Legends Never Die: “Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever” Review

Audiences all over the world returned to the fantastical world of Wakanda when “Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever” hit theaters on Nov. 11. “Wakanda Forever” is the seventh and final film in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). “Wakanda Forever” landed at the top of the box office during its opening weekend. The film grossed 181 million dollars domestically and earned 331 million worldwide. These are the kinds of numbers you’d expect from a brand-new MCU film. 

Chadwick Boseman, who was the lead in the first movie, passed away before the sequel started filming, which altered the entire production. Fans were distraught when they heard the news and many were curious to know who would take his place as the new Black Panther. 

I was worried “Wakanda Forever” would be a two-and-a-half tribute to Boseman, but the film managed to tell a new story, while weaving in dedications to Boseman’s life. “Wakanda Forever” dealt with the aftermath of T’challa’s death and how the rest of the world wanted to exploit Wakanda’s resources. 

The sequel introduces a new villain, who is from an aquatic race and his goal is to create an alliance with the Wakandans for world domination. Angela Bassett stole the spotlight with her performance, especially in the scenes where the characters were reflecting on T’challas’s death and the impact it had on their society. 

Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri, started out as a comic relief character in the first movie, but the writers added more responsibility to her plate in “Wakanda Forever” and the audience got to see more of her personality besides being a witty tech-savy girl. 

“Wakanda Forever” was a step down compared to its 2018 predecessor. “Black Panther” had a better storyline, and Michael B Jordan’s character was much more compelling than Tenoch Huerta, who played Namor, the main villain in “Wakanda Forever.” 

I understand that the movie would’ve been completely different if Boseman was still alive, so I won’t be harsh on them. I’m glad they didn’t spend too much time with the characters grieving the fallen hero because I feel like audiences would’ve gotten tired of that after the first act. 

The holidays are upon us, which means families will flock to the theaters to spend some time catching up on all the movies they missed. I know “Wakanda Forever” will be one of the top choices this holiday season.