Action packed and full of excitement, Black Panther adds a new, refreshing take on superhero movies while continuing Marvel’s tradition of excellence.

The movie follows the Black Panther, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman),  as he returns to his home country, the African nation of Wakanda, after the death of his father. After becoming king, T’Challa must deal with the threats that will ultimately determine the fate of Wakanda and the rest of the world.

T’Challa is accompanied by Okoye (Danai Gurira), the general of the Wakandan army, and Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) who are both powerful women whose performances are breathtaking and serve as wonderful displays of female strength.

Aside from the incredible acting, the costumes and special effects are visually stunning. Audiences will find themselves blown away by each scene’s magnificence.

However, rather than just becoming another story where the hero fights a larger-than-life enemy to defend the world, Black Panther tackles cultural issues dealing with power and privilege. It is a refreshing take from the same basic formula that so many action movies reuse far too often.

In addition to being an exceptional superhero story, the movie is also monumental in terms of its display of African culture with a black director and a cast featuring almost entirely black actors and actresses. Accompanied by a powerful score that honors African heritage, important messages of black empowerment prevail throughout the duration of the movie.  

Black Panther is a groundbreaking movie that not only lives up to the hype, but which also delivers themes that far surpass the plot, making it more than just another Marvel movie.  

Regardless of how anyone feels about superhero movies or action movies in general, Black Panther is an noteworthy movie that everyone should make the effort to see at least once.