Sarae Ticeahkie
Student Life Editor
@SylviaSeeks
The anticipated Walt Disney/Marvel Studios’ film “Black Panther” hit theaters Feb. 16, exceeding box office expectations with an estimated 426.6 million for its opening weekend.
The 134-minute superhero film, directed and written by Ryan Coolger, stars actors Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), Michael B. Jordan (Erik Killmonger), Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia) and Letitia Wright (Shuri).
“Black Panther” being the most impressive African American cast for a major Hollywood film, included in the cast, multiple strong leading women roles.
Based on the American Marvel comic book, Black Panther, takes place after the events of Captain America: Civil War.
King T’Challa/Black Panther (Boseman) returns home to the isolated technology advanced African nation, Wakanda to take his place as their new leader.
When an outsider conspires with a fraction of the country to overthrow and destroy Wakanda, Black Panther teams up with Wakandan Special Forces and CIA agent Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman), to protect his country as well as preventing a world war.
Coolger had only directed two films, 2013’s “Fruitvale Station” and 2015’s “Creed” before getting the opportunity from Disney to direct “Black Panther”.
The 200 million production budget gave Coolger the ability to make the superhero film meet viewer’s expectations.
Action films with such big-budgets, they tend to focus on mass destruction and predictable scenes.
“Black Panther” evenly distributed out the action and fighting scenes to keep the viewers’ attention and suspense.
The film is like all other superhero films, but with its cast made up of mostly African Americans, the entire film emphasizes African elements.
Each tribe from Wakanda have a specific color scheme and symbols that correlates well with each other.
The costumes designs are detailed will colors of reds, blues, oranges ands greens that make each tribe stand alone with their specific face paintings and body piercings.
The visuals throughout the film, like the advanced third world country where Black Panther is from, follow the same element.
For instance, in scenes, T’Challa sees a black panther as he goes through his spirit dream, the Kong-skulled palace of the renegade Wakanda tribe and inside Shuri’s (Wrights) lab as she presents inventions she’s created out of vibranium for the Wakanda forces and their country.
The fight sequences will have viewer sitting the edge of their seats.
In scene, T’Challa must submit to the sacred Wakanda ritual of blood combat to retain his throne, he is challenged by his long-lost blood cousin Killmonger (Jordan).
The fight begins on the top of a waterfall, where T’Challa and Killmonger fight to the death.
Every twist and turn from the two, and punctures from the weapons makes moves suspenseful.
The combat ends with Killmonger defeating T’Challa and throwing him off the waterfall.
This is the climactic moment of the film, and where the real action begins.
Following the film, the “Black Panther: The Album” soundtrack has remained no. 1 in the Billboard album chart since its release Feb. 9.
The album features artist Kendrick Lamar, SZA, The Weeknd, Schoolboy Q and 2 Chainz and more.
Top Dawg Entertainment CEO Anthony “Top Dog” Tiffith, Coolger and Lamar put their heads together for the album, pulling artists from across the hip-hop spectrum to create a revolutionary vision with songs like “Black Panther” “King’s Dead” and “Redemption” that are inspired by the film.