I’m tempted to stay up way past my bedtime to catch it — we’re having a midnight showing at the Morris theater. I’m encouraged by the trailer and a few reviews. I only have two reservations, which are actually common complaints about the recent crop of superhero movies.
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Please don’t let it be about yet another cosmic villain with godlike powers threatening the fate of the entire planet. Smaller stories are better. You’ve already got unbelievable heroes, don’t overwhelm the audience with even more amplified conflicts.
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Please let there be some sense of humor about the whole affair. The protagonists are bouncing around in colorful tights. They shouldn’t take themselves too seriously.
Good examples of why you don’t need to blast us with gigantic world-shaking, universe-spanning battles are Logan and Ant Man. Perspective, please! Also, look at Thor: Ragnarok — despite the daunting title, it turned out to have quite a bit of humor about the whole romp.
I’ll be able to handle it if it violates either suggestion, but not both: deadly sober comic book movies about vast cosmic consequences will just put me to sleep. Especially if I do go for the late night showing.
My tickets are for tomorrow evening, and I’m extremely excited. The source material is based around the more recent stuff, and from what I read, has taken a lot of draws from Ta-Nehisi Coates’ time on the Black Panther comics. That’s been a fantastic run.
Near as I can tell it’s going to be about a political situation, which could be really bad news – see the Starwards Prequelogy – or it could be good. There are a lot of charismatic and lovely people in the central cast, so I’m hyped, I think they can do it.
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I can’t make it until Monday, but I am so excited! EXCITED.
Unfortunately, the lunatic fringe is already in a nasty froth about it all.
Going to see it with my boys on Saturday.
just got out of the theater (Black Panther is screened since wednesday in France)
Your condition 1 is granted, no cosmic menace here. That’s mostly family drama and fantasy politics. No real love story either
Condition 2, not so much. A light humour touch but not a comedy like Thor 3 or Ant Man. As far humour is concerned, it’s comparable to most of the Marvel series.
Bonus, there’s no white savior, nor a lot of non black characters either, Americans are not especially the good guys (nor the bad ones either).
I’m not a fan of the soundtrack, but overall it was a nice 2 hours distraction
One nice thing about the MCU (currently) excluding the X-Men is that at least for the near future there won’t be any awkward, shoehorned romances between Black Panther and Storm the way there was in the comic books.
Will Michonne have her trademark katana and flanking zombies on chains?
I’m sorry, but every superhero movie must include a giant blue laser beam coming out of the sky, and down to the tallest building in a city.
And every movie must be a superhero movie. Them’s the rules.
Not me. From the basic plot description it seems like a black empowerment movie that only the alt right can love. I don’t see what’s great about the representation of hereditary monarch teaming up with the CIA to crush a (probably justifiable) rebellion.
It strikes me as the worst sort of neoliberalist crap imaginable. White people have been using African warlords to repress their own people forever.
Going to see it in IMAX in just a few hours. Can’t wait!!
Think I woulda already banned Mike Smith for transparent trollery, myself. High marks for use of progressive language there. Sounds totally reasonable, and only context renders your actual intent obvious.
^Not that I’m recommending anything to PZ, just mentioning how I run my joint.
@great American Satan
That’s the general hot take that’s come through my various Antifa feeds. But sure. Trolling. Right.
I’m not a progressive BTW.
Can’t wait to see this! It’s gonna be sooo good!
Mike Smith @13:
Yeah, we all knew that.
@Mike Smith – If the Movie is anything like the animated series and the comic book, you have the story ass backwards. It’s the CIA that teams up with an African dictator to try and overthrow Wakanda to steal it’s resources.
See for yourself: https://thehiphopadvocate.wordpress.com/2018/01/31/black-panther-ep-1-bet-series/
>I’m not a progressive BTW.
Kinda picked up that vibe haha
Mike Smith is a secret antifa. I saw him at the meetings. If I have to out myself as COINTELPRO to bring everybody the truth, so be it.
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@alt x
That very well might be the case. I haven’t read the comics and I’m depending on second hand accounts. I hope I’m wrong. I’ll eventually see it in a year or two when I don’t have to pay for it. I rather see Shape of Water.
@great America Satan
There’s dozens of public Antifa groups on FB and other social media. Do you need me to link to the various people on the left taking the line I did?
Hey Mike Smith…
You are aware that not every comment thread needs you in it. Right? And that shitting all over a movie people are excited about based on third-hand accounts to play “liberaler than thou” is a dick thing to do? Cuz it’s a dick thing to do.
I’m not hearing a denial. Hey everybody, Mike Smith is an antifa domestic turrorist! Hide your cops! He hates blue lives ‘n’ shit!
@Antigone
your comment would be biting if I didn’t disappear for days/weeks at a time and only ever comment when I have something to say. I directly answered the thread title, gave a brief and *preliminary* judgment. That hardly counts as shitting on the film.
I’m also not a liberal in the sense you mean, so I can’t be liberaler than thou.
I actually do hate pigs. so whatever satan.
Don’t think this will resonate quite as well for the Brits.
The Black Panther was a very unpleasant criminal and murderer in the early 70s
24- Seems to be doing OK.
I guess the movie is revolutionary in the sense that it is not a movie with white dude heroes where non-whites play secondary characters who randomly die throughout. But on the other hand, it is another goddamned fucking super hero movie with bad fantasy physics, stupid car chases, stupid flying things that shoot missiles, ridiculous weapons and “skin tight armors”.
A godlike villain is fine if that villain is well-written and interesting (or at least fun). The best villain these movies have has been Loki and he’s most definitely godlike.
I saw it and quite enjoyed it, as I figured I would since I like most of the MCU that I’ve seen. If you dislike the MCU and superhero movies in general, yeah, you’ll probably be disappointed. Which is akin to drinking syrup when you were looking for vinegar and then complaining about how sweet it is. If you’re not into these sorts of movies, save yourself the aggravation and don’t see it.
I loved the visuals, the dedication to presenting a fantasy African setting minus the scars of colonialism, the fact that Killmonger had some very understandable motivations, but horrific methods. I think it’s the first time I’ve cried over a villain in a superhero movie. It was also the first time that the hero took long-term action that I thought would genuinely be helpful, instead of just popping up in a crisis to bounce around spectacularly.
It’s ok Mike, I’ll go see it twice, I’ll pay once for me, and one for you ;) You’re welcome!