The Cultural Event of 2022: ‘Wakanda Forever’ Review

The Culture is Calling It feels like Black Panther films always drop in the midst of turmoil in this country. Or, this country is always in turmoil, and Black Panther films drop and highlight said turmoil. Mind you, the state of the world and a mega-budget movie sourced from comic books shouldn’t be this closely tied – but they are. The difficulty in reviewing Black Panther Wakanda Forever is that there isn’t just a film to talk about. Behind and all throughout the project are the hopes and dreams of people longing to see themselves in a future, any future. The current state of the world at large (and of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people) is why the Black Panther films, in particular, Wakanda Forever, are a cultural event. A fantasy set this close to reality transcends the medium and embodies the politics of the time. Invisible Crown Deeper still, the passing of Chadwick Boseman as the iconic and titular character echoes in many ways the many losses in the Black arts community. If you know about his approach to the craft, then you know what he meant to the culture. Symbolically, Chadwick and the role of Black Panther gave Black audiences a powerful vision of potential Black unity and excellence. Wakanda Forever mourns the loss of an avatar of artistic integrity who was intentionally aligned with their civic duty. It’s so much more than a movie. The core cast and crew were mourning during and through production and the film invites audiences to mourn with them. So, it feels …