Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

The sudden death of King T’Challa has not only deeply affected the Kingdom of Wakanda. Both his sister Shuri ( Letitia Wright ) and his mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett ), who now reigns as Queen, are still in deep mourning a year later. In doing so, Wakanda must defend itself against attempts by the international community to obtain the coveted Vibranium, which only occurs in Wakanda and which makes both weapons and technology possible. The underwater people of Talokan take the form of King Namor ( Tenoch Huerta) to Ramonda. He enlists Wakanda’s help in finding and handing over the inventor of a measuring device that can also be used to detect vibration on the sea floor and that is also used in Talokan. If Wakanda doesn’t help him, he threatens war.

Not only is the kingdom lacking a protector in the form of the Black Panther, the people of Wakanda, with their strength and technology, have never faced an opponent who is equal to them through the Vibranium. Namor is more determined than they suspect…

There is surprisingly little of Black Panther in Ryan Coogler’s sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to see. That alone doesn’t have to be a point of criticism, especially since the production understandably deals with the fact that leading actor Chadwick Boseman died more than two years ago at a much, much too young age. Yet the story told here is reminiscent in many ways of DC Comics’ over-the-top action marvel Aquaman [2018], but takes itself so seriously that one wonders if the era of fleet-footed Marvel Comics movies is over.

The story begins with the funeral of the King of Wakanda and Black Panther, T’Challa, before the usual studio logo, which is silenced here. A year later, his mother, Queen Ramonda, is fighting international efforts to share Wakanda’s only vibranium, which enables not only advanced technology but also devastating weaponry. On a mission to the sea floor, American forces use a device that can detect vibranium, and the material is said to have been found there at depth. But the ship and crew are attacked and shortly thereafter, the king of Talokan, Namor, is standing in front of Ramonda and her daughter Shuri, who is also still in mourning. He is the only one of his people who can breathe not only in water but also in the air. In addition, Namor is not only stronger and faster than any human, but he also has pointy ears and can fly thanks to small wings on his ankles. Oh well, Marvel fans have seen stranger things.

• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever