Is Marvel Cinematic Universe a Success
The fourth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been well, let’s just say that it’s been fascinating.
It is a phase that has had a lot of really high highs, such as three generations of web-slingers uniting in Spider-Man: No Way Home and the refreshingly unique take on time travel with the only Disney+ Marvel series to get a second season in Loki.
However, it has also experienced some fairly huge lows, such as the now-famously boring Eternals and simply being too on-the-nose for its own good. Both of these examples are pretty substantial lows. She-Hulk is an attorney for the case.
Black Panther Wakanda Forever vs Black Panther
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had to be a smashing success for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that many fans believe that Phase 4 was a bit of a disappointment.
In light of all of this, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever needs to be more than just another serviceable Marvel movie. It had to be something that demonstrated that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is today as relevant as it was when it was first introduced.
Does it feel like it accomplished what it set out to do? If you ask this lowly writer, who is ready to start yet another discussion about a Marvel movie, it’s a home run.
Suffice it to say, the film that’s primed to end Phase 4 has quite a lot resting on its shoulders. Not only is it the sequel to one of the most financially and culturally successful Marvel films ever made, but it also has the nearly impossible task of honoring the star of the original film: “Chadwick Boseman” following the actor’s sudden passing in 2020 following a long and private battle with colon cancer.
Chadwick Boseman was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Black Panther, which was one of the most financially and culturally successful Marvel films ever made.
In light of all of this, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever needs to be more than just another serviceable Marvel movie. It had to be something that demonstrated that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is today as relevant as it was when it was first introduced.
Does it feel like it accomplished what it set out to do? If you ask this lowly writer, who is ready to start yet another discussion about a Marvel movie, it’s a home run.
See Also: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Cast
What ‘Black Panther’ Does Better than Wakanda Forever
Wakanda Forever has received a lot of praise, but that does not mean that it is flawless.
In fact, there are a few problems with the movie that prevent it from being a perfect Marvel adventure.
Riri Williams, portrayed by Dominique Thorne, believes that her role as Ironheart does not provide her with sufficient opportunities to showcase her talents.
It’s not that the character is unlikeable or that Thorne provides a horrible performance; rather, it’s because the overarching tale doesn’t really offer her anything to do other than maintain her connection to the vibranium reserves.
She made the same mistake that America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), who appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, did and falls into the same trap.
It’s true that she plays an important role in the story, but she doesn’t have much of a chance to shine because it seems that the point of her appearance is to set up another plot thread.
Computer-Generated Imagery: Black Panther Vrs Wakanda Forever
On the technical side, there are a few CGI hitches here and there, continuing Marvel’s long record of subpar work in the visual effects department due to the mounting scandal regarding overworked and underpaid VFX personnel.
The use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) is, on the whole, an improvement over the infamously cartoonish-looking finale of the last film; yet, there are certain points in the film that can pull you out of the action.
Aneka’s (Michaela Coel) and Ayo’s (Florence Kasumba) relationship is summed up in a laughably minute scene that lasts less than 10 seconds in Wakanda Forever, demonstrating that Disney still has a long way to go for LGBTQIA+ representation in their theatrical films.
Speaking of unfortunate trends from Disney’s recent films, Wakanda Forever features yet another example of queerbaiting from the House of Mouse.
It is impossible to deny the incredible cultural impact that the original Black Panther picture had, which is nearly impossible to reproduce. This is one of the things that the first film achieves better than the sequel.
The movie did wonders for black representation not only in the Marvel universe but also in superhero films as a whole. It gave children all across the world a new group of heroes who looked like them, and it did so in a positive way.
Not to mention the fact that it is the first movie, which makes it the picture that gets the most credit for being the one that introduced moviegoers to Wakanda and the people that live in it.
Last but not least, Namor still isn’t quite up to the level of Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger in terms of being one of Marvel’s most formidable antagonists.
Even while Namor and the Talocanil are far from being a boring adversarial force, they just are not able to compete with Jordan’s legendary foe and the real-life issues that he represents. Black Panther Vrs Wakanda Forever
See Also: Black Panther 2: Where can I watch?
‘Wakanda Forever’ Has a Slower Pace and Stronger Character Moments
Although the first Black Panther picture is excellent, it is typical of Marvel movies in that it lacks a significant amount of the director’s personal style.
Don’t get me wrong, Ryan Coogler does include a lot of his trademarks in the picture, such as the one-take action scene in the casino and different themes dealing with racism and injustice, but overall it still very much feels like Marvel had the majority control over the film. Don’t get me wrong.
This is a double-edged sword, as it indicates that the movie will feature the majority of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s signature elements, if not all of them. This is a formula that can occasionally become tedious and monotonous.
To summarize, the first Black Panther movie has the vibe of a Marvel movie, and Ryan Coogler is the director of this film. Wakanda Forever has the feel of a Marvel film directed by Ryan Coogler; to put it another way, this has the feel of the movie that Ryan Coogler intended to make but never got the chance to.
Even though those plans were obviously scrapped after Boseman’s death, this still feels like a film in which Marvel took a backseat and let Coogler honor his coworker and friend in the way he wanted to do so. He initially wanted to make another version of a Black Panther sequel at first, but those plans were obviously scrapped following Boseman’s death. Black Panther Wakanda Forever vs Black Panther
When you think of a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, the first thing that probably comes to mind is noisy action, with a large focus on comedic moments. Black Panther Wakanda Forever vs Black Panther
Wakanda Forever most definitely has those qualities, including large-scale epic fights between the Wakandans and the Talokans and intense moments of laughter brought about by the absolutely contagious charisma of M’Baku (Winston Duke) and Okoye (Danai Gurira). However, the frequency of those instances seems to be a great deal less frequent than what was witnessed in the last movie.
That is a really positive development, seeing as how the action and humor in the first Black Panther movie were among the least strong aspects of the film. The final battle between T’Challa and Killmonger seems like it was lifted straight from the first Daredevil movie, which was released in 2003, and Shuri‘s joke about “what are those” is still seared into my brain as one of the most archaic and cringe-worthy references in any Marvel movie.
You can tell that Wakanda Forever places a greater emphasis on the smaller dialogue moments and character development because it has the second-longest duration in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and clocks in at almost three hours.
The scenes from Black Panther 2018 that stand out in my mind are the ones that focus on the smaller character moments. This may be the reason why some people are quick to dismiss the picture as dull.
Those instances in which we get the chance to learn more about Wakanda and these individuals, and it is of the utmost significance that we hear from this character at this particular juncture. Black Panther Vrs Wakanda Forever
Characters’ Participation And The Demise of Chadwick Boseman
In the Episode “Wakanda Forever,” Shuri, Namor, and the Other Characters Are Chained by Their Grief.
It’s highly unlikely that Letitia Wright ever anticipated that she would take Chadwick Boseman’s place, especially so swiftly.
Putting away her dated references to vines, Shuri was still a tremendous presence as one of T’Challa’s close confidants. She served as Q to James Bond.
As the main protagonist of the movie, Shuri goes on an unbelievable journey, and everything she does is driven by the pain she has for her deceased brother. She is unable to fully commit herself to her profession or accept her inheritance as the Black Panther because of this grief.
She suffers an even deeper loss when her mother, Ramonda (Angela Bassett), is killed in the conflict with Namor, but in the end, she is able to find peace and be able to properly remember the family that she lost because of her quest for vengeance. Black Panther Wakanda Forever vs Black Panther
Speaking of Bassett, her portrayal as the widowed queen is more than deserving of an Oscar, and the returning supporting cast members Winston Duke and Danai Gurira also show their sorrow of loss in more subtle ways throughout their roles. Black Panther Vrs Wakanda Forever
Despite the fact that Namor, the Talokans, and their ancestors never knew T’Challa, they too, are the products of pain, albeit one that has been passed down through generations. The cruelty that the Mayans endured at the hands of the Conquistadors, both voluntarily in the form of conquest and involuntarily in the form of the spread of smallpox, is directly related to the origin of their kingdom under the sea, which was founded as a result of this suffering.
Years later, when Namor finally witnessed the atrocities of the slave trade, he swore that he would do whatever in his power to protect his people from being subjected to such brutality ever again.
In all honesty, this is what makes the struggle between Wakanda and Talokan so interesting to see play out. This conflict is not as straightforward as one between good and evil. Black Panther Wakanda Forever vs Black Panther
This is a war between two nations that are afraid of each other and what the rest of the world would want to do with them. Both nations are made up of living, thinking people with goals and ambitions as opposed to simple foot soldiers or drones, and both nations are afraid of what the rest of the world would want to do with them.
Although the film’s themes of bigotry may not be nearly as culturally current as those seen in the first film, it is nonetheless a wonderful commentary on the extent to which individuals are prepared to go for peace, justice, and retribution.
‘Wakanda Forever’ Is Better on a Technical Level
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a product that, in terms of its technical aspects, is significantly more polished and meticulously thought out than its predecessor, both in terms of its visual and aural components.
Because of the breathtaking cinematography of Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Loki), the breathtakingly technological landscape of Wakanda looks better than it ever has before. The same can be true for the underwater kingdom of Talokan and even something as mundane as Boston (not to knock Celtic town).
Fewer action scenes give a clear improvement in quality over number. This is because they take advantage of the long takes that Coogler loves to execute and also bring a bit more visceral savagery to the existing moments. The showdown that ends the movie between Shuri and Namor is a real highlight.
A tense and dirty conflict between two desperate rulers who are only fighting for survival has taken the place of two CGI figures having a Playstation 2 brawl on a bullet train track. In its place, we get a conflict that is tense and dirty.
The film has fantastic visuals, but the sound design is nothing short of stupendous, both when there is a lot of activity on screen and when there is a lot of silence. First, there is the aspect of the music. Ryan Coogler and the composer Ludwig Goransson (The Mandalorian) decided to use themes connected to T’Challa very infrequently. Black Panther Wakanda Forever vs Black Panther
In fact, they only used them in their entirety during the opening sequence of the funeral for T’Challa, and they only used portions of them when Shuri became the Black Panther.
The new score that Goransson comes up with is fantastic, but he also shows restraint for many sequences where music wouldn’t be needed, such as the main tributes to Chadwick Boseman and much of the action scenes, giving the audience the opportunity to really think about what they’re seeing in silence, with the only sound being the occasional clash of blades. For example, the main tributes to Chadwick Boseman take place during the film’s opening credits.
It’s difficult to argue against the fact that directors were given a little bit more leeway to be creative during Phase 4, despite the fact that this phase has been called into question.
Eternals are visually consistent with Chloe Zhao, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a clear return of the hallmarks of Sam Raimi, and Thor: Love and Thunder are as humorous as Taika Waititi would have wanted it to be. Say what you want about them, but the fact remains that they are visually consistent with Chloe Zhao.
As for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, it’s a showcase of both a phenomenal tribute to a beloved performer, but also a marvelous film that shows that the MCU still has some tricks up its sleeve as long as it has some of the best filmmakers working today behind the wheel with that person, in this case, being Ryan Coogler.
