Review of Black Panther (2018) by Daniel S — 03 Mar 2018

With "Black Panther," writer/director Ryan Coogler pumps a much needed shot of adrenaline and originality into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though it follows the typical Marvel narrative structure almost to a T, the film stands above many of its predecessors because of its vividly unique aesthetics (captured beautifully by Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison), its booming soundtrack curated by Kendrick Lamar, and its rock solid main cast--notably Michael B.

Jordan as Killmonger, who is one of the most charismatic and tantalizing comic book villains we've seen in quite some time. Other standouts include Chadwick Boseman as the title hero and Lupita Nyong'o as his ally/on-and-off lover.

However, the true show-stealer is Andy Serkis, whose brief but mesmerizing performance as a psychopathic arms dealer is utterly unforgettable. Ultimately, "Black Panther" is an enormously fun movie that is by no means as political as many have attempted to make it out to be.

Its archetypal themes are certainly nothing new for Marvel, but that doesn't make them any less powerful in this bold, new context.