A Brief Glimpse of Hope

It is not often that something breaks through the consistent black fog of despondency that surrounds me.  This weekend, however, there was a small breach.

Black Panther.

I have been anxiously awaiting this movie for more than a year, and I got to scratch that itch this past Saturday when I went to see the film.

I was not disappointed.  As with any movie, there were some “slow” parts, but once again Marvel Studios delivered a great entertainment experience.  I will not divulge any spoilers, I will simply give my impression of the movie.

Sets/Scenery/Filming locations: The scenes filmed in Africa were stunning. Wakanda came alive like a modern day Oz.  I really liked the juxtaposition of the traditional African accouterments with the futuristic technology.

The Cast: What else can I say??  To see a predominantly black cast and the movie not be about slavery - BONUS!!!  The cast members were people I could be proud of: intelligent, resourceful, creative, powerful, and fiercely independent.

The Women: I must give them their own paragraph.  NO BABY MAMMAS!!!!!!  The women were confident and strong.  They were the protectors of the realm.  Their natural beauty was highlighted - no relaxers, no weaves, no bleaching cream, and no colored contacts.

The Men: NO BABY DADDYS!!!!  The male characters were proud.  They took their responsibilities seriously and cared for their family and fellows.  They did not bow down to people of other ethnicities or look to them for their sense of self-worth or approval. 

Favorite Character: Killmonger.  I know he was the "villain" of the film, but I found myself understanding his position.  I did not agree with the way he chose to do something about the plight of his people but I take no issue with the reason he felt a call to action.

I really appreciated that this movie did not shy away from topics that are relevant for people of color today.  I know that this probably upset some white moviegoers, but hey, C'est Le Vie.  My response to that is this.  Just because something is irrelevant to your experience, does not invalidate that experience for others.  If you have never been raped, you cannot tell a rape survivor that he/she was not raped or that rape does not happen.  If you have never experienced domestic abuse, then you are not in a position to tell a survivor of domestic abuse that what they lived through is not domestic abuse.

But let's not end on a sombre note. 

This is a movie I would recommend to my fellow Marvel Universe fans.  Did it have some flaws?  Of course; every film does, but don't let that deter you from spending an evening being thoroughly entertained.   I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Black Panther Box Office as of 03/16/2018 - $1,126,476,528 worldwide.

Domestic: $578,376,528                 Foreign: $548,100,000

Ciao,
Stepford Escapee