, kind, and compassionate, but also a passionate seeker of truth, honor, and justice.

It’s in my Top 3 of superhero movies, along with Superman and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Part Two: In-Depth Observations

Now for the spoiler-laden deep dive…

After reading Wonder Woman Shatters Records with $200+ Million Worldwide Opening on Forbes, I had the following thoughts:

I love and hate that it shattered Warner Bros. Entertainment‘s projections of “…maybe $85 million” on opening weekend:

Love: Because it was a fantastic movie that deserves EVERY DOLLAR IT EARNED.

Hate: That WB has so little faith in the film “…because has a female lead,” or “..because it’s a female director,” or whatever thin excuse they offered that wasn’t “Our record with superhero movies over the past three years has been pretty bad, we haven’t really been true to our characters in some cases, and the fans have lost their faith in us.”

Patty Jenkins, the film’s director, struck a fine balance between drama and humor (not comedy), while also presenting elements of empathy, pathos, and tragedy. It was light in just the right places and also somber and dark in the proper places, as well. It was what I would have liked to have seen more of from the Superman side of Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The locations had character of their own: Themyscira (“Paradise Island”) was lush, bright, and vibrant, London showed you why it is/was referred to as “The Smoke,” and Belgium pulled the triple duty of presenting a war-torn battlefront, a town – and its war-weary population – all too close to the front, and the lavish and the German encampment, seemingly-untroubled by the ravages of war, in a nearby castle.

The film’s first act opened in the modern day, with Diana receiving a package. She opens it to find the picture that audiences first saw in Batman vs. Superman, with her and four companions in World War I. This sends her on a nostalgic trip that leads to her upbringing on Themyscira…

The movie spent just enough time on Themyscira to show Diana not just as the Princess of the Amazons, but as a young girl – the only child on the island, a fact which was deftly noted, but not belabored. It then jumped to show Diana as a young woman, also. In these scenes, viewers saw glimpses of her impulsiveness, inquisitiveness, passion, and determination. When the veil between Themyscira and Man’s World was torn, she also received a very harsh and grim look at the face of war. Although they showed clips of the battle scenes in trailers, it was still amazing to see the Amazons in action, facing an unknown threat with no hesitation. Steve Trevor’s introduction was handled right in line with the classic version(s), his plane crashing just off the island’s shore. The Amazon’s reactions to him rang very true of a culture who was unsure of whether or not outsiders could – or should – be trusted. I was sad that we didn’t get to see the traditional contest to determine who would travel to Man’s World, but the lack of those scenes did not diminish the movie at all. Instead, Ms. Jenkins took a different, yet no less effective, route to show Diana’s resolve in wanting to fulfill her mission as an Amazon.

In the second act, Diana’s introduction to Man’s World captured the awe and occasionally doe-eyed amazement of a stranger in a very strange land. The scenes walking through London – seeing a baby for the first time and her discovery of ice cream were wonderful touches that served to make her relatable. The ice cream scenes also reminded me of similar scenes with the character in the 2012 animated Wonder Woman feature and 2015’s Justice League: War. Another callback that I appreciated, as a fan of the 1978 Superman, was Diana’s deflection of the bullet and saving of Steve Trevor in the alleyway:

© All Things Marvel And DC

When Diana met Steve’s superiors, she couldn’t fathom how they were so willing to sit back, rather than lead their troops into battle and victory. In meeting Steve’s other companions, she was unsure of them, as they did not appear to be the most honorable of men. She appeared to understand them and their natures a little better, as they traveled. Farther along the journey, the shock of seeing people’s lives devastated by the war was clearly visible on Diana’s face. This made for a stark juxtaposition against how Steve and his band appeared to view it as “just another day,” not that they were immune to its affect, more that that had become inured to it.

Then it came: Diana’s reveal/”transformation” and her march to face the German army.

©Los Angeles Times

And in that moment, we saw the warrior aspect of the “warrior princess.” Purposeful. Relentless. Strong. I was surprised and pleased at how well movie was able to keep from fully showing her costume/armor for so long. Saving the reveal of the warrior who would come to be known as “Wonder Woman” until then only served to heighten the powerful moment. The fight in the nearby village gave a couple of fine examples of just how physically strong Diana was, in ways that were not displayed on the battlefront scenes.

In the movie’s final act, Diana moves face her foe and fulfill her purpose for traveling to Man’s World. She navigates the various battlefields deftly: She blends in almost seamlessly at the gala, having… liberated… her attire from another attendee and – unable to take on her foe there – advances to the German airstrip, steely-eyed resolve in her gaze. The look distress and lack of understanding on Diana’s face, as she saw that no one/nothing had changed after her foe was defeated and her mission had been seemingly fulfilled, was saddening and a bit disheartening. Having operated under a simple and straightforward notion – no, naivete – her worldview seemed to shatter and the pieces couldn’t be resolved into a coherent whole that she recognized. She lashed out at Steve, whose role as a spy and her recall of his dodges and half-truths along their journey seemed to only further distort the picture… until her true foe revealed himself. Her mission renewed and her true purpose revealed, she rose to meet the new challenge with the same confidence and determination than she showed at the Belgian front.

The closing scenes returned us to the modern day, with one last nostalgic look at the past and a nod to the future.

Patty Jenkins did a masterful job of bringing an iconic character to the big screen. She did this without making yet another dark and forboding DCEU film and also without making a sloppy or cheesy mess of the production. The pacing was good and the movie found a good emotional balance of drama and humor. I would say that my biggest complaints/concerns were:

1. Lack of the aforementioned Amazon contest,
2. Not having a scene where Diana used her lasso to help calm or quiet Charlie’s demons in the camp scene,
3. No scene where she talked with animals,
4. The death of Steve Trevor (but I attribute this to my expectation of Steve always being around, as he is in the comics), and
5. Some of the CGI in the third act wasn’t great. And there was a lot of it.

Gal Gadot’s Diana, Princess of Themyscira and Wonder Woman, was portrayed beautifully; she brought the character to life. Her drive and devotion to learn the truth was apparent. The lack of guile and even her naivete didn’t come off as comical, but as the result of someone who literally had an idyllic upbringing and was then thrust into situations outside her understanding. In Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #170, “A Day in the Life,” Phil Jimenez described Diana (via Lois Lane) this way:

It is a remarkable thing. She’s perhaps THE most powerful woman on the planet. Yet men INSIST on protecting her.

Even certain SUPERMEN I know– 

Last thing I see before J.L.A. Teleporters break us into energy and fire us across the world is HER SMILE… and I’ve NEVER felt more safe.

…and, later…

And THERE it is… That look, the eyes, the everything.. The STORY.

WONDER WOMAN is a MIRROR… a mirror of HUMAN TRUTH.

She reflects the contradictions of the world — of the person STARING at her — takes them onto herself… 

And gives you TRUTH, LOVE, RESPECT in return.

Thank GOD… or GODDESS… for that.

This is the Wonder Woman that Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins brought us.  Thank God – or Goddess – for that, too.

Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor was a charming rogue. Literally. He was a spy and he was charming and a little smug. He came off as a man with his heart in the right place, but willing to stray from the path of angels in order to complete his mission. He was chivalrous, in his own way, until he realized that Diana was a woman that didn’t need his protection and whose protection and help he might need, in turn.

Hippolyta, as portrayed by Connie Nielsen, came off as every bit the warrior queen I wanted to see. She watched her general training troops for a fight she hoped to never see. However, when war came to her domain, she rode fearlessly into battle alongside her fellow Amazons. We also got to see the mother who wanted nothing more for her child than that she be happy… even if that meant curtailing her daughter’s impulsiveness. The joy and pride she felt for Diana was evident, much as the sorrow was when it came time for Diana to leave.

Robin Wright (The Princess Bride, herself) was Antiope, sister of Hippolyta, aunt of Diana, and general of the Amazon army. You understood that she was dedicated to her sister and queen, her country, her duty… and to her niece. From the trailers, I didn’t realize that it was Antiope who was shot when the Germans came to Themyscira, but I loved the fact that it was her headband – not a tiara, not a crown – that Diana wears as Wonder Woman, to honor her fallen aunt.

Etta Candy, played by Lucy Davis, is a character I wish had more screen time. Etta is a staple in Wonder Woman stories; while it was good to see her, I fear that we won’t see her again, aside from possible flashbacks. I was glad that they gave her a strong backbone, a sharp tongue, and a measure of agency – these are things that I expect to see from Etta.

Danny Huston’s General Ludendorff was a proud and patriotic German. His desire for war – along with a clever script – easily made you think that he was the primary antagonist.

I was also disappointed that we did not get more screen time with Elena Anaya’s Doctor Maru (a.k.a.”Doctor Poison”). I’m mostly familiar with the Post-Crisis and Rebirth era comic book versions of the character, but would have liked to have seen a little more about “who” she was and what drove her.

David Thewlis’ Ares was proud, cunning, and manipulative. I think that Ares was a good – if not perfect – choice for Wonder Woman’s first villain. He provided an antagonist who could go blow-for-blow with Diana and also served as someone who challenged her beliefs. I, likewise, appreciated how he engineered events to his liking. As gods are wont to do. When his plans were revealed and his facade stripped away, he became even more ruthless in his drive to see them come to fruition. As one would expect from the God of War.

To conclude, I think that this was an excellent bit of cinema. It moved well, it hit the right beats, and it stayed true to the characters it brought to the screen.  In short: It was pretty much the polar opposite of what I’ve come to expect from from a DCEU movie. I’m sad that it took so long to come to fruition, but I am conversely glad that there is a movie with a strong female protagonist (who “just happens” to be a character of whom my daughters are very fond) that I will be happy to share with my girls when they are a little older.

As Gail Simone wrote in 2008’s Wonder Woman (vol. 3) #25, “A Star in the Heavens – Scene 2: Personal Effects”:

This movie was worth the wait.