Black Panther is now the third highest grossing film of
ALL TIME

[NO SPOILERS]

If you haven't seen Marvel's Black Panther, odds are you probably won't see it but its likely that you've seen the headline above. The film has made 665.4 Million dollars nation wide which earns it the title of the third highest grossing movie in U.S. history. Yet, if you factor in inflation, it is #34 on the list which is still quite an accomplishment. Even more impressive is the fact that it is now the highest grossing Superhero movie period. So what sets this movie apart from other epic tales of heros and heroines battling atrocities and the ethics of their super-human capabilities? The antagonist in this film are Human.

But before we get into that, lets keep it real

The success of this movie doesn't just lie on the back of an immersive plot, fantastic acting, and a huge budget. There are a lot of factors at play here and I wouldn't be wasting my and your time if I didn't talk about the obvious one: Black Superheros.

Traditionally, Black Superheros are as rare as vibranium itself. Off the top of my head, I can only think of Storm from X-Men, Cyborg from Teen Titans and, of course, Black Panther. I'm sure I missed a few as I'm far from a comic book junkie but I bet we can all name ten White Superheros no problem. So it only makes sense that part of this movie's success can be attributed to black people flocking to cinema's to see superheros with the same ethnicity as them. I keenly remember being reluctantly dragged to the polls by my mother to vote for Obama...purely because he was black. I don't participate in voting due to personal beliefs but If I did, my vote would strictly be based on the person's policies and moral character and not their race...yet there I was, at the request of the woman that birthed me, voting for someone based purely on the color of their skin. I can only imagine how many people saw Black Panther at the hands of their family members and I'm no different. The only difference here being that I'm glad my mother made we watch this because as it turns out, it was great.

Also, I have to acknowledge the scores of people from other ethnicites that saw this movie with a genuine curiousity on how the first Black Superhero film would be potrayed. The world is changing, and this movie is a mark in time for the progession of human rights and human kind as a species and people from every ethnicity wanted to experience that.

right..right.. we're all conscious now get on with it.

1. Origin Story

Its kind of hard to fuck up an origin story for superheros. The comic books have layed out the plot and all you really need to do is work to make sure the scenes accurately reflect the latter. All origin stories for superheros are rated better and do better in the box office as compared to the sequels or films that involve multiple heros fighting a global threat as a team. And it makes sense; most people know the hero as the hero and not as the person they were before they gained their powers. Origin stories usually give the viewer a more intimate connection with the character.

2. Great Plot

The plot is simple and complex at the same time. The main issue is whether or not Wakanda should share its advanced technology with the world, thereby ending their anonymity or to remain in hiding because people will use the technology maliciously as history has always shown to be true. The conundrum is as old as time itself and always makes for great conversation. Plus, its as relevant as it can be since Wakanda, a fictional african country, has seen how greed and malicious intent has desecrated the countries surrounding it.

Another facet of the plot that is rarely seen in superhero movies is that the antagonist is human with NO SUPERPOWERS and the film functions as an origin story for him as well. You actually feel for him and can relate to his plight despite his malice intentions. Honestly, the best part of this movie is how easy it is to understand every characters motivations and desires. All the characters, even the short-lived ones, are conscious of their own role in the story and clearly navigate through the powers bestowed to them.

3. The F**kin Action!

The action is pretty much flawless with touches of comedy in all the right spots. There are various moments that have you on the edge of your seat and sequences that make you want to rewind because you know you missed something. The Film, like most action flicks, can be viewed in 3D but there aren't any shots that were obviously made for that purpose which is great because 3D has been around for some time now and shooting shots to show that off is just tacky as fuck.

4. The Women

King T'Challa's body guards are ALL WOMEN and they are not to be played with. I mean need I say more? When has any movie ever had a King's personal protection be a trove of badass female soldiers..and nubian queens at that???!!!! The Wakanda Society is a Matriarch fronting as a Patriarch. T'Challa's mother, sister, and love interest all play critical roles in not only the movie but in T'Challa's character development throughout. I mean just look at the image above and tell me they don't look lionesses, who's role has always been hunting and protecting the pride. I rest my case.

Thoughts?