User reviews

Although this is a really good movie, it has amazing costumes, they really got the essence of a African cultures, the cast, in general, did a good job, it still had some problems, including, special effects, character development, wasting such an actor as forest Whitaker and a really common narrative superheroe story. In general, this movie is fine, as I have stated earlier, but the truth is that the professional critics have judge this movie for the wrong reasons, they have let their political interests overshadow their ability to rate a movie the way it's supposed to be.

In conclusion, this movie is completely overrated, also, definitely not the best movie of the year, not even in the top ten, not even the best movie of superheroes of this year and even though the academy nominated it for best picture it is still overrated. If you want to watch a really good superheroe movie and a really good movie in general I suggest The Dark Knight not Black panther.

"Black Panther" follows some typical superhero plot points, but it does make a few changes along the way. Perhaps the biggest is in how the villain is represented. He doesn't really play a big part until close to an hour into the film. Until then, we are entertained by a more minor villain named Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis). There are several stabs at humor (not unusual for a Marvel flick), and thankfully the jokes are very good-natured and funny.

Speaking of the villain, he's one of the most interesting villains Marvel's put together. He's given interesting reasons behind taking over Wakanda. Michael B. Jordan gives an energetic performance that adds a layer or two more than what you might expect a villain to have. As for Boseman, he aptly provides the heart and soul of the strong but gentle-hearted character. Lupita N'yongo gives a memorable performance as the kind Nakia. Movie fans and "Lord of the Rings"/"Hobbit" fans, may be excited to see Martin Freeman (reprising from "Civil War") and Serkis together again in an interesting scene. There are a lot of characters to keep up with, however. This makes veteran actors such as Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker have less screentime than people might have hoped for.

Ludwig Gorannson's score cleverly mixes African beats with some orchestral pieces. The production design and costume design carry bits and pieces of originality and uniqueness. The visual effects, like most superhero movies, are impressive, but sometimes over-the-top. The action sequences are exciting, but the camera work is a bit shaky in places.

As for the usual Marvel elements, Stan Lee's cameo doesn't disappoint. And the second post-credits scene is worth waiting for.

I'd heard this movie was good and finally got around to watching it. When it was done I looked on IMDB and saw hundreds of 1 and 2 star reviews that I can only fathom were written by people who would hate anything with an almost entirely black cast that focused on a fictional or real African culture, or dislike seeing empowered women characters. Was it my favorite in the MCU? No. Are there people who give it 10 stars just because of the all black cast? Maybe. But 1 Star? Please. That's just Alt-Right spamming. It's a good contribution to the overarching MCU storyline. Worth watching.

Wanted to see 'Black Panther' for a while, one of my most anticipated films of this early half of 2018 and as somebody who likes to loves most of Marvel's films. The idea was interesting as was what the film was hyped up to be, the trailer looked great and the high ratings and critical acclaim promised even more.

My thoughts were that 'Black Panther' was a decent and intriguing film with a lot of very well done to great elements, but it didn't blow me away and left me disappointed after the hype. As indicated, far from hated it, didn't love it. Actually saw 'Black Panther' on opening weekend in a sold out showing (it was touch and go as to whether a ticket could be gotten), but had to properly form my thoughts for a while and was nervous seeing the very divisive IMDb reaction and the condescension on both sides (mostly negative), which has slightly died down since to feel less nervous.

Starting with the good/great things, 'Black Panther' is mostly impressive visually. The special effects were variable, but there were some spectacular ones, while it's beautifully and stylishly shot, slickly edited and sumptuously costumed. It's the extraordinary production design that was most note-worthy. Loved the use of technology, which was really cool. The music has the right amount of haunting intensity, energy, dignity and pathos, so a fine score on its own but not always utilised right in the film, a few ill-fitting moments mood-wise.

Much of the action is exciting, though there could have been more, and there is a good deal of thought-provoking script-writing with some nicely injected humour. One is immersed in the world of Wakanda, which is a fascinating world in thematic terms. The story does grip once it gets going and doesn't feel as confused and jumpy, with timeline and location changes needing to be clearer, like it did to begin with and a lot of it even when turning our everyday struggles on their heads is surprisingly relevant.

Personally thought that much of the acting was good, with a very charismatic lead performance from Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan bringing a self-loathing conflicted edge and swagger to Killmonger and Andy Serkis relishing his role with aplomb. The women are just as good, with a dignified Lupita Nyong'o, regal, no-nonsense and feisty Danai Gurira and particularly a funny and endearing Letitia Wright. While his role is small, Daniel Kaluuya is great fun in it. Direction is above competent, if not innovative, and really appreciated the film making Killmonger more than the standard Marvel villain, here one with questionable personal motives but one where one can see his point of view and empathise. Although his actions are inconsistent and don't always make sense and he could have been more threatening, generally he is one of the better Marvel villains and the most developed character in a film too full of stock ones (the titular character being the other exception).

'Black Panther' has faults however. Most of the characters are stock and clichéd, while some of the first half is too talky, the film is a little slow-going and confused to start with and some of the political elements are laid on too thick. Adding to the general feel that, even with the splashes of humour, the film takes itself too seriously and with the amount of predictability it has doesn't do enough new with a novel concept.

There are exceptions to the cast. Forrest Whittaker is wasted as a non-developed character with too short screen time, on top of the scene being rushed his final scene has no impact as a result. Martin Freeman is too fish out of water as well.

Although some of the effects are spectacular, others are very ropy. Especially in the final action scene between Black Panther and Killmonger which resembled a very early days/years video game. That scene also felt rushed, sometimes vaguely choreographed and anti-climactic, though the whole climax felt over-stuffed and too busy.

Overall, decent and interesting but was expecting more. Personally don't think it's the best Marvel film, while a long way from bad let alone terrible, for me it's one of the weaker ones. 6/10 Bethany Cox

The King has now rested. Don't know how I will relay this news to my kids. Especially my daughter, she loved Black Panther so much. Great talented cast. On a comic book level, this movie was very worthy. That's what we wanted especially when it comes to Marvel. Chadwick Boseman will always be King T'Challa. Will be hard to replace him. Wakanda forever!

Black Panther has got people throbbing, some saying it gave rise to Africa in the MCU. Critic's seem to all love it... reviews have been rave, even before the movie actually opened in Theaters.

I found it funny, touching, strong as well as weak at some points... I do have to say that it has been over-hyped. It's not as good as Age of Ultron, and many of MCU releases. It didn't have a true villain we grew hatred for, Killmonger was just some angry kid to be honest.

The women, do pick it up though, I'd hang a few but all of them did this movie good. Their roles infused well with the plot, and none of them disappointed me.

To be honest with everyone else, I'd pretty much say that (as a black person) we loved Black Panther for it's cast and setting... Culturally - Black Panther is one of the greatest film's ever made, but Critically - It doesn't really deserve the universal acclaim. 7/10

Black Panther, directed by Ryan Coogler, tells the story of the new King T'Challa of Wakanda who must learn to handle the responsibilities of this title. Chadwick Boseman reprises his role as the Black Panther and goes up against his nemesis Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan.

Pros: Coogler has already proven himself to be an excellent director after movies like Fruitvale Station and Creed (both starring Jordan), but he showcases his full talents in Black Panther when given a huge budget to work with. The movie looks beautiful with bright lush colors. The soundtrack and musical score are also very good. At its heart, the movie's message is very profound and relevant to real world politics.

As expected, Boseman is awesome as T'Challa. His character goes through so much and his development throughout is handled perfectly. The best scenes of this movie are when he has to look within himself to find answers when the people he always trusted let him down. The cast in general has very good chemistry. T'Challa's relationship with his sister Shuri (Letiitia Wright) is very funny and it's easy to buy them as siblings. His relationship with his love Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) is even better. It would be criminal not to mention Danai Gurira and what she gives this movie from an action standpoint. Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger is without a doubt the best villain the MCU has presented so far. His motivations are so clear and his ideology directly challenges T'Challa's. He is physically and psychologically the perfect adversary for Black Panther.

Cons: The pacing of the movie is a bit odd. It moves pretty quickly until everything comes to a head at the very end. More time should have been spent in between to flesh out the side characters and let the emotions sink in. In addition, the action scenes are not among Marvel's best. The last battle between Panther and Killmonger in particular is pretty disappointing in all honesty. The CGI felt unfinished and they could have been cut together better.

Overall, Black Panther is a triumph for the MCU and its societal connotations. This is, in my opinion, the best origin movie that Marvel has made because of its amazing hero, great cast of role characters, and truly menacing villain.

Black Panther gets an A.

Just meh. Nothing special just an ever age superhero movie which for some reason people praise way too much. No idea why.

A great addition to the MCU. Great acting, beautiful visuals and some intense action. First impressive thing I noticed was its rich attention to detail in world building and its characters. My only criticism, I would have like to have seen more of the Killmonger character, as I feel they didn't go far enough with him. Over-all, this is a fun and enjoyable movie with action, comedy, drama. There are some complex social political overtones mixed in, but it never feels heavy handed, and I feel that the over-all message is positive for humanity as a whole. If this type of movie isn't your cup of tea, fair enough, but if you are on the fence about watching due to pre-conceived notions about its content and message, I would recommend you give it a try, and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

97% Rotten Tomatoes. Really? Critics have gone mad or been paid a descent amount of money.

It has no special story, and the plot is totally predictable. Colors and visuals are the only gorgeous parts of this film. I felt cheated after how amazingly Black Panther was shown in Civil War.

It has been released in 3D but there are merely a few shots that felt good in 3D.

Overall acting is okay; no actor leaves their mark on your mind. And as always, this Marvel movie too suffers with the villain deficiency syndrome.

6 out of 10 from me, that's it.

Masterful job by Ryan Coogler and cinematographer Rachel Morrison as well as the entire cast. People complaining of politics in this film are suffering from delusions of their own making. Its a movie about a fictional king in a fictional country. True Marvel fans will know that you can't tell the story of BP without the origins and practices of Wakanda. Anyway, Michael B. Jordan (No relation) plays the realest villain since Magneto. (Another character whose anger comes from a real place) Enjoyed Jordan in Creed and liked the character. Which made it hard to accept him as a bad guy. However he quickly made me change my mind as the menacing Killmonger. In short see the movie for what it is, another Marvel hit, this time with a different spin that will bring a new base of fans to the Marvel dynasty.

I really had high expectations going in, maybe too high, but at some point I thought the Black Panther was in the Fast and the Furious and then some typical heist movie. OK, I'm being harsh and I didn't hate it, just didn't like it, kinda blah. And all the talk about Marvels first black superhero, but as far as movies go lets not forget Blade. I have seen Blade a few times, and I think I like it better, a little bloody, but I liked Snipes in that role, he nailed it. You know what, maybe I'm just suddenly tired of these current Hollywood blockbusters.

I am between a 5 and a 6 on this. It was vastly overrated by the professional reviewers. I am sure their reviews were politically motivated. I loved the cast but I agree that characters were superficial and not defined as they should have been. I also feel more humor was needed in the movie. This can't compare to other Marvel movies. It's a one shot deal for us. We don't need to hear any more preaching.

The cinematography of this film was just OK with some obvious bad CGI, and one would come to expect something better from a Marvel superhero film (as shown by the budget). The directing was fairly decent.

The story was ok, but nothing overly exciting. Way too much spotlight on the Black Panther conflict here. I feel the story would have been better told had there been another villain.

The acting also seemed either way too overboard for some of the characters, while others under-performed.

Nevertheless, enjoyable, but certainly not even close to "the best" Marvel movie. It's only a 6/10 from me.

I have to say, after all the hoopla (which I was growing tired of), Black Panther ranks for me as one of the best action movies of all time, 2nd only to Return of the Jedi (don't judge me), and even one of the best dramas. Was surprised by so much of this sort of "anti-hype" criticism. I believe some used to the typical super hero flick of Today, simply want pulse-pounding action every minute, with a few wise-cracks thrown in, and maybe half-decent lines delivered. This is different, and that old formula is so tired and played at this point in the MCU. This story, the special effects, the intrigue, and the action were all superb. However, what was truly phenomenal was the acting by such a massive cast. This just doesn't happen in action, let alone super hero flicks, even today. Those who refuse to see it for the racial reason or know people like that. Tell them it really is just that good beyond the racial make-up, then tell them a White hero actually figures prominently in the end, so don't fret... ;-)

Well, i got to hand it to Marvel, though not always delivering great films, they manage to always stay on the right side of mediocre. I love the quality of their films, they more or less always look great, and in their films we constantly see great performances and witness memorable moments. But some of their films have stories and plots that can become somewhat predictable and washed down.

This is unfortunately the case with Black Panther, it is a really gorgeous film, and it has some good performances, but nothing like we saw in for example Thor Ragnarok, where Cate Blanchett and Jeff Goldblum delivered really memorable performances and are great villains, or Kurt Russel in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2. This movie lacks a memorable villain like these.

But it's not Jordan's fault, he plays the part really well, and might be the one that delivers the best performance in the entire film. But the character he plays simply isn't all that interesting or deep, and combined with a plot that is quite predictable, there simply isn't all that much excitement to go around. No nerve in the core of the story, almost everything you expect will happen, does indeed happen.

But of course, the movie has it's moments, there are many scenes that are hands down great. And some action sequences are really well orchestrated, for example a long one shot action scene inside a casino, which was quite good. And there are plenty of short scenes that brings the giggles and puts a small break in the action scenes.

The strongest part of the film is the visuals, it's quite obvious this movie cost a lot of money, though DC managed to spend 300.000.000$ on Justice League, and that movie looks horrible. Maybe Marvel just know how to spend their money more efficiently. But i wished they could have come up with a better story for Wakanda, though they did manage to establish the soul of T'Challa, we now know him, his moral standpoints and his capabilities, which is exactly why i recommend you to see this film.

Though not by any means a perfect movie, far from it, it's still a worthy entry into the marvel universe, but don't expect any surprises, this is a straight forward film, but it's an important stepping stone before the majestic Infinity War enters theaters in about 2 months, which is not only the most expensive film ever made, but also the movie with most A list stars ever made. And it's nice to know all the character's that will face Thanos.

TL;DR - Great visuals, weak story, predictable plot, not very exiting villain.

6/10 - Fair

First of all, I'm glad that great ratings are continuing to climb on this film despite the phony low reviews that have been given here. My experience after watching it twice and also planning watching a third time, believe the hype.

Ryan Coogler does an excellent job and the actors are incredible. He knows who his strong actors are and they deliver 110%. He made Michael B. Jordan's role as Killmonger so complex that you didn't know whether to dislike him or be on his side despite how menacing he was. I cannot wait to see him in Creed 2 so I can be reminded it that he really is a good person lol!

This movie doesn't really show heavy action for Black Panther (you get that intro in Civil War) but it introduces you more to how he operates as the new king, and the choices he will have to make. However, leaves you satisfied just the same.

Ludwig Gorranson who does an excellent job with the music score, is no stranger when it comes to working with Ryan, as he has worked with him in Fruitvale Station and Creed. The music score is a character within itself, as they literally speak for Black Panther/T'Challa and Killmonger during their quiet moments. The research and tours with these excellent musicians during his visits to so many countries in Africa really showed, and I understand why Coogler likes working with him.

I do hope people do not fall for these bad reviews which are obviously there to try to scare people away. My parents are not even into comics and they enjoyed every second. For a lengthy movie, it didn't even feel like you were there that long. Go see the movie for yourselves. Everyone isn't lying when you hear the majority saying something is that great.

It's a typical Marvel super hero movie, if you liked the others you'll like this one. I found it to be pretty mediocre, but I've seen much worse. I went to see it because on RottenTomatoes it is rated 98%, do not understand how that can be the case, wondering if they took money to pump the movie? :(

Thanks for a wonderful performance even while battling cancer. Few people could've done what you did and even fewer could've done it with such panache.

This movie doesn't deserve a 10 star rating, I agree, but it doesn't deserve all those 1's and 2's from the haters either. It remains to this day, one of the best standalone Marvel movies ever made.

You'll be sorely missed.

8/10

This is my first public movie review. So I will keep it 100 percent positive i.e. all things good. I want to start with positivity. It was a good movie. Solid 7/10.

Chadwick Boseman, playing the protagonist King T'Challa/Black Panther, has nailed the parts of "a good man", "king" and "warrior". The Kingship, channeled through his acting, peaked in the scene where he raises his voice in front of the preceding black panthers (in 2nd limbo/dream/ other world sequence) to make a point, his point, a point to bring change, a point that challenges the orthodox thoughts of the preceding Kings/Black Panthers. That is the sequence when the audience learns that the King has arrived(BAM!!). Killmonger, the antagonist , has also been acted very well. Michael B. Jordan, as Killmonger, brought a mean/maniacal/destroyer look to him, which was enhanced by the upper body scars created by the makeup department, each scar stood for a kill. (There may be a technical term for the scars, Please comment if you know). Martin Freeman's character could have been more explored, because to me his look was too similar to BBC Sherlock's Dr. Watson. I was getting confused as to why or what Dr. Watson was doing in Wakanda? (Watson-Wakanda, maybe there is some connection.)

There were multiple story arcs that were pondered upon in the film. The rise of a king, the revenge of an outcast (outcasted without his fault), a general's loyalty towards throne or the man sitting on the throne, a son dealing with demons created by his father and many more. On a personal note, I think the arc of Killmonger could have easily been taken to some other direction. His character has got such enriched background and history that so much more could have been done with his character.

The visual effects were superb. Scenes such as the entrance to Wakanda, the dreamland/limbo sequence, the Black panther cave, the Vibranium structured city stood out amongst many others.

Another uplifting thing about the movie was the comedy. The comedy that erupted between King brother and prodigy-scientist sister and between Dr.watson and Man-ape/M'Baku were the ones that stood out for me. I could narrate some of them in fresh fashion but I do not want to spoil the joke! So just watch it yourself.

Costume design in the movie is another area that must be applauded. The Black Panther's costume is like Deadpool's costume. There is nothing fake about it. You don't need to CGI it. You can put a jacked dude in that costume and you've got yourselves a Black panther, looking person. It just feels real. The vibrant costumes worn by all the cast such as Queen mother and different tribes and people of Wakanda had a fresh feel to it. The costume design was as unique as Wakanda is supposed to be.

Overall a good movie. Worth a watch in a theatre.

SUMMARY- A "good MAN" must become flexible in his/her ways if duties of "a king" are to be performed aptly.

I feel so bad giving this film a poor rating, because I feel it's important for many reasons, socially, culturally, so important to finally see a principally black cast lead the way in the year's biggest movie event.

Dazzling special effects, great acting, but aside from that I couldn't say much in favour of the film, if I'm being totally honest it bored me throughout, I yawned the whole way through, as everything in this movie has been literally done to death, it lacked pace, it lacked energy, it was hard to stay engaged.

I saw it based on the many wonderful and positive reviews, maybe I was having an off day, it just bored me to tears. It's interesting, but all of the critics seemed to rave about it.

I want to give huge credit to Chadwick Boseman though, he was great here, what a brave man, RIP.

3/10.

Having seen the overwhelming critic reviews and overall success and accolades that this film has received, the hype for this Black Panther film was at a height that rarely many superhero films (even films of any genre)have amassed.

This film is visually stunning, with great direction, and overall acting. Likable rooting characters but in general, there was a lack of interest. The story line felt as if we have seen before. The plot isn't quite as refreshing or unique as originally thought, and at times was somewhat boring.

We can see as to how and why many people have considered this film to be overrated and not nearly as great as its critics are founding over. Perhaps this is one of those films where we need to have interest in the culture and overall character landmark to fully feel connected. In the end, one was left disappointed.

I am an avid fan of sci fi and action movies. Lately (for years now), I have gone to the theaters feeling empty after watching these newer films - they leave me wanting more and better - more action, better story line, better acting, better character development. However, after watching Black Panther, I think I have a little hope for movies restored in me. Without going into it, the story line was easy to follow, easy enough for kids and complex enough for adults to ponder as well. The acting from every single cast member was great, Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, and Danai Guirira stole the damn show. Danai Gurira's character (Okoye), I think stole the fight scenes, and I wasn't mad about it. The fight scenes were great, really took me back to the glory days of movies (without too much CGI). You definitely get character growth and development in this movie. Kudos to the director and cast for putting 100% authenticity into this movie. I have watched this movie 3x and cannot wait until I get it on DVD!