Film A tight (but not airtight) sequel
This film had a daunting task before it: tell a story that's a sequel to a beloved movie, after the actor who made the lead role so iconic passed away. But in that regard, I'd say it definitely succeeded, but not to a flawless degree.
I'll start by saying that the greatest strength of this movie, is the acting. Every actor gives a rock solid performance, and you can feel the emotions they're feeling emanating off the screen as you're watching. One thing that's always very important for me in a story, is character motivation, and I bought all the character's motivations pretty well. Honestly, it's not easy to get me emotional when I'm watching a movie, but this one got me very close. The highlight for this one is definitely Letitia Wright as Shuri.
The story in this movie is good, but not great. It jumps around different locations and plot points, to the point it can feel a little scattershot, while it's not to the point it's hard to follow, there may be a few points where a viewer may be rolling their eyes as it returns to a particular storyline. The central conflict (another important of a story to me) is also very clear, which allows the important parts to stand out. There are also a few twists in this movie, some I saw coming, some I didn't, and I think most can guess who the new Panther is, but I won't say it. Also, it should be said that the tribute it pays to Chadwick Boseman is very good, and should be commended. The action is also improved, owing to improved CGI (for the most part), and some comparably more grounded scenes. In the end, the story I think could've been stronger, but it's fine for what it is.
As Marvel antagonists (I'd rather not use "villain" in this context) go, Namor is one of the better ones, but he's certainly no Killmonger. Part of the problem, is that we don't really get a chance to dive into Namor's mind, which is a common feature I notice in Marvel's best villains, so we mostly see him from the POV of Shuri, and the other Wakandans. But he's still a powerful screen presence (in no small part due to Tenoch Huerta's performance), and massive props for taking a comic design that so easily could've been VERY silly, and making the character legitimately intimidating. The world of Talocan is also really cool, though we admittedly don't learn or see that much of it, at least not as much as I would've preferred.
Unfortunately, there are some things that hold the movie back, which prevent it from being something really good. Though I can't go too detailed without going into spoilers, I will say that there is a plot line that deals with Agent Ross, and relates to a future MCU project, that could've (and probably should've) been cut. While it initially does tie into the conflict with Namor, after the first act it stops being particularly relevant to the broader story. Also, while Dominique Thorne is really good in the role, Ironheart isn't a particularly fascinating character, and the movie doesn't really explore that much of her; like what's really inspiring her to building her own Stark suit. I get part of the point is just to establish her as a character, going into her upcoming series, but she honestly serves more as a Living Macguffin in the grand scheme of the story (I won't say how exactly, but it'll be established pretty quickly). There's also a scene during the climax that I think should've been saved for the show, but that's neither here nor there.
In the end, I'll give it a solid 8/10. It doubt it'll pull new viewers in, and I think it could've been more streamlined, but it's still a solid entry in the MCU library (and certainly one of the better films in the otherwise rocky Phase 4), and an honorable tribute to Boseman.
Film The Perils of Origin Stories
Black Panther (2018) was an awe-inspiring blend of Afrofuturism and superhero flick. It revolved around two spellbinding performances: Michael B. Jordan as villain Erik "Killmonger" Stevens, and Chadwick Boseman giving us the Super Hero Origin of King T'Challa of Wakanda, the titular Black Panther. But Superhero Movie Villains Die... And two years after the film came out, Boseman Died During Production, forcing immediate and hasty rewrites. The first film's strength — its laser-sharp focus on T'Challa and Killmonger — became the second film's weakness, as director Ryan Coogler had to cobble together a script despite having nothing but Flat Characters to work with.
The film is essentially a tribute to Posthumous Character T'Challa, allowing both characters and audience to say goodbye to one of the greatest superhero performances this century. Those parts are tear-jerking and cathartic. The other 150 minutes, though... The new Main Character, T'Challa's Teen Genius sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), was almost exclusively Plucky Comic Relief in the first film, and fails to develop much personality without someone to bounce off of. General Okoye (Danai Gurira) has no arc; Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) has none despite gaining an Academy Award nomination. Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), the Love Interest, is all but Put on a Bus! We learn a lot about how each of these characters bend under the weight of tragic loss, but almost nothing about who they were before or are afterwards... and though it may be appropriate to watch them grieve, it simply isn't fun.
Namor the Sub-Mariner is a fascinating addition to the MCU, and Tenoch Huerta gives the film's best performance, but he too is dragged down by T'Challa's death, rather than counterbalancing Shuri as Killmonger did to T'Challa. While the film uses Namor to share pointed, angry observations about the bloody wake of colonialism, still felt to this day, it doesn't have time to share them well. Besides, the film is more preoccupied with setting up Namor's next appearance — which, to be sure, I'm very excited about — than with giving him much to do in this one. The same thing happens with Martin Freeman's CIA Agent Ross, who presence is essentially a Mythology Gag.
And when the film's Driving Question is who will take up the mantle of Black Panther, it's a problem when the film gives the wrong answer. It was the correct answer for the story but the wrong answer for the characters, and M'Baku lampshading it doesn't make it better.
The film not only suffer the Sophomore Slump so common to Marvel trilogies, but also a prequel slump. As coda to Black Panther 1 and prologue to Black Panther 3, it shines. As its own movie, it can't precisely claim to exist. We say "Wakanda Forever" not only because we love this setting, but because it'll only be good when next we come back.