Black Panther:Wakanda Forever Review

The aftermath in Wakanda following the death of beloved King T’Challa includes grief that is spread throughout the nation. The rulers who replaced T’Challa struggled to unite the country and are faced with a new danger. The rise of a hidden nation with access to Vibranium threatens the power of Wakanda. In order to forge a brighter chapter, princess Shuri must take her mothers place as leader and guide her people away from war with a powerful nation. 

In this film, the Black Panther rises again in the form of a woman. Some believe that the Black Panther should have just been recast instead of being replaced by a woman, however, Pankhudi Prasad, a WHS senior, stresses the importance that “having a female ruler is a step in the right direction for women’s power shown in films.” Not only does having a female lead propel the idea of female’s power in films, it also respects the legacy of the late Black Panther played by Chadwick Boseman. As black panther rose in popularity, Boseman united many fans over the course of the movie premier and beyond by showing moral strength and the importance of protecting others. 

As a female leader, forces of grief and revenge within Shuri overpower her nobility as a ruler. The legacy of T’Challa haunts Shuri as she must make a difficult decision that will decide her legacy as ruler. Will Shuri damage her nation’s safety for her personal vendetta? How will Wakanda overcome the loss of their great king? This movie uncovers the answers to these questions while showing mortal flaws of revenge, love, and grief. 

Primarily, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever embraces the unity of family who may not be entirely blood, but family by choice. This movie challenged normalized ideas of women as protagonists and steps into the new era of feminism while retaining the culture of the movie. Will grief overcome reasoning? Find out by watching Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.