Members of the Dora Milaje in “Black Panther.” From left: Okoye (Danai Gurira), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Ayo (Florence Kasumba). Matt Kennedy / Marvel Studios.
Carolina Miranda has the compleat rundown on Pantherian analysis:
Have you heard about the little movie that tells the story of a royal man-feline named T’Challa who is powered by vibranium and defends a secret African paradise named Wakanda?
Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther” is not just an epic comic-book action flick — it could approach the $1-billion mark globally after its opening in China this weekend — the movie is a full-blown cultural phenomenon, generating a cottage industry of cultural criticism that touches on a spectacular array of topics, including racial politics, geopolitics, gender issues, beauty standards, design and urbanism. (Hello, Wakandan municipal transit system!)
In fact, there are so many takes on “Black Panther” that New York-based educator Roberto Soto-Carrion has helpfully compiled dozens of analytical stories related to the film and the “Black Panther” comics in general into a 14-page Google Doc called “The Black Panther Reader.”
Ms. Miranda’s summary is excellent, and provides a great overview, with many links for those who wish to delve deeper. You can read it here.
More time ill-spent!!
Rather well-spent, I think. :)
I loved so many things about this movie. Highly recommend, for those who have an inclination towards the genre but heck, I think people should just see it for what it is and give it that extra boist to disprove all those who swear black superheros and casts just can’t cut it.
Well, they can. Better than the vast, vast majority! (I think most of all was how much fun it was, how well-played it was, without sacrificing the more serious aspects. Seriouslt, to the colleague who said it discriminates because there’s too few white people, fuck you.)
I loved everything about the movie, with one exception: Andy Serkis. I don’t know what it is, but from the first time I saw his face, I wanted to peel it the fuck off. Can’t stand him. That said, I would have been happy with no white people, and maybe no men -- the women! Oh, the women, they were actually people in that movie. So much love.
As for “too few white people”, yeah, I’ve heard that too. I just bring up “and the cast in most every hollywood movie ever has been?”
I haven’t seen it, yet, but I suppose I will eventually.
I will say, for the record, that I approve of the spears. Those are damn practical-looking spears. I really hate it when bladed weapons in movies are obviously out of balance or have break-lines built right into them. Those spears look like you could fuck someone up with them, and the women carrying them look like they could fuck someone up -- it’s a fine sight. From a safe distance.
The spears do a lot of fucking up, it’s fantastic. Not nearly enough, but a lot.
Re: Andy Serkis, yeah. Couldn’t figure out if it was him or the character, but he left a nasty feeling in the mouth. I’m glad he got killed off fairly quick. As for Freeman’s character, I loved most that he felt like such a foreigner throughout the entire movie. It fit so well, and added a specific white-person discomfort that was unpleasant yet fitting, and he got called ‘colonizer’. Win!