Black Panther - Film Review

**WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS WITHIN**

There’s no denying the cultural significance of a film like Black Panther in today’s blockbuster landscape. It’s the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to feature a predominantly black cast. Just this fact alone marks Black Panther as a singular entry in this franchise and a major achievement in its own right, and with the excellent writer/director Ryan Coogler at the helm, a strong ensemble led by the likes of Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o and Michael B. Jordan, stunning visuals and an expansive, believable world, it stands as one of Marvel Studios’ most unique offerings yet.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is it still succumbs to the standard Marvel movie weaknesses: all-too familiar story beats and an underdeveloped villain. Plot-wise, it feels like bits and pieces of movies we’ve seen before, a little James Bond here, a little Lion King there (no joke). But while the predictable plotting and simplistic character beats hold Black Panther back from true greatness, they can’t quell the overall entertainment value and delight of Coogler’s unique vision, a vision which adds further, much-appreciated variety to the MCU.

I won’t go into the plot too much since there’s still a week to go before the film is officially released, but I’ll offer a brief summary. In the aftermath of his father’s murder (recalled in a brief flashback), T’Challa a.k.a. Black Panther returns home to take his rightful place as Wakanda’s new king. But while T’Challa would prefer to keep his people and resources safe by cutting them off from the rest of the world, a force from outside Wakanda’s borders threatens their very existence and a dark secret from the royal family’s past could bring about their kingdom’s destruction.

Black Panther takes its time doling out information at the start, building its expansive world and setting the stage for events to come. It’s a bit slow and plodding with little action or excitement, but Coogler combats this by filling the frame with colorful visuals and endearing characters to keep us engaged. It’s one of the few films in the MCU that has a strong visual identity, its striking production design and effects work feel unlike anything we’ve seen in this universe before. Wakanda teems with life, beauty and culture; it’s a living, breathing world you totally buy into.

Things pick up when the story transitions into its fast-paced second act, and from that point on the awesomeness rarely lets up. The action sequences are exciting and engaging, with some amazing fight choreography. One sequence in particular, which features a fluidly moving camera ascending between two levels as it follows multiple fight scenes without a single, visible cut, is an astonishing achievement. This is followed by another of the film’s highlights, a breathtaking car chase through South Korea’s fluorescent cityscapes, featuring Black Panther’s superhuman acrobatics as he leaps and flips between cars and buildings like a total BAMF. As with most of these movies, Black Panther’s third act devolves into the standard CGI action climax we’ve come to expect, but Coogler has done such an excellent job getting us to that point and ensuring we’re invested in these characters it doesn’t hinder its effectiveness.

Rounding out Black Panther’s greatest assets is its phenomenal ensemble. As the titular hero Chadwick Boseman does an excellent job conveying the character’s nobility and conflict. Lupita Nyong’o plays the love of his life, dishing out sage wisdom and ass-kicking in equal measure, and few things are more enjoyable to watch than Danai Gurira of Walking Dead fame twirling a spear and wiping out the baddies. Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman also make a welcome return, reprising their roles from Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War respectively and giving us the Bilbo/Gollum reunion we’ve all been waiting for.

The ensemble’s standout, however, is newcomer Letitia Wright as T’Challa’s younger sister Shuri. She serves as the film’s ‘Q,’ developing new weapons and technology for her older brother. Many of the film’s highlights and biggest laughs involve their sibling squabbling and interactions.

This brings me to perhaps my biggest beef with Black Panther: its villain, Erik “Kill Monger” Stevens. As Erik, Michael B. Jordan gets a lot more to work with than the standard Marvel villain. His motivations are strong, personal and much more human than your average ‘take over the world’ schemes….even though that ends up being his ultimate goal. But you understand why he feels this way.

The problem is we don’t spend enough time with Erik to get a real feel for who he is. He’s not introduced as the film’s true antagonist until about halfway through the runtime and by that point we’ve spent so little time with him, it feels like an odd left turn, unmotivated by the events leading up to it. Jordan’s performance is good, but one-note. Erik is angry, brutal and aggressive without much room for nuance or subtlety. It’s easy to understand what he feels and why he feels that way, but it’s harder to empathize with his brutal methods. As portrayed, he comes across more as a scorned, angry teenager than someone with genuine grievances. It undercuts what would otherwise be one of the stronger villains in the land of Marvel and it’s a shame that Coolger and co-writer Joe Robert Cole couldn’t interweave Erik’s storyline more organically into the rest of the film.

Black Panther works in so many ways and feels so creative and full of great ideas that you can’t help but wish it felt a little more original in the storytelling department. It’s a reminder that it’s possible to recognize the cultural significance of a product while also acknowledging that it falls short in other areas. That being said, Black Panther is one of the stronger solo hero entries in the MCU, succeeding as an exciting action/adventure that carves out a new section for this expansive universe to play in. It contains moments that will take your breath away and more than make up for its weaker tendencies.

But perhaps Coogler’s greatest accomplishment here is that he was able to dive into the well-oiled machine that is Disney/Marvel and create something that feels like a sincere expression of his own heart, a product that feels epic, but also has something important to say. In that regard, Black Panther is more than just a movie - it’s a celebration of a culture that has for far too long been marginalized and under-represented in these kinds of movies. I can’t imagine how exciting it must be for a young black boy or girl to finally get to cheer on superheroes that look like them.

It’s about damn time.

And for those interested, here’s where Black Panther fits into my MCU rankings:

1. The Avengers 
2. Captain America: Winter Soldier 
3. Captain America: Civil War 
4. Iron Man 
5. Thor: Ragnarok 
6. Iron Man 3 
7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 
8. Black Panther 
9. Guardians of the Galaxy 
10. Spider-Man: Homecoming 
11. Captain America: The First Avenger 
12. Avengers: Age of Ultron 
13. Ant-Man 
14. Doctor Strange 
15. Iron Man 2
16. Thor: The Dark World 
17. Thor 
18. The Incredible Hulk

Blade Runner 2049 - Film Review

I was a senior in high school the first time I saw Blade Runner. I’d received the bare bones Director’s Cut DVD as a Christmas present from a friend (This was before 2007’s robust Final Cut release) and I’d caught an awful cold that left me exhausted and somewhat delusional.

For some reason, I thought this was the appropriate state of mind to watch this dark, disturbing and cerebral film.

For two hours I sat there and watched Ridley Scott’s visual masterpiece, totally zonked and fading in and out of consciousness. Blade Runner is a tough enough pill to swallow when you’re not suffering from a massive head cold, and in this neurotic state of mind, I had no clue what to make of it. It’s a reaction not all that dissimilar from that of audiences back in 1982 when the film was first released.

But in the years since, film fans and critics have re-examined Blade Runner and come around to its groundbreaking and influential style, going so far as to call it a cinematic classic. It’s a film that gets better and better each time you watch it. I can attest to this personally. While my first viewing was less than satisfactory, I discovered a lot more to love the second time around. By my third viewing, I’d determined it was one of my all-time favorites.

I bring up this story because my experience watching Blade Runner 2049, the 35-years-later sequel, was very similar to my experience watching the original for the first time, minus the outright dislike.

Like its predecessor, Blade Runner 2049 isn’t interested in playing nice with the audience. Its methodical pacing (almost too methodical at times), limited emotional connection and lack of action sequences seem tailor-made to defy audience expectation and test the attention spans of those accustomed to the standard 21st century blockbuster. Its plotting is clunky and scattered, pointing in every which direction like a compass in constant motion seeking out Magnetic North. It doesn’t cover any visual or thematic territory that the original hadn’t already touched, and at 163 minutes it’s way too long.

And yet, despite these shortcomings, It is an undeniably fascinating viewing experience and one of the more intriguing and unconventional blockbuster releases of the 21st century. Director Denis Villeneuve has churned out some of the best films released in this past decade (Prisoners, Sicario, Arrival), but this is a crowning achievement of another sort. He’s managed to take a sequel no one thought they wanted and produced a singular vision that is both worthy of its predecessor’s legacy whilst impressively carving out a niche all its own. Even if it misses the mark in some respects, that’s still an extraordinary accomplishment.

Without getting too buried in the details, I’ll give you a very basic plot rundown (if you’d rather go in completely blind, you’ll want to skip the next couple paragraphs):

Ryan Gosling is ‘K,’ a Blade Runner tasked with bringing in or ‘retiring’ older Nexus models that have gone into hiding. During one of his assignments, K comes across information that could significantly alter the course of the future for humans and replicants alike. I don’t think it’s a spoiler for anyone who’s seen one of the film’s amazing trailers or posters to also inform you that Harrison Ford’s Deckerd character will show up at some point and play a role in these proceedings. Exactly how he gets involved and what the extent of his involvement is, well, I’ll leave that to you to discover.

Part of what made the original Blade Runner so powerful was its ambiguity. It asked many questions but provided few answers. You may or may not appreciate Blade Runner 2049's answering some of those lingering questions, but in the process it asks and answers even more along similar lines: the nature of humanity, love and what it means to have a soul. It’s intriguing for sure and there's plenty of ambiguity left over, but would have been far more powerful had some of the answers been a little less explicitly stated.

The film also suffers from a wealth of subplots, as if Villeneuve and screenwriters Hampton Fancher and Michael Green couldn’t decide what to focus on. Some of the best storylines are frustratingly underdeveloped, especially the one involving Tyrell stand-in Niander Wallace. (Here’s something I never thought I’d say: I wanted more Jared Leto in this movie. It’s one of the film’s most intriguing)

One of the more successful subplots involves love interest Joi, wonderfully portrayed by Ana De Armas. K’s relationship with Joi anchors the film with a sorely needed emotional connection.

As with the original film, Blade Runner 2049’s strongest aspects are its visuals and sound design. Ridley Scott and Jordan Cronenweth’s visual work in Blade Runner resulted in what is arguably the best-looking film ever made. That’s quite the standard to live up to, but if anyone would be up to the task, it’s legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins.

And boy oh boy, is he ever.

In a career spent crafting some of the most striking visuals in recent cinema history, Deakins has gone above and beyond here, delivering some of his best work. The visual effects mesh beautifully with his aesthetic, resulting in one of the most fully-realized and believable worlds since...well...Blade Runner. Maybe the movie gods will finally see fit to gift this incredible talent with the Academy Award that has so unfairly eluded him for his entire career.

Likewise, Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch’s haunting score, paired with the incredible sound design, provides a bleak, otherworldly backdrop that unsettles and captivates in equal measure. I can’t wait to pick up a copy for myself.

Ryan Gosling’s performance as K is another of the film’s highlight. Gosling is, like Deakins and Zimmer, a master of his craft. He has played everything from charmers (La La Land) to cold-blooded hitmen (Drive) and even creepy boyfriends with impressive depression beards (The Notebook). Here he’s tasked with taking a relatively blank slate character and making us empathize with him, and he does so with such effortless finesse, you want to kiss the man.

Er...did I say ‘kiss?’ I meant to say…uh…Well...no...actually, on second thought, I did mean to say ‘kiss.’ (Call me, Ryan)

And Harrison Ford...I don’t want to say too much for fear I might give something away, but I was really impressed with his work here. I was afraid he might phone it in, but as with his reprisal of Han Solo in The Force Awakens, Ford gives his all, delivering an emotionally complex and touching performance.

Blade Runner 2049 is such an unconventional effort in this modern age of blockbuster cinema, I’m genuinely amazed Warner Bros. allowed it to be released as is. I have to extend major kudos to the studio for standing behind what is sure to be a divisive product. But despite its heady nature and methodical (sometimes to a fault) pacing, there is plenty here to engage and captivate patient, thoughtful audiences. I sincerely hope it makes a profit; we need more of this brave and challenging brand of mainstream filmmaking.

And much like my experience with the original Blade Runner, I have a feeling I could grow to appreciate this sequel more and more as time goes by. Whether I’d go so far as to someday call it one of my favorite films? Eh, that’s less likely. But who knows? Stranger things have happened.

...like a good Blade Runner sequel.

It (2017) - Film Review

It works on so many levels that I’m more than a little bummed I can’t say I loved it. (Loved ‘It’? The use of the word ‘it’ in this review is going to get confusing. Let’s just move past that and get on with it – oops, there it is again. And again. Oh no. Help.)

Let me be clear: I did enjoy the film.

Everything involving the kids, their friendship and their personal struggles is gold. But the Pennywise/horror stuff? Not so much. That’s nothing against Bill Skarsgård who is excellent as the ancient evil being that haunts the town of Derry, but the scares as orchestrated by director Andy Muschietti become repetitive and tiring. Each horror sequence is structured the same way: kid sees something creepy, goes off to investigate on their own, something terrifying jumps out at them, Pennywise shows up to add the obligatory punctuation mark to the sequence. What’s fun and scary at first becomes dull and tiring. I wanted the scares to cut deeper and be more cerebral and creepy instead of being bombarded by loud noises and shots of Pennywise lunging at the camera.

I’ll give Muschietti this much though: his interpretation does recognize the source material’s core strength: the Losers Club and the coming-of-age elements. When I first read It a couple years ago, I was surprised to discover a poignant, thoughtful and affecting story about growing up and bidding childhood farewell. It’s a beautiful novel and my favorite of Stephen King’s works. I was concerned the new movie would jettison this more thoughtful angle in favor of ‘oooo, here comes the scary clown.’ And while the ‘scary clown angle’ is present and borders on the cusp of obnoxiousness, Muschietti includes enough of the kids and their friendship to add additional layers to his adaptation.

Where It triumphs is in the quieter moments: the kids swimming and joking at the water hole, riding around on bikes exploring the town and being there for each other in their moments of need. I found myself genuinely moved by these characters and their interactions and I can’t praise this ensemble enough. You always take a risk when your cast is made up of kids. There are few things more grating than a bad child performance and with a movie like It that relies so heavily on its young actors, that can make or break the deal. Thankfully It features one of the finest young casts I’ve seen with newcomer Sophia Lillis being the standout as the Losers Club’s only female member.

It might not quite reach the high bar of modern horror classics such as The Babadook, It Follows or The Witch (The VVitch?), but it’s head and shoulders above the more recent substandard offerings of the genre. I’m excited to see what the inevitable sequel, which will focus on the grown up versions of the Losers Club, has to offer. I think Muschietti has the chops to pull it off if he tones down the more generic tropes associated with the genre and focuses more on the characters and their bond with one another.

War for the Planet of the Apes - Film Review

These new Planet of the Apes movies are something of a miracle. What started as a franchise reboot no one wanted has inexplicably evolved into one of the great cinematic trilogies of this day and age. Starting on humble ground with Rupert Wyatt’s 2011 Rise of the Planet of the Apes – a film far better than it had any right to be – the franchise reached a new level of cinematic excellence when director Matt Reeves took the reigns for the sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Dawn is, in my not-so-humble opinion, one of this past decade’s masterpieces. I’d even go so far as to say it belongs on the same pedestal as Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.

War for the Planet of the Apes might not reach Dawn’s heights, but it concludes this trilogy with finesse, ending on a note both exciting and emotionally satisfying. And as any good franchise should, it leaves the door wide open for sequels should 20th Century Fox opt to continue with this series. (Spoiler alert: they really should.)

It’s been two years since the events of Dawn. Caesar and his ape tribe hide out in the woods, pursued by human soldiers intent on wiping them out for good. This conflict reaches a boiling point when the soldiers attack at night while the apes are off guard, leaving the tribe weakened and determined to find a new safe haven. For reasons I won’t spoil here, Caesar takes the attack personally and makes it his mission to take out the soldiers’ leader, known only as The Colonel.

So, it’s a revenge story. There are complexities, sure, and intriguing ideas to boot, but there’s nothing as rich or effective as Dawn’s offerings. Part of this is the lack of a compelling villain. While Woody Harrelson is terrifying as the Colonel, his motivations are relatively straightforward, rendering him something of a one-note caricature.

Compare this to Dawn’s Koba, undoubtedly one of the great villains in modern cinema. Koba had strong motivations for the heinous acts he committed and his relationship with Caesar offered up difficult moral questions with no easy answers. Likewise, Koba brought out the best in Caesar from a character development standpoint. This time around, Caesar is single-minded in his quest for revenge, and it’s not nearly as compelling as his journey in Dawn.

But enough about what doesn’t work. Let’s talk about what does. Director Matt Reeves once again shows a knack for crafting beautiful character moments to go hand-in-hand with stunning effects work and visuals. Once again Andy Serkis steals the show with his finest performance to date. (Blah, blah, deserves an Oscar, blah blah) The motion capture effects have reached a whole new level. Never once did I look at the apes and think, ‘Wow, this computer-generated imagery is off the charts.’ I fully believed they were flesh and blood, occupying the same space as their human counterparts and the gorgeous scenery. Michael Giacchino’s somber, elegant score provides a somber and fitting backdrop.

Reeves has done something truly remarkable with this series. In an oversaturated era of franchise filmmaking, he’s made a singular creative effort, uncompromised by corporate demands. Where most modern blockbusters go for pizazz and fireworks, these films have gone for the heart and soul. That Reeves manages to close out this trilogy with any degree of satisfaction is a major accomplishment. Quibbles aside, War cements this rebooted series as a tale for the ages, taking this franchise to all new heights.

Interested in hearing my ranking of the entire Planet of the Apes franchise? Check out the latest episode of Missing Frames in which I join my wife Sarah for her first ever viewing of the classic series.