Amph "You think you're the only superhero in the world?" - The Marvel Cinematic Universe

So with that news Avengers four could

Spoiler

indeed be time travel related and shift back and forth in time

 

Spoiler

I think it's almost a given at this point that it involves an exploration if not an outright repeating of past events, so time travel or multiple timelines is certainly on the table. A while back Kevin Feige made a reference to the Star Trek Next Generation series final All Good Things when talking about the end of Phase 3. That finale did involve coordinating events across multiple timelines.

Infinty War (A3) TV spot related:

Spoiler

In one of the TV spots Strange says that he looked forward into all the possible futures to see if Thanos was ever stopped and didn't look hopeful when Tony asked him if they won any. A4 may involve trying to create a future where they are able to stop him.

 

I should not have read your response. Will try to forget the

Spoiler

Doctor Strange

moment you paraphrased.

 

I forgot which thread we're in. Probably should have tagged that separately. Sorry Lok.

 

Continuing on the road to Infinity War, next up Thor: Ragnarok
Release Date: November 3, 2017 - Worldwide Box Office: $853,971,376


Now, I've been watching superheroes and reading comic book for nearly all my life and in the 1970s live action superheroes were still viewed by Hollywood and the general public as campy and childish. BIF! BAM! POW! were the standard fair for superheroes as Adam West's 60s Batman became a pop culture icon.

The 1977 The Incredible Hulk TV show took a more serious tone as it was a melodrama (with a sad Hulk "Lonely Man" theme song to boot) and became Marvel's first live action hit, as Lou Ferrigno's "Hulk" became as iconic as Christopher Reeve's "Superman" and Lynda Carter's "Wonder Woman." The sad Hulk melodrama lasted five seasons. However, in 1988, we got a glimpse in the future with The Incredible Hulk Returns as the Hulk and Thor teamed up for the very first time in a live action treatment. The show received huge TV ratings but it did not lead into the rebirth of the TV series or other superhero shows, which is so common place now. And it would be about 24 years before we see the Hulk and Thor stand side-by-side in a live action format.





But before The Incredible Hulk Returns, in 1987, there was this movie called Adventures in Babysitting, which featured a little girl that fancied herself as Thor. It was cute and a great tribute to the character. I love the homage to the Marvel "B-List" (arguably "C-List") character.



Finally, in 2011, the first Thor was released into theaters and made about $268 million at the Worldwide Box office. It was a more romantic and Shakespearean take on the character, as it was directed by Kenneth Branagh. It was a mild success, but nothing near Iron Man or the Dark Knight, and thus Thor retains a "B-List" superhero level.

In 2012, The Avengers film drops and Thor is given more comedic chops and really stands out when he's paired with the Hulk. It was "the beginning of a beautiful friendship."



In 2013, Thor: The Dark World was released into theaters and it received the MCU's lowest Rotten Tomatoes score at 66%. I noted the films production problems when I did the its recap awhile back so I won't go into much detail about here. The Dark World just didn't generate anything notable or remarkable, other than Loki stealing the film from Thor. Moreover, the film's production problems soured Natalie Portman on playing the role of Jane Foster. And as noted in this Vanity Fair article,

In 2015, we saw Thor, Hulk and company return in Age of Ultron, where Thor and Hulk were setup for Thor 3 as Thor pursued his visions and who's behind the Infinity Stones appearing, where as Hulk left on a Quinjet to be alone and no longer a threat to the general public.

This first news we hear about Thor 3 came in the October 2014 Marvel Phase 3 slate reveal at the El Capitan movie theater, where Kevin Feige said this:

​

Upon hearing this news, many Marvel fans quickly thought of writer, Walt Simonson's, comic book series by that name "Ragnarok." So, this title news was quite exciting and it cause many fans to think that "Thor 3" was going to be an epic "Lord of the Rings" type of film, with the amount of characters and drama that unfolded in Simonson's Ragnarok tale, perhaps some zombies and the return of the Lady Sif and the Warriors Three as well as the introduction of Beta Ray Bill.

And the we get some of the first of unexpected news about the story and tone for Thor: Ragnarok.

October 15, 2015
EXCLUSIVE: (CONFIRMED) MARK RUFFALO'S HULK WILL RETURN IN THOR: RAGNAROK

So with the addition of Mark Ruffalo to the cast, fans wondered what this meant and how it will fit into Simonson's "Ragnarok." So, a few months later in May 2016, it's revealed that Ruffalo's casting is important to the MCU's version of Ragnarok.

Thor 3 Is a Planet Hulk Mashup, Hulk & Thor Will Get New Looks

This was kind of disappointing for some Marvel fans, because they feel "Planet Hulk" deserves its own film and mashing up the story with "Ragnarok" might be a huge mistake as it would take away many of the elements that made each of those stories great.

​

A quote from a Vanity Fair article titled: Thor: Ragnarok Proves Marvel Is Not Afraid to Learn from Its Mistakes, which further describes Hemsworth's thoughts about his work regarding the Thor character:

And so, with Chris Hemsworth's frustration with the character in The Dark World and Age of Ultron, Feige and the rest of the Marvel creative team decided to make a tonal change on Thor.

Taika Waititi on how he found the funny bone in Thor: Ragnarok

And it turns out Waititi basically went fanboy and made a fanmade sizzle reel to land the directing job for "Ragnarok:"

Taika Waititi Admits He Used Torrented Clips For His Thor: Ragnarok Sizzle Reel

This fanboy [Waititi] done good.

Waititi further elaborates on "Flash Gordon" being a huge inspiration for "Ragnarok."

Flash Gordon is the Biggest Inspiration for Thor: Ragnarok

And at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel revealed the new logo for Thor: Ragnarok. It was definitely different in feel and tone from the original logo above. It caught the fanboys eyes for sure. Many could see it being very 1980s; a "Masters of the Universe" vibe.

Marvel Studios SDCC 2016 Panel - New THOR RAGNAROK Logo



And then the first teaser trailer drops on April 10, 2017


OH MY GOD! This teaser rocked on so many levels; from the sights and sounds. It certainly felt like the first Guardians of the Galaxy teaser that featured Blue Swede's "Hooked on a Feeling." Thor's hammer is busted! What does that mean!? I don't think anyone was upset with with the look and comedic overtones of the trailer. The fact that Thor was in the area to start off against a fierce opponent which turned out to be the Hulk and Thor's reaction was "YES!!! He's a friend from work!" sold so many tickets to this film. And the use of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" in the teaser was a perfect touch.

HOW LED ZEPPELIN’S ‘IMMIGRANT SONG’ WOUND UP IN ‘THOR: RAGNAROK’

However, it was a far from done deal to actually include the "Immigrant Song" in Ragnarok.

It took the entire making of 'Thor: Ragnarok' for Marvel to finally nab the rights to a Led Zeppelin song

Indeed, the inclusion of the "Immigrant Song" was a stroke of genius and not only did it play very well in the teaser trailer but also as Thor's theme/battle cry music.

So, right off the bat, Thor: Ragnarok starts off with the feels of Thor breaking the fourth wall and talking to the audience, giving the clues of how this film was gonna go. It was a fun bit of exposition and discovering that Thor was caged and speaking to a skeleton.

The opening sequence was just a perfect way to rehab or soft reboot the character and the franchise, as we watch Thor interact with Surtur. And speaking of Surtur, how great did he look? He looked so badass and cool. Moreover, his domain was awesome. It provided a different realm he haven't visited before and it felt sincere, not the world of the Dark Elves in the previous Thor flick.




And as soon as Thor and Surtur are done mansplaining, and a bit of delay, the mighty Thor get his hammer and rocks out to the "Immigrant Song." And it was glorious. Some of the best hammer time we seen from Thor and we better enjoy it while we can.




And when Thor returns to Asgard, keeping in mind what Surtur had told him that Odin does not sit on the Throne, he knows it's Loki disguising himself. To which, Anthony Hopkins does a magnificent performance channeling his inner Loki. I mean, I truly felt that Tom Hiddleston was wearing Anthony Hopkins skin the whole time. Additionally, the play that was a tribute to Loki was outstanding with the story and the surprise actors playing the roles.




I'm running long in post and short on time, per usual, so I'm going to quickly highlight some points.

I like how the mention Jane and Thor are no longer a thing and ain't no big thing to Thor, so the movie could answer that relationship question and just move forward.

I love Dr. Strange in this film. The portrayal of the character in this film felt more magical than the previous.
Dude is wearing gloves and the Eye of Agamotto and is just teleporting from one room to another without waving his hands. And the teleportation had effects on Thor. So much fun.



Cate Blanchett as Hela was both cheeky and respectful. Meaning, she embrace the silliness of the character but also gave it grace and dignity.



I love the world of Sakaar. So colorful and embraces Jack Kirby's art.




Jeff Goldblum was sublime as the Grand Master


I love the inclusion of Willie Wonka's theme song of "Pure Imagination" before Thor meets the Grand Master.

I'm so glad this scene was included, as fanboys pointed this was an Easter egg in the original film and conflicts with Thanos' quest.



The fight between Thor and Hulk is an instant classic and one of the best action pieces in the MCU.





They made Hulk so sweet and vulnerable in this film.



I love Banner had to hear Stark's clothes.



The Loki and Thor scene were so poignant and touching, you understand their relationship as you get stories of their history of growing up together.







So, Thor's hammer was like Dumbo's feather.





This is just beautiful to look at.



Basically, Thor: Ragnarok is my third favorite MCU film. It one of those movies where one scene leads into another perfectly, and you don't want to pause or walk away from it when you're watching at home. There's no good break in the film, which means it's well paced, captivating and entertaining. It's a sparkle to the character.

I'll say more later. I had to leave work and catch my train home.

 

@Sith_Sensei__Prime - you are worthy. Wait a second, you wrote this at work?!? Where do you work (if it's Disney, I am sure they approve.)

Beyond Strange's inclusion (which I agree with 1000%), my favorite scenes were Thor's battles with Surtur and the final fight. You see the evolution of his abilities and growth as a character (and the lightning coming out of him is just so damn cool. That is Thor: No alien bullpucky. That's mythology and a nice nod to some of the better Thor stories too. Goldblum was fun. I really liked Odinson and Banner/Hulk's exchanges too. I would be happy to see these two team up again at some point, because they're just so much fun together. And the Immigrant Song as Thor's battle theme is just perfect. And of course Mr. Goldblum was just hilarious (I'd be open to a Goldblum / Russell Eternals buddie movie but that's just how I roll). I liked Karl Urban's one comedic moment too (when he is allowed to get funny, he absolutely nails it.) Heimdall had a few nice moments too (but no one has screwed up Heimdall so that's a testament to all the filmmakers and Idris naturally).

Quibbles: I am still rather prickly about the instant dismissal of the Warriors Three, and am not fond of Cate or Theresa in their respective roles. I'd prefer Sif in Valkyrie's role (and given Sif being on Earth and elsewhere she could have fit that role easily, but yes, of course, Jamie's scheduling conflicts.) I also felt they dropped the ball with Odin's proper death. There was no emotion there, it felt like a disconnect. I think if Jeff Goldblum would have been the villain proper and Surtur sat in for Hela's role, it would have worked better for me. They still could have worked in Fenris.

Did Waiti work? Yes and no. The dynamic between Thor and Hulk/Banner was great, the Grandmaster was fun and Waiti had a really good eye for battle sequences (the fx for the Valkyrie flashback were beautiful) and cracked a few good jokes. Plus, the Immigrant Song was inspired all the way. No, in that not of all of the humor worked and some emotional payoffs are sacrificed for the next gag.

Of course, I'd probably see the next Thor if Waiti, Hemsworth and Marvel decide to do one more (I almost want to see them approach old King Thor because I think the humor could work perfectly there and subvert the mauldlin aspects of that variant of Thor, while giving Chris a chance to do something else entirely with Thor and still be fun, heroic, plus cranky. And the librarian from the God Bomb arc was one of those few characters from Aaron's run that makes me think he'd be utterly hilarious in live action especially if Waiti got his hands on that character.)

Superb write up as always, and now I want to watch more than the Strange moments again.

 

Dahhh!!

 

Thanks!

Yeah, I do all of these recaps from work. Most of them from memory too. I don't work for Disney, but I did send in an application/resume to Pixar once years ago. I never heard back from them.

I totally hated that the Warriors Three were killed off, especially Fandral and Volstagg as they literally didn't have a fighting chance. At least Hogun was able to get a proper battle before he was killed off, but still. I don't buy Feige's comments in this SyFy article:

Their ends, Fandral and Volstagg, were not noble. I found it to be akin to Luke tossing his lightsaber over his shoulder in The Last Jedi; unexpected and not appreciated. As least Lady Sif wasn't killed off. And it would have been very nice to have her play the role of Valkyrie in Ragnarok, but I thought Tessa Thompson did have great chemistry with Hemsworth and Ruffalo, and so did Sony, which is why the hired Hemsworth and Thompson for the upcoming Men In Black flick.

Anyway, farewell Warriors Three, I barely got to know thee in the MCU.



The reason why I like Blachett as Hela is because she gave the character nuance, charisma and was tonally in accord with the film. I think someone that didn't embrace Taika's version of the character or a lesser actor would have played Hela as a straight arrow and made the character as memorable as Malekith. Also, I don't have any imagination as to who else could have taken the role. I mean, I've seen Charlize Theron and Emily Blunt play similar characters in the other Hemsworth flick The Huntsman: Winter's War and those performances fell pretty flat.




Additionally, it's a very fine line between being self aware and campy. I feel that Blanchett kept Hela on the side of "self aware" and gave the character gravitas. If she didn't, her performance could have looked like this:






I really respect the art of acting and performing. I mean, it's truly remarkable when an actor can convey a character essence through simple facial expressions and body language, like this:





I felt that Blancett gave Hela some wonderful nuances and personality. I mean, I love how she just created this unstated confidence and power when she first faced of with Thor and Loki:



It's so Terrance Stamp from Superman: The Movie.



I also feel Blachett gave Hela a sense of grace and royalty in her body language and the way she delivered her lines, even during comedic moments. There's always a feeling of dignity to the character.



And I love how the movie let the audience know when Hela was about to kick some ass, when she transformed her hair into that icon head piece. How awesome and faithful that head piece is to the source material? I love that Taika embraced the crazy designs of the comic books. I think in the early 2000s, in the days of Singer's X-Men and Affleck's Daredevil, this costume designed would have been laughed at and dismissed. I'm so happy things have changed.




And talk about performances that convey the essence of a character through facial expressions and body language, Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster is a scene sensation.




And I would agree that some of the jokes in the film missed their marks,


but most of them did hit their marks. "Get Help!" being one of the best ones, because not only was it funny but it gives Thor a scene and a history where he has the upper over Loki. In previous films, Loki typically bests Thor.








So, Ragnarok was refreshing in that it gave the spotlight to Thor instead of Loki.




Additionally, Taiki played off of Loki and Thor's brotherly history and created that thread of Loki appearing before Thor as an image, to which Thor throw a rock at throughout this film, to confirm or disprove if Loki was actually there. And it paid off in the closing scene of the film, where the two share a very loving and brotherly moment.



The are a lot jokes within the film, and some of it underminds and undercuts the dramatic moments of the movie, but what's never lost in the film is its heart and the bond between Loki and Thor. I feel it a perfect closure between the two characters in the Thor trilogy, as in the first film we see Loki and Thor fighting side-by-side against the Frost Giants, but Loki's desire for their father's love got in the way. But now that Odin had died, they find themselves true brothers again; a perfect circle.

And that is what most of all I like most about Taiki Waititi's direction of Thor: Ragnarok was the ability to make Thor standout and not be upstage by Loki, the Hulk, Hela or the Grand Master, which could have been so easily done with this cast and performances. Thor was given depth, charisma and personality.





Despite losing his symbol of worthiness, Mjolnir, Waititi gives Thor a symbol and image of growth and that's power without his hammer and lightning bolts, which is so Big Trouble in Little China.




It's the Dumbo effect as noted in this deleted scene (where we get more Goldblum genius:


Thor gets a visual and power transformation, that his power does not come from his hammer but from within himself.









By the end of the film, Taika puts Thor in a position of King of Asgard and shows that he is worthy to take Odin's place.





The films first end credit scene was this, a great teaser for Infinity War:

 

I'm going to rewatch Ragnarok in the next week and a half but after Infinity War. I get the feeling I'll need something light in the MCU. Well "light" even though there's mass deaths of Asgardians itself.

 

In case you click on the tweets to open them up someone posted a Language response to Evans' tweets.

and now...

Chris Evans' Winter Soldier Elevator fight rehearsals

 

Big fan of Ragnarok, but if I have one minor gripe, I thought it was bit lazy of them to use the same version of "Immigrant Song" twice. Would've prefered if they replaced at least one of them with the great Karen O/Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross cover.

 

If you're going to pay for a Led Zep song you milk it every chance you get. No quibbles from me.

Okay, this is definitely a matter of preference, but my issues with the ladies in Thor:Ragnarok comes from my failing to believe or connect with them, and my overall boredom with the MCU Asgard.

I'm all for different acting styles (and matching the tone completely. The AllFather knows I've enjoyed and love some pretty craptastic and campy performances in many an Italian, Asian, British or American movie). Indeed, Cate worked that mandate. She had and was fun, but I did not connect with her. I just felt like, "Oh. That's it?!?"

My issues are slightly different for Valkyrie. For me, this well extremely worn out trope twould have worked better with Sif, because I could buy her going through the down-troden, failed warrior arc. Theresa's introduction was hilarious, but as soon as I saw the route they were taking with her, I again felt like, "Oh. They needed a new character to do this? Why?"

So from character perspectives neither of these ladies worked for me. They're better than MCU Jane Foster, but that's not saying much for me. Natalie always phoned it in and her lack of chemistry with Chris was as big as Fenris. Unlike Cate and Theresa who gave all they could and worked well with the cast, except I felt nothing from or for them.
In both instances the T:R script failed these characters for me. This is probably due to my never given a flying fig newton about Asgard in the MCU, outside of liking a few characters or the battle sequences in this film. Stripping the characters away from the magic and mythology has a lot to do with that, so I just keep seeing aliens with vaguely Norse elements and not really caring beyond a scene or two.

Now that I think about it, the Asgardian parts/elements/some characters beyond Surtur and the final fight just did not work for me. Part of that remains the instant deaths of the Warriors Three (I agree, not noble at all); but I felt like these sequences were rushed ,because let's get Thor out of his comfort zone fast (which worked nicely for Thor), did squat for those characters who were never used to their full potential (and I hope Ray and Tandanobu get chances to do something else in the MCU). Granted, Asgard has never quite worked for me in the MCU anyway outside of a few characters, but the scenes off world were a lot of fun. So this felt like two movies to me that were partially successful because they removed Thor out of his rather ho-hum element of Asgard and then wiping out Asgard, we can finally connect with Thor and perhaps the other remaining Asgardians too.

I am glad that Theresa and Chris will take over the Men in Black series because Hemsworth is brilliant at comedy, and Theresa could be an excellent foil for him.

Despite my disconnect, I do hope Waiti and Hemsworth decide to do another Thor film (and please, please include Strange and Hulk again). Now that the baggage of Asgard is largely out of way, Thor can Thor without shackles or constraints. Chris was finally able to be Thor in Thor:Ragnarok and I hope we get another solo movie for him to expand upon that and kick Loki to the curb again (Loki's constant humiliation was another of my favorite things in this film which you so wonderfully waxed upon). And if Valkryie gets a character boost, I am all for that.

I think you once again addressed some excellent moments and performances. I think we're spoiled by so many talented actors taking on roles that we may have not have imagined them doing even 7-8 years ago.

BTW, double zillion bonus points for referencing Big Trouble in Little China; though I think Thor could easily electrocute Lightning with his power up.

 

Continuing on the road to Infinity War, next up Black Panther.
Release date: February 16, 2018 - Worldwide Box Office $1,316,285,631 (and still counting as of the date of this post)


Black Panther is the first Black super hero. However, it did not make a splash with the mainstream, or even with the majority of comic book readers. As a kid, I may own a handful of Black Panther comic books. I found the character boring. I can't remember why, but I just know there wasn't much I found appealing with the character back then. In more recent experiences, I still found the character a bit stiff and too rigid, especially when he was reveal to be part of Marvel's Illuminati. I'm glad he and Storm broke up because I love Storm and she deserved to be with someone more compatible. I did like when T'Challa was partnered up with Namor in "Secret Wars" after their recent history in "Avengers vs. X-Men." But I digress.



Of course, for many, when they hear "Black Panther" (before the MCU) they think of the "Black Panther Party" organized in 1966, whose core practice was its armed citizens' patrols to monitor the behavior of officers of the Oakland Police Department and challenge police brutality in Oakland, California.



So even though Marvel's character "Black Panther" predated the "Black Panther Party" it's commonly believed the character was named after the Party and representative the same principles and values. However, the "Black Panther Party" was very controversial because they were armed, aggressive and militant and therefore, being a comic book character, Marvel tried to distance T'Challa from the Party and changed the name to "Black Leopard."

So, when I was going up, there really wasn't much of any diversity in Hollywood. Most "Black films" were Blaxploitation:

And so I remember this 1987 film called "Hollywood Shuffle" by Robert Townsend that is a satirical comedy film about the racial stereotypes of African Americans in film and television. The film tracks the attempts of Bobby Taylor to become a successful actor and the mental and external roadblocks he encounters, represented through a series of interspersed vignettes and fantasies. Produced, directed, and co-written by Robert Townsend, the film is semi-autobiographical, reflecting Townsend's experiences as a black actor when he was told he was not “black enough” for certain roles. Even as a kid this film spoke very clearly and loudly to me about the way Hollywood views and delivers Black people in their film. My friends and I love this film for high lighting this issue in cinema and talk about how it was still so relevant decades after it was released.

And I few years later, Robert Townsend starred and directed the 1993 film, The Meteor Man, which was he attempt to create a character that could break through the dogmatic Hollywood racial beliefs regarding African Americans. However, The Meteor Man failed to garner any traction and is only known to few in the movie going audience. There were movies like Catwoman (2004) (recently, Halle Berry stated that she feels this movie opened the door for Black Panther) and Hancock (2008) that tried to create a path Black superheroes movies, but they weren't given the best directors or creative teams to achieve those goals. And Hollywood still retained the mind set that "Black films" are not blockbusters.

In 1998 Blade hit theaters, and it was a box office success, but nothing like we know today as a box office success. Additionally, most people did not know Blade was a comic book character, and thus why Blade doesn't get acknowledge by many as being a Black superhero.

However, before becoming the day walking Vampire Slayer, Wesley Snipes tried his hand at being T'Challa.

Wesley Snipes Reveals Untold Story Behind His 'Black Panther' Film

I really wanted to mention Robert Townsend and Wesley Snipes efforts because it really shines a spotlight on Hollywood's view on the portrayal of Blacks in cinema and TV and why a "Black Panther" film needed to address so many social and political issues. That Black Panther is just not another super hero.

So, with Black Panther having made his debut in Captain America: Civil War, the next task would be finding a director and vision for the solo film. However, Marvel couldn't just hire any director for the film. Moreover, for very obvious reasons, the director should be some of color and the search began.

May 13, 2015
Marvel Is Eyeing Ava DuVernay to Direct Black Panther or Captain Marvel

July 2015
Why Ava DuVernay Passed On Marvel's Black Panther

March 9, 2018
Ava DuVernay Discloses Why She Rejected the Chance to Direct ‘Black Panther’

​

So the search for a director continued.

January 2016
Marvel Studios Hires Its First Black Director

July 14, 2017
Black Panther director Ryan Coogler has a moving story about the day Marvel hired him

Dec. 29, 2017
Ryan Coogler Wasn't Ready to Direct Black Panther Until He Traveled to Africa

Feb. 9, 2015
Spider-Man shuffle: Marvel, Sony deal delays ‘Thor 3,’ ‘Black Panther

October 8, 2015
Marvel Shifts ‘Black Panther’, ‘Captain Marvel’ Release Dates for Phase 3

So, there had to be a large amount of consideration to take into account before the "Black Panther" film went into production because of the social impact it would have. Therefore, when you watch this movie, please take in account everything I posted above and how carefully this film had to be developed because so many people were counting on this film to be great and provide a creditable and positive Black superhero that could stand side-by-side with a Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Iron Man and Captain America.



Now, onto Wakanda and Black Panther in the MCU.


Wakanda first appeared as an Easter Egg is Iron Man 2 on a map. This was a seed that would blossom eight years later.



The next reference would be in Avengers 2: The Age of Ultron were Bruce Banner does some research on Ulysses Klaue.



And course, Wakanda is prepared to step into the spotlight in Captain America: Civil War. It's the death of King T'Chaka that gives birth to T'Challa to take the mantle of Black Panther.




And as I stated in my recap of Captain America: Civil War, the Russo Brother is an excellent job in providing Black Panther with an origin story, as well as giving the character gravitas and some badass moments.


On June 9, 2017 the teaser Trailer for Black Panther dropped and the announcement that the character is ready to "Step into the Spotlight." And IIRC, the origin of the hashtag #BlackPanterSoLIT


It was a film that generations were anticipating and very hopeful it would deliver on the promise of a great Black superhero.

The Black Panther film starts off with a couple of voices overs. One of a young boy asking his father of home (many initially assume this was a young T'Challa speaking to his father T'Chaka and Wakanda). The father tells the story of Wakanda and the audience gets some exposition through this voice over which is accompanied by animation. It's hear we learn the origins of Wakanda and why it moved into isolation.

The first scene is set in 1992, Oakland, CA about the time of the Rodney King beating and LA riots. The Black community is suffering from an inequality in the justice system and bias police brutality. King T'Chaka's brother, N'Jobu, has been a Wakandan spy in Oakland for quite some time and is secretly planning a revolution and wants to provide the weapons and technology to make it happen by stealing vibranium from Wakanda. However, do so would potentially expose the truth about Wakanda and would destroy the African Utopia. Upon learning this plan, T'Chaka confronts N'Jobu in his Oakland apartment and "accidentally" kills N'Jobu and fleas in his seemingly like spaceship that was witnessed by a young boy standing on a basketball court.

From there, IIRC, the film cuts to present day where we see T'Challa, in what looks like a spaceship, on a mission to stop human trafficking and pick up Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o). It's the 2018, and human trafficking (another form of slavery) is still occurring in parts of the world. After successfully completing his mission, T'Challa returns home to Wakanda.

Chadwick Boseman does a remarkable job with T'Challa, not only with the swag he provides the character, but the grace and dignity as well. Not to mention the accent. His accent helps sells the authenticity of Wakanda. I mean, Boseman's accent is so good that when he talks in his natural American accent it sounds wrong. Anyway, Boseman as gives T'Challa screen presence. Pretty much when T'Challa walk into the room the audience feels the royal nature of the character.






T'Challa returns to Wakanda to undergo the ritual and traditions of succeeding a departed King. There's so much care in the details and colors presented in the film, which further sells Wakanda as an actual place. Moreover, because the film plays on the themes of cultural history and heritage, it feels genuine when presented onscreen.



I noted in the Black Panther thread that the costume designs were heavily inspired by actual African Tribes. This care and attention to detail provided so much depth and richness to the film.











I love when Shuri and T'Challa interact because it brings T'Challa down to earth and allows him to be relatable. Despite being a King, his sister sees him as his goofy older brother that's gets nervous around Nakia. Shuri was the breakout star of the film. It's her genius and charisma that provides the film with some comic relief and that architect that's shaping Wakanda's technology. She's the reason why the film has that James Bond/Q feel to it.





After, surviving the challenge for the crown of Wakanda, T'Challa takes a spiritual journey to visit his ancestors, specifically his father on the astral(?) plain. And when he reunites with his father, it's one of the most power scenes in the movie as T'Challa kneels before his father, but he father tells him that he needs to kneel no more for his is a King. This demonstrates the growth and stature of T'Challa, as well as how he saw himself and how he should see himself. I can't remember if it's in this scene or another where T'Chaka tells T'Challa "it's hard for a good man to be King," which is foreshadowing events to unfold.





Per usual, I ran very long on the pretense of the film and running short on time, so I going to try and wrap my thoughts and impressions about this film.


I wanted to point out this scene where Okoye rips off her wigs and throws in the face of a White person. I watched a YouTube where a Black woman spoke how this was so symbolic of work place practices. That in one of her jobs, there was a memorandum sent around the office on what was considered work appropriate and how this banned dreadlocks and other Black hair styles. Thus, making forcing a particular hairstyle on Blacks. By Okoye throwing a straight haired wig away embodied a frustration imposed by certain work places and parts of society.



Enter Erik Killmonger.



Many viewed Erik as a revolutionist and identified with his motivations and reasonings, as he as a much a victim of circumstance and suffering under social injustices. Thus, some did not consider Erik a villain but rather an antagonist. I personally did not view Erik as a revolutionist or liberator, but rather a boy that suffered a tragic loss much like another Marvel antagonist/villain named Erik. This other Erik who also suffered from tragic loss and was affected by his circumstances, that of being Jewish in Nazi Germany, and that was Erik Lehnesherr, aka Magneto. Both Eriks want the world to feel their pain and give those that were victims of circumstance and suffered social injustice the power and abilities to fight back against their oppressors. It's no wonder that Killmonger and Magneto are among the best "villains" we've seen on screen, as their histories, suffering and motivations are understandable and easy to empathize with.


Like Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan gives his character alot of swag. And every time he's on screen his commands your attention. Moreover, you feel the anger and hostility in Killmonger come through the screen and where it comes from. It's a frustration of being a victim and no one there to help. And so, you literally have to fight to survive your situation.




And I kind of felt the pain and jealously of Killmonger when he entered the throne room of Wakanda and how (IIRC) mentions they royal family and people of Wakanda were living in ivory towers and a Utopia while he and others were ignored and allowed to suffer in poverty and neglect. Additionally, I felt this was a metaphoric commentary on the US and First World countries on their neglect and apathy towards Third World countries. So, Coogler used Wakand's isolationism to show how inactions can result in creating and prolonging other worldly problems. Killmonger was perfectly designed to reflect a under privileged and neglect society.



As such, we get a scene where Killmonger (shortly after defeating T'Challa in combat for the crown of Wakanda) takes the magic herbs and visits his departed father on the astral plain. However, his reuniting with his father is drastically different that T'Challa's experience with his father. We see Erik as a very young boy, about the time when his father died in 1992. Erik is alone in his father's Oakland apartment. It's dead silent. No bright colors or mystical lights, just a feeling of despair. We hear Erik's father's voice, N'Jobu and shortly after a grown up/present day Erik. N'Jobu asks Erik, "No tears for me?" To which Erik replies something to the effect of "Everyone dies." This was the most powerful scene in the film for me. Having my own pass away years ago, it would have brought me great joy to speak with him again after so many years. So, seeing that Erik has no tears for his father after so many years is heart breaking as speaks to how Erik lost his humanity and his ability to feel emotions. It's also a reflection and commentary on going up on the streets of Oakland, which the director Ryan Coogler did.

So, when we get to the scene where Erik burns down the garden of heart shape herbs, it shows that's he not a revolutionists (so to speak) or a liberator, meaning, he had no plans of establishing a government or providing a better future for the oppressed, but rather he just wanted to see the establishments and powers at be to burn. And the best way to do that is have the oppressed given the power to do that.




"Black Panther" celebrates African culture and woman.





The only thing wrong with the film is the final battle between T'Challa and Killmonger. While the rest of the film is pretty much filled with people and bright colors, the final battle is held in a dark setting and the CGI is done poorly. It took me out of the film.




Killmonger's dying words where the deepest cuts in the film.

The film ends where it started, on a basketball court in Oakland. T'Challa reveals to Shuri (much to her dismay as she was hoping her first trip to California would be to Disneyland (product placement) or Cochella), that he plans reveal the truth about Wakanda to the world and break from free its history of isolationism. Wakanda will now act socially responsible and care for the under privilege and neglected, thus providing some solace in Killmonger's life and death. Therefore, the perfect place to start was in the building where N'Jobu was killed.


To sum up things quickly, Black Panther delivered on the promise of creating a hero that not only Black people could embrace and be proud of, but everyone as well. That a kid or a person of any skin color would admire and want to be Black Panther, much anyone would like to be Batman or Iron Man, is truly remarkable. And as such, elevated this comic book "C-Lister" to an A-Lister in the realm of cinema and now could stand along side a Superman, Wonder Woman or Captain America. This has been a dream and a passion for so many of people of color, especially for those that grew up in the 70s and 80s where Blaxploitation was very prevalent. Black Panther was not only about representation of an under served film going audience, but an emergence and shattering many of Hollywood's archaic views regarding Black people in films. I'm so thankful that Ryan Coogler and the rest of the creative team were able to deliver such a marvelous film and made a social impact.

I salute thee, Black Panther.


It's been a very long time coming.

 

In my rush to finish my recap, I forgot to "complete the circle" so to speak.

Earlier in my post above, I cited this quote from the director of Black Panther, Ryan Coogler, where he said:

Coogler brought the Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., influences full circle with T'Challa and Erik Killmonger. Killmonger is Magneto/Malcolm X, in that they saw change and revolution could only come through power and violence. Whereas, T'Challa is Martin Luther King, Jr./Professor X, in that they saw change and revolution could come through understanding and peace. T'Challa started a peaceful revolution through compassion, education and acknowledgment of social responsibility.

This element of coming full circle with Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., also answered the problems that Wesley Snipes and John Singleton had when they were trying to get their version of "Black Panther" off the ground. They had different ideas on what T'Challa should represent and how to make him relevant to social issues and what methods to use to address those social issues. Their ideas and failure just illustrates the complexity and difficulties in bringing "Black Panther" to the theater. He can't be just a generic superhero with dark skin. Black Panther has to be a hero that represents something and stands for something. Which is why Ryan Coogler deserves all the praise and accolades he receives as he masterfully navigated the film to address those problems, as well as shine a light on the neglected and under privileged.

There are some many metaphors, richness and subtexts within Black Panther that I forget to mention them.

 

I watched Ragnarok again recently and it really is a great movie. I'm a little sore in that it makes fun of my favourite character a bit too much (Thor is an utter goofball in it), but it's a testament to the film's overall quality and fun factor that I like it so much. My only real complaint is that I still don't think much of Elba's Heimdall, he just doesn't feel right in the role to me (I picture Liam Neeson).

The casting in the MCU is for the most part absolutely spot on though. Chris Evans is brilliant, RDJ is great, Sebastian Stan is wonderful, Chris Hemsworth is perfect, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Samuel L Jackson, Tom Hiddleston etc. The only one I think is off is probably Scarlett Johansen as Black Widow. For some reason, she's never felt convincing to me. It has worked well in spite of that though, I just think someone else would have been better.

I have yet to see Black Panther and as we're only mere days away from IW I'm regretting that. Do you think I will miss anything going into IW?

 

Looking at some of the footage of Infinity War, you'll probably miss out on a few things, but Black Panther overall is a self contained film. And the Russo brothers are excellent filmmakers, so I feel like they'll cover any gaps in knowledge organically in the film and/or through the context of the film, anything relating to Wakanda or the movie "Black Panther" in Infinity War will accessible to the general audience.

 

My schedule and such got the best of me, so no BP yet either. I will be renting Black Panther as soon as its available to do so (I was hoping it would hang around at the movies until early May so I could catch a screening before Infinity War next Saturday, but . Looks like it is finally gone this Tuesday.) I am looking forward to seeing BP for several reasons: I felt that Black Panther had one of the better entrances into the MCU and liked Chadwick and the cast immediately. I want to see Wakanda! Perhaps even more because Shuri reminds me of a former supervisors' daughter. This girl is going on 14 and excels in Math and Science, has a great sense of humor & self and has a beautiful (in heart and in person) mother. She also has several smart older brothers. So I will probably be squeeing "that is --- in 6-7 years!" every time Shuri is on screen. I think it is so amazing this kid has someone just like herself to inspire her. Will probably see her mom in a few characters too.

And since I dig warrior cultures, so I will enjoy that element very much. And, yes, Bucky. Bucky makes post credit sequence waiting so worth it.

I'll have more things to say in May, but I've been consistently delighted and impressed at the discussions here and in the Black Panther thread. Another excellent post @Sith_Sensei__Prime.

 

Martin Freeman had a great quote about often being the only white actor on the set of the movie: “This is what black actors feel like all the time.”

 

Here's an awesome timeline of the MCU and a great recap to prepare for Infinity War.

 

@Sith_Sensei__Prime did you get to see Black Panther again? It's still in a bunch of theatres but getting bounced in a week for Infinity War (personally I wish more theatres would dump some of the late March movies instead of BP). I'm hoping somehow to get in an BP/IW double-feature at some point on the weekend Infinity War comes out so hopefully it'll still be in one theatre. some owner has to know some geeks are going to want to watch both!

 

Obviously it's hard to say definitively without having seen IW but I would guess that being aware of the basics, which can largely be gleaned from the BP trailers, should suffice. Wakanda is incredibly advanced for an Earth based society. Like the Asgardians, they have blended their advanced technology with very traditional elements to preserve their cultural identity. And they're isolationists whose leader has decided to open their nation up to the world (so there could be tensions with supers and an alien invasion following shortly afterwards, though I think IW is supposed to be 3-4 years after BP). T'Challa's sister Shuri is a lot like Tony Stark. Okoye is the no nonsense head of the Dora Milaje and a very formidable warrior. I would mention M'Baku but I don't want to spoil BP for you (though I'm afraid IW will on that front, he was a popular character coming out of BP and I expect to see him featured in IW).

 

I am completely spoiled by BP discussions and I believe I will still be happily surprised when I do see it. That said, we will be fine for Infinity War. As mentioned, the Russos do a great job of introducing characters and settings to the masses, so I am not worried. I just wish it was a week from now because I will be the on way to the movie theatre to see IW.

 

The on-then-off-then-on-again rumor got some official life breathed into it. Officially not a certainty but currently the topic of internal discussions.

https://www.thewrap.com/marvel-kevin-feige-eternals/