Yes, I know. You've seen quite a few other articles that have the same tagline; why we all love Black Panther. I'm going to be honest, I'm not sure my reasons are going to be spectacularly different than anyone else's. But here goes. Here's why I really liked Black Panther. I did my best to keep major spoilers out of here. But you've been warned if you want to go into the movie theater with a clean slate don't read this.
1. Stong female characters.
I feel as though this is kind of the first thing everyone says about Black Panther, but it's true. The female characters in Black Panther were amazing. They were complicated characters, and not just when it was convenient. They were warriors and scientists, sisters, lovers, and mothers, none of these aspects over dominating any of their other traits. Most importantly the love they had for the men around them did not define them and they had other motivations such as loyalty, morality, and honor.
2. While the African nation the movie takes place in, Wakanda, is fictional the costumes worn by the actors did reflex that of real African culture and fashion.
It wasn't an exact match, which makes sense because ever country and groups of people in Africa have their own style so why wouldn't Wakanda's? For instance, the Basotho people who live in Lesotho wear blankets to protect them from the elements and the characters who wore them in Black Panther seemed to have a similar farming and shepherding lifestyle as the Basotho. Also, the writing that is seen in the background of various scenes draws heavily on Nsibidi a language that is found in current day southeast Nigeria. Honestly, there are several other examples of this and I highly recommend looking them it's extremely interesting.
3. This story is different than other Marvel heroes for several reasons.
One of the biggest is a hero with a strong culture that he get's power from. His darker skin and heritage is his strength and is celebrated in this film. Few of the other Marvel superheroes had a strong culture and none of them were black. This movie is long past due but it does a wonderful job.
4. Black Panther doesn't just cover African culture it touches on the struggle of those of African descent living in other countries and is not shy about pinpointing the exact problem in modern day America and where it started.
The villain who emerges is complex and sympathetic. He seems erratic but when you look closer you can see the strategy and careful reasoning behind his decisions.
So there. Four reasons you should see Black Panther. It also had it's funny moments and surprise twists. It may not have been perfect, but it touched on important points in our modern day society, something not many Marvel (or many other superhero movies in general) ever bother trying to do.
