Hi Peeps
Went to see the new Marvel film and sequel to 2018's Black Panther.
Sadly the first films main star Chadwick Boseman passed away not long after the film came out.
This sequel addresses his passing both as an actor and as the character of T'Challa and to be honest this film didn't really need to be made. The way the character dies off screen is lame - (spoilers) - he dies of a virus which takes his powers away also. I think the role should have been recast and apparently Chadwick Boseman was fine with this happening also. If not his character should have died a heroes death with a stunt man in the suit or CGI version fighting some henchmen and rescuing some important people or kids then shows him going into a building then being carried out with an arm around his neck by a big guy in a green cloak, thrown to the floor then blasted by an energy blast as we glimpse the metal mask of Doctor Doom who walks off and escapes. Further movies could have had the Wakandans hunting Doom and would be a chilling introduction of a popular villain.
Anyway I digress - the funeral of T'Challa is shot good and does impact you. We move to a year later and the world is after Wakanda's Vibranium. The Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) dosen't allow this so after trying to steel Vibranium, the US creates a Vibranium detector which wakens up a hidden under water nation led by Namor.
From here we get tension, then war, between Wakanda and Namor's people as Namor wants themselves and Vibranium hidden from the rest of the world. Whilst this is happening T'Challa's sister Shuri is trying to recreate the magical plants that gave Black Panthers their super strength.
Overall - I've not enjoyed the recent Marvel films as much as the early ones like Iron Man and Avengers. In fact there is a scene, with new Ironman replacement Ironheart which is a copy of a scene from the first Ironman whereby they are going too high into the atmosphere and fall back to earth, only to come around at the last second and saves themselves. Marvel seem to be running out of ideas and rehashing some scenes from earlier films. Having said that there are some ok action scenes and fights and some of the CGI is great. Sadly some CGI is bad including Ironheart. The suit near the end looks too fake, like it's in a video game. The film also goes on too long and could have twenty minutes cut from it.
The performances in the film are good to ok including Angela Bassett and Martin Freeman. Even Shuri played by Letitia Wright has improved from the first film.
There are quite a few plot points that don't make sense including - why have they still the shield up when everyone knows about Wakanda now, and why do the shields need opening by playing drums? What if a note was played wrong? Check out and search a YouTube video by The Critical Drinker. He mentions about ten plot points that make no sense at all.
Bels Score - 8/10
My Score - 6.5/10
