Marvel fans were worried how the Black Panther franchise could continue without the Black Panther.
Thankfully, director Ryan Coogler refocused the Marvel films and came up with a way that honored star Chadwick Boseman and set the table for more adventure.
In the sequel, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” T’Challa’s mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and his sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), are in charge.
Bassett is particularly good, bringing her concerns to the United Nations and standing up to the outsiders who want to threaten Wakanda. Her Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination is fully warranted.
Wright is good, too, trying to piece together medical theories that could explain what happened to her brother and how the underwater people and their leader, Namor (Tenoch Huerta) manage to survive.
Namor wants Wakanda to form a pact with Talokan, the underwater kingdom that seems to have roused interest from the United States and its vibranium-detecting machines. There’s a lot to glean from Shuri’s visit underwater, but there’s also a big question that emerges: Could this be a little too close to “Avatar” for Disney’s comfort? The underwater populace is blue, able to make things glow and blessed with knowledge mere mortals couldn’t even consider.
To settle her own concerns, Queen Ramonda tries to find Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), who has been gone since the blip. Living in Haiti, she didn’t want to be caught up in the unrest that could have accompanied T’Challa’s death. She still has skills, however, and comes to Shuri’s rescue when the underwater world becomes an enemy.
Coogler embraces ceremony and, in many instances, makes us feel like we understand what Wakandans are like. Even better, he gives us a glimpse at the Tolokan that makes this relationship intriguing, even though it may not be.
For good measure, Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) are here, trying to make the CIA an important part of Wakandan decisions.
Ruth Carter’s spectacular costumes score again (extending to the underwater folk who, in Namor’s case, have winged feet to worry about) and Ludwig Goransson’s music is both reverent and hopeful. When Rihanna sings “Lift Me Up,” you can tell this isn’t just another superhero film.
“Black Panther,” in fact, is on a higher plan than most. It creates a world, inhabits it and gives reasons for its people’s actions. It’s a bold mission statement that’s largely due to Coogler. He makes the 160 minutes worthwhile, even though it’s missing its key element.
