Home Arts & Lifestyle Black Panther Redefines Who Gets to be a Hero

Black Panther Redefines Who Gets to be a Hero

by Sara Hyneman

“Black Panther” is a unique film. Most superhero movies are almost entirely populated by white people, but “Black Panther’s” cast is very Black. Most superhero movies have one or two women on a team of mostly men, but the majority of fighters in “Black Panther” are women. “Black Panther” is the first Marvel movie to feature a Black main character and a primarily Black cast, and was appropriately released in Black History Month. But it’s more than its historical significance that makes it such an incredible film.

“Black Panther” takes place shortly after the events of “Captain America: Civil War” (2016). The main character T’Challa, played by Chadwick Bosemen (“42,” “Get on Up”), is made King of Wakanda, a hidden country within Africa. Wakanda is the most technologically advanced country in the world because of a metal called vibranium that powers their city and technology. T’Challa is a good man, which makes it difficult for him to justify the continued isolation of his country when the world suffers in ways that could be helped by Wakanda’s technology.

He’s not the only one who feels this way. Erik “Killmonger” Stevens, played by Michael B. Jordan (“The Wire,” “Friday Night Lights”) sees the oppression of people across the world, especially black people and hates Wakanda for failing to help them. But where other characters want to use technology to help those in need with minimal bloodshed, Erik is a sympathetic bad guy who wants to arm the oppressed people and violently conquer the world for himself.

The story follows T’Challa as he serves as King, protects Wakanda and wrestles with the sins committed by his father and those before him. The CGI is gorgeous and the fight choreography breathtaking. The soundtrack, a mix between traditional African music and modern rap and hip-hop, communicates about the characters even as it hypes viewer up. And the humor, unlike in many Marvel movies, never feels forced. But what makes “Black Panther” so compelling is the characters. The entire cast is strong, but special credit goes to Michael B. Jordan for making Killmonger an intensely sympathetic and compelling villain. Letitia Wright (“Urban Hymn”) is equally as impressive as Shuri, the young princess of Wakanda and technical genius who designs and builds most of Wakanda’s tech.

The film asserts that to hoard resources when they could be used to help others is a moral failing that must be corrected. Sins committed by one’s ancestors may not be the current generation’s fault, but the current generation must nevertheless attempt to make amends. In a climate marked by the U.S. government’s attempts to curtail refugees and excise “outsiders” in great need, and in a time where movements like Black Lives Matter have brought racism and privilege into the spotlight, these messages are topical in a way that they would not otherwise be. Even the antagonist Killmonger is not really the villain; the villain is isolationist policies, oppression and generational trauma. Erik is merely the result.

“Black Panther” takes the best parts of superhero films and subverts the often white and male dominated nature of the genre, and the film is wrapped together with strong music, fights and characters. It will always be a fantastic film. But only now, in 2018, could it be the cultural landmark that it is.

Related Articles

Leave a Comment