Cristian Raya
Chief Designer
Marvel Studios has hit the mark with their latest and final installment of Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever follows the story of Shuri (Letitia Wright), Queen Romanda (Angela Bassett), Okoye (Danai Gurira), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), and M’Baku (Winston Duke) and the nation of Wakanda following the aftermath of Phase 3’s Avengers: Endgame and the unexpected death of King T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). This film continues to expand on the greater MCU with the addition of Namor (Tenoch Huerta), the ruler of an underwater Mesoamerican city, and Riri Williams/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne), an intelligent MIT student and inventor.
Going into the movie, fans knew that it was going to be an emotional film as it addresses the real-life passing of Chadwick Boseman and how that is incorporated into the fictional world of the MCU. This film was story-based and character-driven, which can be felt through the actors’ performances. Fans can experience and feel the raw emotions of grief, loss, and love through the stellar performances from Wright, Bassett, Gurira and Nyong’o.
Wakanda Forever also continues to contribute to expanding diversity on the big screen. Not only does it continue to explore the African culture introduced in Black Panther, but it also introduces and explores Mexican and Guatemalan culture through the introduction of Namor and the city of Talokan. This expanding representation can empower younger audiences when they see characters that look like them on the screen.
Overall, Wakanda Forever is an emotionally satisfying next chapter for the beloved characters of Wakanda while also introducing new stories with new characters.
Catch Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in theaters now.
Raya’s Rating: 10/10
