Review: Coogler's 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Is About Heartbreak

One of the most daunting tasks for a director is to deal with an external problem that entirely affects the filmmaking process, altering all of their original plans and carefully constructed ideas. The life and career of actor Chadwick Boseman had an immeasurable and overwhelmingly positive impact on the world, leaving an inspiring and culturally significant legacy after his passing in 2020. Black Panther director Ryan Coogler had to tackle the impossible mission of creating the Marvel Studios sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but regardless of the film's problems, there's no doubt that T'Challa would be proud of what 'he created at the end.

There has already been a lot of discussion about where the MCU's Phase Four is heading and what's driving it. "Directionless" is an adjective thrown around a lot about this next phase, but even before Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, I already disagreed with the use of that specific term now. even more. Themes can, indeed, be a direction anyway, and post-Avengers: Endgame trauma pervades all content released after its debut. In fact, the MCU has never been more thematically cohesive than it is now, addressing grief in all of its films and series, often the main narrative force in a few instances.

And that's precisely where Black Panther: Wakanda Forever shines. The theoretically long and cumbersome runtime is never felt when the film focuses on the distinct forms each character chooses to deal with regarding the loss of T'Challa - which inevitably has a more powerful impact due to the actual circumstances. . Shuri (Letitia Wright), Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Okoye (Danai Gurira), Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) and even M'Baku (Winston Duke) try to live in the "new world" in the way that brings them the more comfort, but not all succeed, leading to absolutely devastating interactions between them.

Every detail influences the grieving process itself: the connection to the person who passed away, the cause of death, and the shoulders on which they can rest their head during this stage, among many others. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, M'Baku shows pure respect, Okoye focuses on protecting T'Challa's sister, Nakia stays away from everything and everyone, Ramonda is forced to hold the invulnerable posture of a queen with a country and her people to defend, while Shuri has a complex journey with many ups and downs, making her a captivating protagonist worthy of full emotional investment.

Coogler explores all of these core Wakandans and their different methods of coping with the king's death in Wakanda Forever, building incredibly authentic arcs that silently - never before has a superhero movie had delivered such levels of emotion with pure silence – paying homage to the legacy left by the protagonist and actor. At no point does the film feel like it is profiting from any real tragedy, and the proof of this is found in a shocking and unexpected moment during the second act, demonstrating immense audacity and dedication to the main narrative theme. .

One of the most compelling lines in the entire MCU is found in WandaVision: "what is heartbreak but enduring love?" Black Panther: Wakanda Forever follows the Marvel formula in many ways - I'll get to that - but it still contains one of the universe's most cathartic, subtle and contemplative conclusions. cinematographic. An interaction between Shuri and Ramonda now remains very vivid in my memory, standing out as the most important moment in the entire film, where the characters discuss what their minds are building to cope with their grief. One remembers the comfort T'Challa brought her, while the other lets herself be drowned in the agony of her absence.

The film's ending is thematically immaculate and beautifully executed, lingering with an inspirational message genuinely capable of completely changing the perspective of a process often seen in a negative light. Shuri's journey in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever deserves careful analysis and serves as a positive example for all who find themselves in the same situation. Regardless of the general opinion of the film or even of Phase Four, the treatment of this sensitive subject deserves some attention...