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The Astonishing Marvels Crew Weighs In on BLACK PANTHER

Marvel Studios has finally released its latest blockbuster, Black Panther. The Ryan Coogler-directed film has earned extremely positive reviews from fans and critics, while it has earned one of the biggest openings in superhero movie history. Simply put, this is a big cultural event, and T’Challa is here to stay.

Today, some members of the Astonishing Marvels crew have shared their individual thoughts on Black Panther. What did we think of the film? You can find out below.

Black Panther represents the very best that Marvel Studios has to offer and expands the universe in fascinating ways. It takes the franchise to new levels of character development, storytelling, and relevancy. Ryan Coogler’s direction is phenomenal, everyone turned in great performances (Michael B. Jordan = WOW), and the cinematography is gorgeous. Also, the soundtrack is fire. More movies like this one please. 5/5 – Paul


Black Panther is not just another superhero movie. It is a film so enriched with culture, lesson, and moral that, if made apart from the Marvel franchise, would undoubtedly be able to stand on its own. If this film attests to anything about Ryan Coogler’s ability and vision as an artist, it is that he deserves as much power as Marvel is capable of giving him. When you see this movie, you too will leave feeling as if you are returning from a completely different world, and you wouldn’t be wrong. 4/5 – Austin [Full Review]

Black Panther has elements of The Lion King, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and even a little Star Wars. While it does feel like a Marvel movie, it very much feels like its own story as well, free of studio puppeteering. It has Ryan Coogler’s stamp all over it. It’s a diverse comic book movie with something on its mind and features one of the MCU’s most layered villains in Erik Killmonger played excellently by Michael B. Jordan. 4/5 – John

Marvel managed to give me something I’ve always dreamed of. A story that represents me and MY culture. Black Panther is a fantastic film, but it’s elevated by having a black cast and black director. I didn’t realize how much I needed this film until I actually saw it. The characters were strong, the story was great, and Wakanda was beautiful. Black Panther is one of Marvel’s best. It made me proud to be an African-American. Something I didn’t expect from a superhero movie. 4.5/5Mike

Black Panther hits the ground running and never lets up. Bringing Wakanda to the big screen was a huge undertaking that could have fallen flat, but Ryan Coogler & co. make it look as natural as they do easy. Wakanda slips into the Marvel Cinematic Universe like a hand in a glove, while at the same time feeling wholly standalone. Aside from some callbacks to Civil War and Age of Ultron, Black Panther looks inward to find its identity and develop its characters. And it’s all the better for it. 5/5
 – Landon [Full Review]

What did YOU think of Black Panther? Let us know on Twitter at @AstonishMarvels. And be sure to check out the movie in theaters now.

Founder and Editor-in-Chief of WOBAM! Entertainment.