Discuss Black Panther
Discuss → Movies → Black Panther → General
Forget the hype - this was just a damn good movie
posted by DRDMovieMusingsSTAFFMOD on February 27, 2018 at 10:06 PM
A number of people close to me who had seen Black Panther before I got to it said it wasn't that great a movie. As such, I went in with lowered expectations.
In truth, I would not at all have minded if it was just an okay movie. It's important for minorities to be able to make a living just doing okay.
When Tiger Woods hit the scene, some thought it would usher in a new era, one in which the pro tour would be awash in diversity. Didn't happen, Tiger was just an exceptional individual who catapulted to historic levels.
Same with Williams sisters in tennis. Same with Lewis Hamilton in F1. These people are gifted, special people, regardless their race.
Yet, for every championship contender to any of the aforementioned, there is a slew of people who will never win a major in tennis or golf, or never podium in Formula One, but they are out there, slogging, making a living, earning millions just the same. THAT's where I'd like to see more minorities/people of color.
As it is now, if one is not as gifted as a Woods, or Williams or Hamilton, there's no room at the next level below, although there is, somehow, room for all the players who are currently taking up space there and remain less than great.
Same with movies. There are sooo many movies on Netflix that has Bruce Willis in it, movies I'd never heard of before skimming around and stumbling upon them. Bruce Willis is an actor, and he puts in work on a lot of movies that don't become Die Hard. That's the way it should be for all actors. Get the chance to put in work, and whether it's Oscar-worthy or not, they're getting paid and getting more work.
So, I had no problem with this being a mediocre movie. But, in my opinion, it was not. Not at all.
Could it be my favourite Marvel movie of all time? Could it be the best Marvel movie of all time? Both are possible.
Was it a perfect movie? Not by any stretch of the imagination. Not too many movies are, so there's no need for this one to be.
But it was great to see
strong, intelligent women in leading roles
dark black women as beautiful and noble instead of the status quo light-skinned woman as desirable and dark-skinned as ugly
strong leaders who disagreed yet managed to come together when it mattered, standing on their own personal principles and conviction and respecting each other rather than turning on each other
the main protagonist who both honoured his father yet was capable of calling him out for his mistake and choosing to do better
an antagonist who's "issue" touches the angst of billions of people around the world
African culture depicted as honourable, resplendent, rich in tradition, and technologically advanced
a white male supporting the Black Panther agenda
Black Panther speaking out against a race war, against any racial supremacist intentions, but presenting himself a leader, calling to the world leaders for global unity
a movie with a nearly all Black cast doing at the box office what Hollywood has maintained couldn't be done
a movie with a nearly all Black cast that was embraced across both domestic and worldwide audiences
a movie with an all Black cast of characters depicted not peripherally, as minorities in a white-centred worldview, but centrally, from a black-centred world view
theatres full of people - white people, black people, brown people, yellow people - people, watching a movie; not a black movie, just a movie. No different than had the title been My Big Fat Greek Wedding and non-Greek people went to see it; or The Godfather, and non-Italian people went to see it. Or most movies that have all-white casts, and non-white people go see them
and I'm talking full, as in, on a weeknight, after the weekend release, shows still being sold out, and not being able to get tickets the following weekend until the later showings
the first movie in a long time for me that is compelling me to see it again in theatre (when, for most movies, I don't bother with the theatre at all).
Can't wait to see the next installment and how it fits into the grander scheme of Marvel things.
Reply by Nygma-0999
on February 28, 2018 at 4:23 AM
It was o.k.. But overall it just bored me.
Reply by OddRob
on February 28, 2018 at 11:30 PM
Is this a movie review or a SJW paper on how unjust the world is to minorities. And how they need representation and we need change? Shit throw in some #Metoo #Timesup and #Notmypresident next time as well.
Reply by Nchi9
on February 28, 2018 at 11:53 PM
@DRDMovieMusings
Excellent points. This is the reason why it so compelling to a lot of people and takes them back to theatre to watch it over and over again. I am yet to see it again this weekend for the 3rd time and I'm very sure I will be back after that again. I just simply can't get enough of BP. It is upsetting to the trolls and those who can't stomach the fact that a movie like BP can over-exceed expectations but here we are and it really is breaking all kinds of records and Hollywood perceptions. I am curious to see how well it will perform in China and Japan. The movie is very well done and the director did an exceptional job.
WAKANDA FOREVER
Reply by DRDMovieMusings
on March 1, 2018 at 1:49 AM
It is a review of a movie that speaks to social issues, as art often does. Try to keep up.
Reply by Moviedibert345
on March 1, 2018 at 2:09 AM
Yeah but movies that usually speak to social issues dosn't bore its audience and usually feature interesting protagonist, not a emotionless walking slab of meat. I think most people who go to see these don't care about politics. They just want see people big CGI Battles and have a good old fun time. Sad to say i didn't have a fun time. I was just bored.
Reply by DRDMovieMusings
on March 1, 2018 at 2:20 AM
This movie didn't "bore its audience". You may have been bored. You may have not had a fun time. You are entitled to your reaction and to being bored.
But, for all those people who are returning to theatres for a second, third, even fourth time, obviously, clearly, it is not boring them. And they are entitled to their reaction and enjoyment.
Reply by OddRob
on March 1, 2018 at 2:36 AM
Yeah SJW issues shouldnt go together with a Marvel movie, or any blockbuster movie. SJW have already ruined Star Wars and Ghostbusters, cant wait to see how they try to fuck the Marvel universe next. Your entitled to your opinion, but dont call it a 'review' when you obviously have a biased stance on the subject matter and also interject your own identity politics on the film. The movie didnt bring up race nearly as much I thought it would. But people like you are basically making it all about race. Let me guess, you think if the 'white man' didnt colonize Africa Wakanda could be real. Because thats the delusion that people seem to spreading on social media. This wanst some huge amazing film that deserves awards, its an ok Marvel film, not a bad one and not a great one, just an ok one. And for a capefilm it was boring. If it didnt have the whole 'race' aspect behind it, as in no one caring that its a mostly black cast, it wouldnt even make blimp on most peoples radar. And thats the cold hard fact.
Reply by DRDMovieMusings
on March 1, 2018 at 2:44 AM
Thanks for sharing your cold, hard opinions, with which I almost entirely disagree, as you did with mine. It's clear we're not going to persuade each other. I'm quite content to just leave it at that.
Cheers.
Reply by OddRob
on March 1, 2018 at 2:50 AM
Oh yeah no worries. Always happy to hear others opinion, even if I dont totally agree with what you said. I do agree with some of the things you pointed out btw, just not the majority. Glad you enjoyed the film so much and the fact that it had such a great impact on you. As for me, always next time.