I know the movie isn’t officially out yet as of this posting, so I’ll keep it spoiler free. I think it goes without saying, first off, that EVERYONE should see this movie!
This movie is in a great position because it’s Marvel. Even though it says “Black Panther,” it doesn’t just mean this is a black movie. It’s a movie for EVERYONE, but it comes with a bigger sense of pride for those who are black.
Needless to say, the energy in the movie theater was electric. It was as if we all knew just how much this movie meant. For me, it was remarkable to have a major blockbuster featuring an all-black cast filled with such dynamic talent. Finally, our story was being told. Finally, we could take the center stage for the rest of the world to see us.
For too long, movies with an all-black cast would just be dubbed as “black movies,” and you just knew the main audience for that movie would be black. But that just means less people will see the movie and understand black people for who we are. For the longest in cinema history, black visibility meant being the slave (no offense to Lupita in 12 Years a Slave, she redeemed herself in this movie) or the guy that gets killed way too early in a horror movie.
But now, to show an entire nation of black people thriving and creating advanced technology and fighting crime and living in luxury? Wow, wow, wow. And I think director Ryan Coogler and everyone else involved with this film recognize this as well, as the movie has a sense of self-awareness about it. Though maybe that should be saved for a spoiler review later.
Before I end, I’ll share a quick story from this past summer. I was on a New York subway train which had just gone through Queens to Manhattan, and seeing all those faces made me think, “If only movies could start looking like this train that I’m on.” There were black people, Asian, Latinx, women, children, teenagers, etc., etc. “When,” I thought, “will movies start looking like what I see in real life?”
There’s an importance in storytelling for the screen. It holds more weight than we think, and at a basic level, it helps you feel included, validated and maybe even hopeful.
See Also: Ferguson, SNL and Media Portrayal (Oh My!)
I hope to see this movie again as soon as possible to feel empowered, to feel strong, and to feel like my experience really matters. And I hope you will, too. #WakandaForver.