Black Panther Blockbuster: Black-to-the-Future

I finally had the chance to see the much hyped Black Panther. To me, BP was a Grand Slam.

No Doubt. This groundbreaking movie pleasantly exceeded my expectations.

And with a record breaking box office, many people around the globe agree.

Spoiler Alert: If you haven't seen this movie you may want to stop here. The following post discloses information of many scenes in the movie. 


Where do I start?

The cinematography, special effects and imagery were sensory treats -- yes they absolutely dazzled. They reflected a futuristic -- or should we say Afrofuturistic -- style rooted in African culture and sensibilities. The breathtakingly exquisite scenes depicted the Motherland's luscious and glorious essence -- colorful, chic, hip, proud, majestic and regal.

The setting is in a technologically advanced -- and fictional -- Wakanda. Wakanda, has stealthy hidden (for centuries) her prosperity and wealth from all outsiders, particularly Western civilization. Wakandans proudly hail their history of never being colonized.

Wakanda Capital City

The screen play.

The well written script was compelling, riveting and suspenseful. I might add, the dialogue was very intelligent and playful. For example, BP, clearly not a comedy, contained many funny one-liners -- poking fun at stereotypes -- that were hilariously well timed.

King of the one liners: M'Baku

"One more word and I'll feed you to my children-- just kidding we're vegetarians."

And on a more serious and relevant note:

The plot captures the real-time cultural dissonance between Africans and African-Americans. The  power struggle between Wakanda King T'Challa (protagonist) and Killmonger (antagonist) illuminates the complicated relationship between Africans and Africans in the diaspora: many of whom search for identity and cultural connections:

Are we truly kinfolk or just outsiders that happened to once upon a time share a past in Africa? Are we our brother's/sister's keepers? Do we have common or diverging interests?

Epic Battle: T'Challa VS Killmonger

Pain is also a central theme in BP. While insular Wakanda thrives, globally billions of Africans living in the continent and the diaspora -- once colonized and/or enslaved by Western powers -- are caught in the hopeless cycle of anger, poverty, self-destruction, self-hate and disparity.

The essential challenged to be resolved in this film:

Does Wakanda build more fortification to further separate from the "outsiders" or does Wakanda use her formidable resources to uplift?

The Wakanda Women:

Just as important, BP showcases the beauty, courage, intelligence of strong black women. Women that stood shoulder to shoulder with their male peers. These women, from developing sophisticated technology to providing loyal security, frequently saved the day by coming to the rescue.

Women of Wakanda

It is interesting how a comic book fantasy story can contain so much truth and vision for our real world dilemmas. Set in black Africa, BP has a far-reaching and universal message. By the record breaking box office numbers, diverse movie fans understand this point.

Go see this work of art and you will not be disappointed.