Black Panther (2018)

[Jorge]

Yes some of the plotting was awkward

[dimejinky99]

What a weird film this is.
Not even gonna comment any further.

[96583UP]

Yes some of the plotting was awkward

racist

[96583UP]

What a weird film this is.
Not even gonna comment any further.

racist

[96583UP]

yeah, there was definitely some yadda-yadda-ing plot wise to keep things moving forward, but that's marvel movies for ya.

racist

[96583UP]

The part I couldn't handle was when the guy from Get Out was mad that BP couldn't being Smeagol back and then sided with Killmonger. Like, he's literally the reason BP couldn't bring Smeagol back but hey you go and do you.

racist

[96583UP]

i think the initial interest was teasing white folks who are high with self-satisfaction after seeing a movie

now just kind of making it up as i go

racist

[96583UP]

A film - especially when it’s brand new - being called “important” is one of the biggest red flags ever

racist

[96583UP]

I honestly thought it'd be The Last Jedi that tore this place apart, not this....

racist

[LoathedVermin72]

yeah, there was definitely some yadda-yadda-ing plot wise to keep things moving forward, but that's marvel movies for ya.

feck

[simple schoolboy]

When will Ta-Nehesi coates get his rightful share of Vibranium?

[LoathedVermin72]

For a movie that is being lauded as a milestone of black empowerment, this movie preaches awfully hard in favor of the societal status quo. The guy who wants to liberate the oppressed peoples of the world...is the villain? He’s the one character with personality and charisma and hip-hop swagger and he practically seethes black righteousness...and he’s killed? And that’s good? The isolationist ruling class retains social dominance...and hurray? Strange...feels like a message that would be in a sociopolitical opiate instead of a work of “black power” art.

This trash was every bit as bad as it looked. Ugly cinematography with flat, cheap, unimaginative visuals, terrible writing full of embarrassing Marvel humor that routinely undercuts drama and assures the audience they shouldn’t take any of this too seriously, boring-to-bad performances from everyone except Andy Serkis and Michael B. Jordan, and grating, pervasive, overbearing score that drowns out reflection or atmosphere. This movie is utterly bereft of feeling or soul. It is black empowerment (and art) neutered into homogenized meaninglessness.

The slithering, uncontainable charisma of Andy Serkis just amplifies the constrasting dullness of his surroundings. That guy is incredible, even though they try to ruin it every chance they get by making him say cringe-inducing lines like “That was awesome!”

[Bi_3]

For a movie that is being lauded as a milestone of black empowerment, this movie preaches awfully hard in favor of the societal status quo. The guy who wants to liberate the oppressed peoples of the world...is the villain? He’s the one character with personality and charisma and hip-hop swagger and he practically seethes black righteousness...and he’s killed? And that’s good? The isolationist ruling class retains social dominance...and hurray? Strange...feels like a message that would be in a sociopolitical opiate instead of a work of “black power” art.

This trash was every bit as bad as it looked. Ugly cinematography with flat, cheap, unimaginative visuals, terrible writing full of embarrassing Marvel humor that routinely undercuts drama and assures the audience they shouldn’t take any of this too seriously, boring-to-bad performances from everyone except Andy Serkis and Michael B. Jordan, and grating, pervasive, overbearing score that drowns out reflection or atmosphere. This movie is utterly bereft of feeling or soul. It is black empowerment (and art) neutered into homogenized meaninglessness.

The slithering, uncontainable charisma of Andy Serkis just amplifies the constrasting dullness of his surroundings. That guy is incredible, even though they try to ruin it every chance they get by making him say cringe-inducing lines like “That was awesome!”

[stip]

For a movie that is being lauded as a milestone of black empowerment, this movie preaches awfully hard in favor of the societal status quo. The guy who wants to liberate the oppressed peoples of the world...is the villain? He’s the one character with personality and charisma and hip-hop swagger and he practically seethes black righteousness...and he’s killed? And that’s good? The isolationist ruling class retains social dominance...and hurray? Strange...feels like a message that would be in a sociopolitical opiate instead of a work of “black power” art.

This trash was every bit as bad as it looked. Ugly cinematography with flat, cheap, unimaginative visuals, terrible writing full of embarrassing Marvel humor that routinely undercuts drama and assures the audience they shouldn’t take any of this too seriously, boring-to-bad performances from everyone except Andy Serkis and Michael B. Jordan, and grating, pervasive, overbearing score that drowns out reflection or atmosphere. This movie is utterly bereft of feeling or soul. It is black empowerment (and art) neutered into homogenized meaninglessness.

The slithering, uncontainable charisma of Andy Serkis just amplifies the constrasting dullness of his surroundings. That guy is incredible, even though they try to ruin it every chance they get by making him say cringe-inducing lines like “That was awesome!”

I disagree with your take on the characters, acting, cinematography, visuals (unimaginative..come on, LV), writing, etc, but this comment is interesting:

this movie that is being lauded as a milestone of black empowerment, this movie preaches awfully hard in favor of the societal status quo. The guy who wants to liberate the oppressed peoples of the world...is the villain? He’s the one character with personality and charisma and hip-hop swagger and he practically seethes black righteousness...and he’s killed? And that’s good? The isolationist ruling class retains social dominance...and hurray? Strange...feels like a message that would be in a sociopolitical opiate instead of a work of “black power” art.

If movies of this kind, with the sort of representation, were more common I wonder if this sort of critique would be more widespread, especially within the black community. To some extent the existence of the movie is itself a statement (and I don't think that significance should be understated), but is very much written from the standpoint of a liberal reconciliation rather than something truly more revolutionary (which is why all the reviews highlight how sympathetic Jordan is). But the film also knows that. It's a choice, and it is clearly put in front of the audience as a choice. It doesn't undercut Jordan's perspective to make its case. There's no straw men here.

But I wouldn't go so far as to call it an opiate. It is basically adapting the worldview of MLK as opposed to Malcom X (Letter from Birmingham Jail vs. The Ballot or the Bullet). It does preach black power and the responsibility of the black community to take care of itself, to save itself, to lead, and to show the way forward when the rest of the world can't see it. And the film is governed by a faith that that community has the tools to do so. And that is empowering, especially given how blackness is usually portrayed on screen. It just comes from a standpoint of hope, rather than rage, without deligitimating the rage.

And yes, it is fantasy, but a purpose of fantasy with social/political goals is to use other places, peoples, and setting to help transform our sense of what is possible. And so calling this an opiate is bold, but, I think, unfair and a bit misguided.

[stip]

By playing Killmonger (ugh) the way the movie does, too, it does maintain a bit of the danger and threat that he represents as a warning to the rest of the world. Here is an olive branch Work with us now, because if you don't, this is the alternative. Which is a very important part of that dynamic.

[dimejinky99]

Yay representation and that’s great but to make it all about tribalism and infighting and then that one scene with the lads going ugga ugga pretty much monkey noises at Freeman’s character ???? Followed by a ‘we’re all vegetarians’ (aka we’re not savages/cannibals) joke to put the nail in the coffin? Isolated culture that won’t integrate and share its culture and technology. This is representation?? It’s also generalised and cherry picked from what, countless different African cultures to do so? Can’t see that being welcomed but whatever.
Really really bizarre. Almost totally different for marvel though so it has that going for it.
The rightful king and heir is a dick but gets killed. Cos he’s a dick. What’s the message. I can’t tell it’s beating me over the head so much. Oh the ouch.
But overhyped cos of yay representation when in fact it’s pretty forgettable and unengaging.

[stip]

Yay representation and that’s great but to make it all about tribalism and infighting and then that one scene with the lads going ugga ugga pretty much monkey noises at Freeman’s character ???? Followed by a ‘we’re all vegetarians’ (aka we’re not savages/cannibals) joke to put the nail in the coffin? Isolated culture that won’t integrate and share its culture and technology. This is representation?? It’s also generalised and cherry picked from what, countless different African cultures to do so? Can’t see that being welcomed but whatever.

It draws from a number of different cultures. That's a problem why? And the we're vegetarians line is a joke, and also a statement - that the fierceness of the people (making the white guy nervous) isn't itself a threat.

The rightful king and heir is a dick but gets killed. Cos he’s a dick.

He's an heir, and I suppose he is rightful insofar as he wins that ritual combat. But that in itself is saying something because he is unfit - making a fairly subtle point about both the value and danger of traditions. It's a pretty smart movie making some fairly sophisticated points within the parameters of a large tent pole movie.

[epilogue]

Jesus, white people are the living worst.

[stip]

This thread is an amazing teaching tool.

[epilogue]

This thread is an amazing teaching tool.

*like