After the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman, the face behind the mask of the Black Panther, Marvel fans everywhere were wondering what the future of Wakanda would be. The rise of a new Black Panther would come with the arrival of Marvel’s newest film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

The film begins with Shuri (Letitia Wright) frantically trying to procure an ailment for her brother T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) illness, but she finds out too late that the Black Panther has passed away, or, in Wakandan terms, gone to be with the ancestors. Shuri is then left to grieve the loss of her brother, and Wakanda is now without a king; therefore, Ramonda (Angela Bassett) must assume the throne. 

The hidden gem of a country soon falls into trouble with one of its own gems: Vibranium, the strongest element known to man, is in high demand, and Wakanda cannot afford to give it up to other nations for fear of them becoming more powerful. So, when a vibranium detector is created by a brilliant MIT student, Ironheart (Dominique Thorne), Wakanda must keep her and her creation away from the rest of the world; however, the Talokans–an ancient, Mesoamerican force from the depths of the ocean–threaten to take Wakandan, and the world, by storm. 

Many walked into theaters wondering how Marvel would address the towering elephant in the cinematic room of Chadwick Boseman’s untimely death. However, the film’s introduction was the perfect way to account for his death–not just in the MCU, but in the larger world, as Shuri dedicated every moment of her character and her person to making Boseman proud. 

As the film went on, viewers were reintroduced to Okoye (Danai Gurira) and her fierce female warriors of the Dora Milaje as they spear-fought their way through the Talokan army. Marvel’s fight scenes are impressive, but there is something extra powerful with the Dora Milaje: Having just their spears and their brains behind them, they always seem to find a way to fend off all attacks and get the last laugh at the end. 

Overall, I was very impressed with the film: The precision to detail through CGI–as there were many scenes underwater–was nothing short of spectacular; the inclusion of so many different cultures through the Wakandans and the Talokans is something I appreciate in any film; but to have it in a film like this, which already features strong, powerful, Black women and men as its protagonists, made it enjoyable to watch and gave me hope for a more inclusive future in the MCU and in the world of filmmaking as a whole. 

Overall Rating: 8/10