"Black Panther" Film Review

                                                             Black Panther

            King T’Challa has seen better days. Since his father was murdered (watch Captain America: Civil War),

the king of Wakanda strives to help his people. Along with his tech-savvy sister Shuri, T’Challa does what he

can.

            But things get complicated when Erik Killmonger enters the picture. He’s a thief and desires to have the

king’s throne. However, there is more to him than meets the eye. T’Challa must decide to either follow in his

father’s footsteps or rise above the prejudice Wakanda faces.

            Positive Elements: T’Challa makes it clear that he is king of Wakanda, not all people. He also states that

it’s not his job to be “judge, jury, or executioner” to others outside his country. Though T’Challa struggles at

times, Shuri, Nakia (his girlfriend) and mother encourage him. Nakia tells him “You get to decide what kind of

king you are going to be.”

            Flipping the coin a bit, let’s talk about Killmonger here. The guy is evil, no doubt, but there is a righteous

(yet warped) side to his anger. He’s tired of seeing others suffering and wants to help them. Even though his

mindset is wrong, Killmonger desires to open Wakanda to the world. He’s in the past and hurt by an act of

betrayal. It’s easy to see his view here, however twisted it is.

            T’Challa on the other hand, glances towards the future. He doesn’t want the vibranium falling into the

wrong hands. His strong stance on protecting Wakanda is admirable here. Other characters fight along him,

some sacrificing their lives in the process. M’Baku (leader of another tribe) helps the king and his people in a

time of need. Nakia rescues others from a trafficking ring. Agent Everett Ross assists in the film’s final battle.

            (Spoiler Warning): T’Challa learns of a grave mistake his father made long ago. He believes the choice

was wrong despite the good intentions behind it. His bravery in facing Killmonger shows dedication and

commitment to Wakanda and his family. We also learn that lies harm others more than help. T’Challa believes

in fair fights, instead of cheating for personal gain.

            Spiritual Content: Buckle up, because there is a lot to discuss here. The people of Wakanda put their

faith in pagan gods such as Bast. It’s noted that the country is protected by an energy shield. Black Panther’s

powers originate from the gods and during two ritual combat scenes, he drinks something to strip his powers

away.

            Other scenes picture herbs being offered as sacrifices to the gods. People make the herbs and spread

them over both T’Challa and Killmonger on separate occasions. When T’Challa is presumed dead, Shuri, Ross

and Okoye bring his body to M’Baku. T’Challa wakes up in an afterlife, talking with his dead father. His dead

body is resurrected once, and he regains his powers. The people of Wakanda wear tribe clothing in several

scenes. T’Challa exclaims “For Bast’s sake” once.

            Sensual Content: T’Challa and Nakia kiss on a couple occasions. They were former lovers, though

T’Challa expresses interest in rekindling their relationship. Shuri sarcastically asks “Are you sure it’s okay to

bring your ex on a mission?” When Shuri asks Okoye if T’Challa froze when seeing Nakia, she replies “Like a

deer in headlights.”

            Nakia, Okoye and other women in the film wear revealing dresses/outfits baring cleavage and leg.

T’Challa and some men fight shirtless. Okoye and W’Kabi are in a relationship and repeatedly refer to each

other as “my love.” As mentioned, Nakia and T’Challa rescue people from a sex trafficking ring (we see scads

of them in the back of a truck).

            Violence: Black Panther is like your typical superhero film, but comes with a few exceptions. T'Challa

engages in hand to hand combat with several people. A casino scene features guns, a robot hand and money

flying everywhere. Okoye and her tribe face off against multiple characters and she stabs one guy in the foot.

Nakia gets in on the action too, giving her fair share of kicks and punches.

            Killmonger is the worst of the bunch though. He poisons a woman's coffee, talks threateningly, and kills

his girlfriend. Each scar on his torso represents a kill, implying he's a cold-blooded killer. Three security

guards meet their demise in a heist scene. Part of a door is blown off to make an escape. T'Challa engages in

ritual combat twice, trading punches. Killmonger gains the upper hand and throws T'Challa over the cliff,

resulting in his (temporary) death. Ross shoots down two ships carrying dangerous weapons.

            (Spoiler Warning): The film's opening scene features a death. When Killmonger's father is caught being

a double agent, T'Challa's father murders him in cold blood (we see his suit's claws in the guy's chest, drawing

some blood). Killmonger angrily declares “I found my daddy with panther claws in his chest. You ain't the son

of a king, you're the son of a murderer!”

            The final battle between Killmonger and T'Challa has them trading punches/kicks. Some characters die

in this battle too. T'Challa stabs Killmonger in the side, but does bring him to the edge before the latter dies.

            Language: Three or four s-words along with a small smattering of God's name, d—n, h---, a--, and b—ch.

            Drugs/Alcohol: As mentioned, T'Challa drinks a drug that strips him of his powers twice. Some

characters down alcoholic beverages in a few scenes.

            Other Negative Elements: Several lies are told throughout the film. A scene takes place in a casino.

Killmonger uses T'Challa's death as an advantage to be king (though most of his people rebel against the

latter).

            Conclusion: Though Black Panther released in 2018, it still holds up to current MCU films. The cast is

mostly African-American with a few exceptions. Each actor/actress play their roles nicely, and though the

runtime is over 2 hours, the film is a breeze.

            Black Panther is a superhero film that comes with a few caveats. Some rough-and-tumble language is

heard, along with intense action sequences that might scare sensitive viewers. Even the spirituality has

questionable ethics dabbled in. Though it's engrossing to learn a new religion, this concern might be a huge

deal-breaker for Christian families.

            The film still shines though, providing a hero who believes in protecting his people. He sees a bright

future and doesn't want to ruminate on the past. T’Challa has his flaws, but yearns to be a better leader. His

family, Nakia, and other allies defend him without question. T'Challa isn't afraid to challenge Killmonger

either, though the latter has clear hatred in his heart.

            Here's what the Bible says about leadership. Proverbs 20:28(NCV) states “Loyalty and truth keep a king

in power; he continues to rule if he is loyal.” In a way, T'Challa is loyal to his people. He doesn't desire riches

and fame, nor does his determination waver. T'Challa sticks to the rule book and in doing so, leads in a way

with truth and grace.

            Killmonger still acts like a kid. It's clear that hatred has blinded his judgement, and revenge seems to be

the only option. He desires the throne, but not as a loyal leader. No, Killmonger desires tyranny over grace,

and putting Wakanda on the map for infamous reasons. He doesn't care about leadership: in his mind,

worthiness and fame are the ultimate goals.

            Watching Killmonger here, you might be tempted to empathize with him. He lost a parent, was left

orphaned, and cares about helping others. However, his vengeful attitude reveals far more than we realize.

Killmonger cheats, steals, and when confronted, doesn't hesitate to murder others in cold blood. Proverbs

26:26 (NCV) says “Lies can hide hate, but the evil will be plain to everyone.”

            I'm not going to sugarcoat it: Vengeance doesn't solve problems, it only creates more guilt and shame.

T'Challa learned that lesson in Civil War, and decided to step on a different path. Killmonger chooses to

harbor bitterness to the point where it consumes his soul. It's not easy to make the right choice, but it does

reap better rewards in the long run.

            Black Panther is still one of Marvel's golden era films. Despite content concerns, the film keeps you

interested without pushing the envelope. We can learn a thing or two from T'Challa about leadership. While

movies these days are mostly playing with dark sides of heroes, Black Panther gives us one who, despite the

pressure, doesn't cave to the status quo. That is great news indeed.