Black Panther Movie Review (Well, More of a Personal Opinion)
Ever watch a Movie Review Program where the Hosts are Rating Movies and doing Movie Reviews? Their opinions actually matter and greatly influence Box Office numbers, which are directly related to a movie's financial success. So I wondered...why? Isn't it just an opinion? So I googled 'Movie Critic School' because I wanted to know if indeed these reviews are simply an opinion...like you or I have when talking about a movie with friends and deeming it good or bad.
Turns out that this Movie Critic thing is pretty serious! Here's what I found on Study.com:
It is helpful to take liberal arts or film classes in high school. A movie critic should possess at least a bachelor's degree in film studies, cinematography or journalism. Individuals who have opted for journalism degrees need courses in film studies and vice versa.
So what's the point here? The point is I'm not any of the above! Lol! I just saw Black Panther and this is an opinion, but at the same time, might have you see things in the movie that could actually be life-changing for some, or at least motivating...especially, I'd say, if you're African-American. I wondered why leading up to this movie's release there were so many early reviews stating it 'promised' to be the Greatest Marvel Comic Movie in History. It may very well surpass that honor and undoubtedly be nominated for every Oscar Award imaginable.
The movie is set in 'Wakanda', Africa, a fictional Country in 'The Motherland', which first appeared in the Marvel Comic Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966), according to Wikipedia. To the movie's credit, and just one of many reasons I find this movie phenomenal; it exposes the subdued story of Black people...African People...the First People. That fact ...well my fact (opinion...lol)...is supported by a weekend story, where a Movie Theater in Illinois thought Wakanda was a Real Country. So little is known and talked about regarding Africa that even Black Americans don't know ANYTHING! I NEVER learned ANYTHING about Africa while attending Allendale-Columbia School, a renowned Private / College Preparatory School in Rochester, NY...and that's not meant to slight the school in anyway, whatsoever. I would urge every parent in Rochester to have their cild attend my Alma Mater. Not just Allendale-Columbia, but schools in general don't teach much about Africa, to the extent there is a specific African History requirement to graduate...as there is one relative to American History. Indirectly, but cleverly, Black Panther exposes America's miseducation and frankly, ignorance, regarding even it's own origins...in terms of human inhabitants, and the very place from which each of us is derived.
The Black Panther movie's greatness lies within the vast amount of Symbolism throughout the movie, all of which speaks to the disparity of African people across the Globe. One of those symbolic expressions comes in the form of a fictitious mineral called 'Vibranium', an abundant, but secretive mineral stored and available only in Wakanda and able to sustain the entire Country...and there's no mention in the movie that anyone paid for the usage of it ...it literally maintained every thing needed in Wakanda, and man, was this stuff needed to support the unimaginable level of technological advancement in this Country. Upon leaving the secretive and advanced African Country of 'Wakanda', the Black people (specifically) in the 'Common World', had poverty, sickness, oppression, and despair as a daily part of their lives, as compared to the Elite lives being experienced in Wakanda...and Vibranium was able to eliminate all of that.
Vibranium, in my opinion, is symbolic of the UNITY which is readily available within the African American Culture but hidden and not realized. The movie also shows how using that mineral for the sole purpose of benefitting people of African descent (Black People), was not to everyone's advantage and the concept of providing for one's own is wrong and discriminatory.
Without spoiling things for you...there is a force of opposition introduced which challenges 'sharing' and prosperity for the entire world, in favor of only providing that for people of African Descent. The movie ends with Black Panther addressing what appears to be a room of all the World's Leaders with a call for all people to be Unified and for all persons to benefit from the Hidden Treasures of THE GOOD LIFE (symbolized by the fictitious Vibranium mineral) that's been hidden in Wakanda, with Wakanda being a Country symbolising the Greatness, Power, Influence and Beauty of people of African descent.
Graphically speaking, the futuristic & highly technological scenes, coupled with the absolutely gorgeous scenery of the vastly Beautiful African landscape, mountains, and waterfalls are simply breathtaking.
This movie will not only stir up motivation within anyone of African descent to UNIFY, it also speaks to the UNITY of all persons of all walks of life. Persons of African descent who see this movie will undoubtedly be left with a sense of appropriate Pride and an awareness of Ancestry ...whereas the movie continuously makes reference to 'The Ancestors' ... seemingly making a Statement representative of the Beliefs within The Conscious Community.
I could write about this movie and it's STATEMENTS for quite sometime, but instead of more possibly boring, but hopefully enlightening details, I would urge you to see this Historical Movie and long overdue depiction and exposure of the Distinguished, Strong, and Deeply Spiritually Rooted African / Black Race of people.
Thanks for reading.