‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ makes for stunning sequel

“Wakanda Forever,” the anticipated sequel to “The Black Panther,” had lots of expectations to  meet from fans of the beloved franchise, and it delivered. It was the final film in Phase Four of the Marvel universe, and was received with many positive reviews from its audience and critics. According to IMDb, It became the sixth highest-grossing film of 2022, making over $840 million in the box office. The beginning of the movie is already promising, and invokes immediate emotion from the audience. Whether tears or sounds of excitement, everybody in the theater was invested with what was about to come, and there was never a dull moment.

Like the first movie, “Wakanda Forever” was directed by American director Ryan Coogler and was produced by Marvel Studios. Production for the movie began in June of 2020, and it was finally released in theaters on Nov. 11. The movie had a difficult start, as it had to be rewritten due to the unfortunate passing of American actor Chadwick Boseman. But even with this necessary rewrite, the movie served as a beautiful tribute to the late actor, and was a memorable experience for those who watched it, including me. After the death of Wakanda’s protector, Queen Ramonda and Princess Sheri are trying to protect their nation from impending war with other nations. 

The movie revolves around Princess Sheri and her struggle with mourning the loss of King T’Challa, as well as figuring out how to protect Wakanda from any harm of other nations. One of these nations is the kingdom of Talokan, led by a man named Namor. The other nation threatening Wakanda’s safety is the United States, wanting to take its vibranium for military equipment and weapons. Sheri has to navigate through these possible threats with her mother, Ramonda, and the rest of the people of Wakanda.

Just like the movie before it, the soundtrack of “Wakanda Forever” is original and beautiful, with lots of diversity. It not only has English songs, but also songs in Spanish to represent the Aztec civilization of Talokan. The CGI has also significantly improved since its first movie, and is a lot better than previous Marvel movies that came out in the same year. This is especially evident from the action scenes throughout the entirety of the movie, whenn Sheri and Okoye are attempting to escape from the police. The reveal of the underwater nation Namor rules is stunning and makes the audience feel like they’re exploring the kingdom with him. The performances made by every actor, whether big or small roles, are all outstanding. Letitia Wright does a phenomenal job as Shuri, personifying the stages of grief that her character goes through at the loss of her brother. Angela Bassett does a phenomenal job as Ramonda as well, earning her a Golden Globe for best supporting actress, and an Oscar nomination for her impactful acting. Tenoch Huerta is able to play a convincing villain, making his first appearance one of the most terrifying introductions in the Marvel franchise yet. 

“Wakanda Forever” is a must-see for fans of the first movie, and even for non-Marvel fans as well. It was worth the amount of time it took to make, despite a few flaws it might have had. The movie is respectful to the legacy of Chadwick Boseman, and closes the chapter of T’Challa as Black Panther in a beautiful way. The movie is never boring, even with it being almost three hours long. “Wakanda Forever” is one of the best parts of phase 4 in the Marvel cinematic universe, and served its purpose as a sequel to “The Black Panther.”