By Princy Jain
The people of Wakanda have lost their hero – King T’Challa (Lt. Chadwick Boseman). Queen mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett) & princess Shuri (Letita Wright) must overcome their grief, to save Wakanda & the mighty Verbanium from other powerful nations who are in forever quest of getting it. But that is not all. Wakanda has a new enemy! Namor (Tanoch Huerta)- the superhuman king of the underwater kingdom – Talukan and the other only owner of Verbanium besides the people of Wakanda. Namor warns the Queen! Either she should lead him to the scientist – Riri William aka Iron heart (Dominique Throne) who has developed the ship to trace Verbanium or he will finish Wakanda.
Watching an MCU movie is almost like an assignment for me. I do my research and then place myself in front of this cinematic spectacle. So, in my research for this one, I had found that the director Ryan Coogler was so devastated after the untimely death of actor Chadwick Boseman that he wanted to hang up his boots as director. This sentiment of mourning death of Boseman in real & King T’Challa in the plot, runs throughout the film. In a way, Wakanda Forever, is a befitting farewell to a very fine actor and this powerful character of MCU. However, nowhere does the director Coogler, and screenplay writer Joe Robert Cole, let this emotion of grief overtake this feisty saga of the people of Wakanda. That’s the beauty of this narrative. It has so much going from UN assembly where the Queen warns the other nations, in a rather roaring manner to Shuri’s attempt to save Riri, to the waters of Atlantic Ocean, where an underwater kingdom is about to be taken upon.
I particularly loved the winged-legged antagonist – Namor. Actor Tenoch Huerta has played it so well both in sorrow and angst. This is the much-awaited arrival of this Marvel comic character. Namor’s past story is full of passion and revenge, thus it makes you ponder – will meet a dead end or survive through? And his underwater kingdom – Talukan is a magnificent creation. All credit goes to the art & VFX team. While the fast half sets the premise of the film, it is second half where Okoyo (Danai Gurira), M’Baku (Winston Duke) & Aneka (Michaela Coel) comes in full force to take on the blue army of Talukan.
Now the most exciting bit. I loved the introduction Riri William leading her to become Ironheart. She even has some of the Marvel trademark humour to add. Like, “So you stop having Black Panther only when I am getting Kidnapped!” Marvel loves to entwine an undertone of another character in the main story and this is just the same. Ironheart character, when panned out completely can be an engaging one. Black Panther’s has a new swanky suit too, created by Riri.
Highlights:
- The film is about the evolution of a saviour of grief-stricken Wakanda. And Letita has played all these emotions so well. From naïve princess to a sharp saviour Letita’s a class act in every frame.
- The gifted actor Angela Basett, is so commanding as Queen Ramonda. She has looked so assertive even when she is drowned deep in the pool of sorrow after learning about the kidnapping of her daughter Shuri.
- And that last hour of a Marvel film. Every fan knows, it must get pacey and magnificent. It does in the one too, but a little less than expected. The final combat between the troops of Wakanda & the Talokan tribe could have been a more mightier than it is.
It is unusual for superhero film to bring the emotion of sorrow on screen and that too so well. The fans of the original film – Black Panther (2018) have been served a truly engaging tribute by director Cooger & his team.
I’d go with 4/5 Stars.