We love this review of Black Panther by Jada Thwala so we had to share it and make her our #WCW today.
“Where or where do I start. My thoughts are:
This movie is so dear to my heart.
Ryan and Marvel managed To find a beautiful balance between ethnic customs, modern day life and futurism . They married these together and in turn laid the foundation to an extremely well-done movie. Every inciting incident, every turning point, every conflict, every beat was sequenced together so flawlessly. A technologically and supernaturally advance Africa? Are you kidding me, I lost my mind throughout the movie. I was just like “You mean to tell me we’re kicking ass throughout this whole movie?! And I get to experience this in 4D?!!” *holds heart*
The language – I knew from the get go that accent was going to be let down but to my surprise it didn’t take away anything from the movie..
It was done smartly, few Xhosa words here and there to set it up and subconsciously you just run with it believing that’s the language of Wakanda. I appreciate that they didn’t force to speak too much of it but boy oh boy was I proud to hear it from John Kani and Atandwa Kani. Our very own South African actors as Superheros guys? on a Marvel Movie? In Hollywood??!! * scream *. This is amazing! You can not deny how represented you feel!
Then Marvel decided to go and surround the King with a force of Black women. By this point I’m screaming Ryan stop! The King is protected by women, nurtured by women, guided by women and taken care of by Women. This much is true and appreciated. Not a single hint of Misogyny. Women are placed on a very high power pedestal here. Ryan Coogler really played on ma gaaddam heart strings man. Uplift the man but don’t underestimate the woman is what I got from that.
The costumes guys… The costumes. Everything was detailed to the T. The garments were royalty personified. Given Character of their own. You won’t belive what they did with the Sotho blanket in Combat.. Shhhh go watch!
The Combat sequence.. EPIC
The fight scenes…. EPIC
The storyline…. EPIC
EDGE OF YOUR SEAT
Another thing I appreciated is that Marvel kept to the Marvel standard every step of the way. You know you’re about to be in for an epic trip into a made up Marvel Universe but this World was the closest thing to real I have ever seen in their movies. Correct me if I’m wrong but in the movie, unlike all the others, you don’t fly out of the World to get to Wakanda? It is right here on Earth. The Homestead looked amazing bra! Talk Eastern Cape vibes, Cape Town vibes, Lesotho vibes and other parts of the African continent that are just breathtaking. I mean.. Every single thing was well thought out and justified.
I haven’t been so proud to watch a movie where people of color are depicted in such great light. Even in times of Adversity when good vs evil. This was a feel good movie and the greatest thing of all is that you don’t have to be a Person of color to appreciate how good it was because in its basic and stripped form, it is just another Marvel Superhero Movie. For me personally. All the other Marvel movies or superhero movies can’t compare because I didn’t realize it then but I do now, there is hardly or any culture in those movies and that is what sets this one apart from the rest . It’s cut from a different cloth. Even when they depart into a different dimension, the Ancestral plane. Abanpantsi.
On a touchy note. You can not deny how Black Panther and Wakanda in its entirety exists in an alternate universe or fantasy world where Colonization didn’t happen. A universe where our minerals were not/ are not being drained from us. That is very interesting. So much history. I could carry on with this but it’s a topic for another time.
Anyhu, I’m cutting it right here for now. I’m definitely going to the cinema again because I’m pretty sure there is still so much more for me to receive here. I can not wait for a Sequel.
I’m obsessed but we already know this.
So much more to say. So much more. It was sooo good. Share your thoughts too. I love hearing about it. Whether you liked the movie or not. Whether you agree or disagree. Call me out if you must but I for one think that this was the big bang of Afrofuturism.”
Sourced from Facebook
mygirlsquad.com 