Movie review
February 13, 2018 · 135 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Black Panther is a superhero movie about a hidden African nation called Wakanda. King T'Challa must defend his throne from a relative who wants to start a global revolution. The film features themes of global Black identity and the effects of history on Black communities. It also showcases highly competent female warriors and tech experts who lead the nation.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Black Panther.
Woke representation / casting
The movie features an almost entirely Black cast, which makes sense for its fictional African setting. It highlights strong female characters in powerful roles, like Shuri, a highly advanced teenage scientist, and Okoye, the head of the military. These choices emphasize identity and female competence throughout the story.
Woke political dialogue
The dialogue contains clear political and activist language. The main villain, Killmonger, speaks directly about colonialism, slavery, and the global oppression of Black people. He questions why museum artifacts are kept by Western nations. These lines bring real-world racial politics into the script.
Identity-driven story themes
The story centers on racial identity, Pan-Africanism, and global oppression. The main conflict is between keeping Wakanda hidden or using its power to help Black people worldwide who face systemic struggles. The movie ends with Wakanda building social outreach centers in impoverished American neighborhoods.
Western institutional / cultural critique
The film critiques Western history and institutions. It portrays Western museums as holding stolen colonial plunder in an early scene. Shuri jokingly refers to a white CIA agent as a 'colonizer.' The story also highlights the history of Western countries disrupting stable nations.
Woke character or canon changes
Some changes were made to the classic comic books to fit modern social views. The character M'Baku was modified to remove his original 'Man-Ape' title to avoid racial tropes. Shuri's role was elevated to make her a brilliant, tech-focused leader who invents almost all of Wakanda's advanced gear.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
The film faced noticeable backlash from critics who felt it pushed identity politics. Some online groups tried to lower the film's rating on review sites, arguing that the media praised the film mostly for its race-conscious casting and political messages rather than its quality.
Creator track record context
The director and co-writer, Ryan Coogler, has a strong record of supporting social justice causes and directing films focused on racial struggles. Co-writer Joe Robert Cole also focuses on racial heritage in his work. The post-production team has no history of political activism.
Production
