Reviews of Black Panther have been coming in for the last week or so with near-universal praise. It’s has been called Marvel’s best movie and the best movie of the year by too many critics to count. Overwhelmingly, reviews have talked not just about the incredible film that it is, but about the experience of watching it and about everything it represents, specifically for black audiences.
Just to pull from a few of my favorite reviews:
Jamelle Bouie at Slate wrote, “The best superhero films don’t transcend the genre as much as they embrace it in all its respects. […] With its aesthetic ambition, depth of imagination, and genuinely challenging themes, Black Panther belongs with this group. It doesn’t just capture the essential qualities of the character, it expands on the concept itself, standing as a film that matters for what it says as much as what it is.
Kenda James at Shondaland wrote, “In two hours and 15 minutes, Coogler and his co-writer, Joe Robert Cole, tackle the rippling effects of colonialism, racism, isolationism, and what it means to be brought up in a world that favors Western Whiteness over all else. The conflict in Black Panther hinges on the idea that racism is an evil that begets evil, and that oppression by white supremacy is radicalizing.”
Jamie Broadnax at Black Girl Nerds wrote, “The final word: it’s afro-futuristic and Blackity-black as hell. It’s everything I’ve ever desired in a live-action version of this popular superhero and yet so much more. Quite frankly, the experience is indescribable.
TK at Pajiba wrote, “Believe the hype. Because Black Panther is fucking amazing. It’s not amazing “for a superhero movie” and it’s not amazing “for a black movie” or any of that shit. It’s amazing because it’s a beautiful, meticulously created, gorgeously shot, incredibly detailed, terrifically acted, brilliantly directed movie. It’s funny and exciting and wondrous to look at. And that it is all of those things, with a virtually all-black cast save for Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue and Martin Freeman as CIA agent Everett Ross, and that is an achievement because no one has ever given this type of movie a chance to even exist before. Never mind to completely cut loose. Marvel appears to have given director Ryan Coogler full rein to create a vision of his own, and that vision is utterly breathtaking.”
We’ve been hearing this kind of praise from critics, but last night, the general public got to experience Black Panther in theaters, and the excitement was overwhelming. Technically, today is opening day for the movie, but Thursday night screenings were packed with eager crowds.
Black audiences went all out, from traditional African dress to movie-inspired costumes to drums in the theaters.
You know Black people showed up and showed out to go see #BlackPanther. 🙌🏾 (📷: Instagram) pic.twitter.com/FTNB8mB4WA
— ESSENCE (@Essence) February 16, 2018
#BlackPanther: Fans around the country dressed in some amazing clothing for opening night https://t.co/4H8fWnze59 #WakandaForever pic.twitter.com/tT8WIkrdeM
— Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) February 16, 2018
Last night at the @fanbrosshow #CrownWakanda screening of #BlackPanther #WakandaCameToSlay pic.twitter.com/SaV9hith6N
— Oyinade (@OhNaira) February 16, 2018
People were NOT playing about #BlackPanther at all lol pic.twitter.com/7dLFS3sYje
— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 16, 2018
Last week, the hashtag #WhatBlackPather means to me went viral, highlighting the importance of representation in entertainment. Last night, the pride of seeing black faces represented in a mega-blockbuster superhero movie was in full effect.
#WhatBlackPantherMeansToMe being able to see a princess that LOOKS like me and is smart, strong, brave, pretty and silly like me. Can’t wait to share this movie with #FlintKids #blackpanther #WakandaForever pic.twitter.com/q1v3setVOH
— Mari Copeny (@LittleMissFlint) February 16, 2018
Getting excited about our #BlackPanther @_MeetTheCritics #BlackPantherLive event on @colourfulradio tonight #Live at 7pm & came across this inspirational #photograph #WakandaForever @letitiawright pic.twitter.com/XeFm8pHRw4
— A Londoner’s London (@LondonersLondon) February 16, 2018
My little cousin that wanted “white skin” before because his favorite superheroes had it is all about #BlackPanther now. I’m so glad his Mommy took him to see it. pic.twitter.com/Nqh8AsR3dF
— Regular Size Rudy. (@thepbg) February 16, 2018
I will never get tired of seeing pictures of kids dressed in Black Panther attire (I still scroll through pics of girls dressed as Amazons), but the importance of representation isn’t limited just to kids. There are a lot of ways in which Black Panther is groundbreaking, not least of which is the ways in which its incredible success is both inspiring and sure to open some doors in Hollywood that weren’t open to black people before.
#BlackPanther at the Arclight Hollywood last night. Every brother in this photo is a screenwriter of movies and/or television. There are Oscar nominees and acclaimed showrunners representing. This is our excellence. #BlackMenSmiling #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/BUcvrGAiQa
— BrandonEaston (@BrandonEaston) February 16, 2018
Have you seen Black Panther yet? Was your screening this exciting?
(image: YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/Getty Images)
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