On November 11, 2022, Marvel released a sequel to the movie “Black Panther”. In the first film, Chadwick Boseman portrayed T’Challa, king of the African nation of Wakanda. Boseman, unfortunately, passed away in August 2020 due to colon cancer. Many fans questioned how the sequel would operate. 

Chadwick Boseman’s passing definitely caused sorrow among the cast. Everyone was still mourning while working on the film. In an interview with Variety, director Ryan Coogler mentioned how the cast had the heavy responsibility of doing another film. There was overwhelming pressure to make this movie as good as the previous one. 

The sequel serves as a moving tribute to Boseman; they knew he would’ve wanted them to continue the story of Wakanda. There was no new actor and there was no digital recreation of Boseman’s image. 

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is about the people of Wakanda grieving the death of T’Challa and struggling to survive without him. It focuses mainly on T’Challa’s sister, Shuri (played by Letitia Wright), and how she becomes the new Black Panther of Wakanda. The film is also partly about Wakanda’s efforts to fend off the United States as they try to get the valuable metal, vibranium. 

The most exciting feature of this film is the new anti-hero Namor, the ruler of an underwater kingdom. Tenoch Huerta helps represent Indigenous and Meso-American culture. Viewers are happy to see their ancestry portrayed so incredibly.

In addition to the characters, the humor, music, and visuals are just as impressive. There are many emotional moments regarding T’Challa’s death and his family, but there is still a lot of humor. Some examples are M’Baku calling Okoye a ‘bald-headed demon’ and Shuri referring to Everett Ross as her ‘favorite colonizer’. The laughter definitely helps balance the melancholy. 

In relation to music, Marvel has treated us to the movie’s full soundtrack. The songs are in order with the movie, you can relive everything just by listening. The playlist includes artists such as Rihanna, Burna Boy, Future, and Ludwig Goransson. 

Just like every other Marvel Movie, the visuals and action sequences are bewitching. Namor’s underwater kingdom of Talokan is beautifully portrayed with light and shadow. The darkness creates tension and captures the cloudiness of the water. 

A great example of an awesome villain fight is Namor’s raid on Wakanda. This scene was terrifying. The normally serene and content streets of Wakanda are interrupted as the ocean busts down the city, leaving a land of fragmented buildings. 

Some may say that the plot is overstuffed. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” contains death, violence, action, and a whole lot of new information. Nevertheless, Ryan Coogler manages to work with it, making a composed and sequential film. 

Overall, the movie gives Boseman justice and cements his legacy. It concludes the story of Wakanda and serves as a final goodbye to Boseman. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” did not disappoint with its magnificent plot, cinematography, and representation.