Movie · 2018 · Action, Adventure, Science Fiction · 2h 15m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 7.3/10 (3.5M ratings)
Long live the king.
Overview
King T'Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country's new leader. However, T'Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T'Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia, the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan 'special forces') and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
Ratings
Curator score: 7.3/10
IMDb: 7.3/10
Letterboxd: 3.69/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Metacritic: 88
TMDB: 7.4/10
Director
Ryan Coogler
Production
Marvel Studios
Cast
Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Sterling K. Brown, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis, Florence Kasumba, John Kani, David S. Lee, Nabiyah Be, Isaach de Bankolé, Connie Chiume, Dorothy Steel, Danny Sapani
Where to watch
Disney Plus, Hulu
Curator Review
Verdict
A stylish, culturally resonant superhero blockbuster with real political stakes, memorable world-building, and one of the MCU’s strongest villains. It balances spectacle with questions of inheritance, isolationism, and responsibility, even if some third-act effects and standard Marvel beats keep it from greatness.
Best for
fans of superhero movies with a strong sense of place
viewers who like political conflict inside genre action
people who want charismatic villains and moral ambiguity
audiences interested in Afrofuturist design and world-building
fans of big studio films with cultural impact
Skip if
you want tightly grounded action over comic-book spectacle
you dislike origin-story structure and franchise setup
you prefer villains with simpler motivations
you are looking for a purely serious drama without blockbuster flourishes
Overview
Black Panther stands out because it treats superhero mythology like nation-building. Wakanda feels imagined with unusual confidence: a place of ritual, technology, tradition, and political tension rather than just a backdrop for fights. Ryan Coogler gives the film a sense of identity that many franchise entries chase but rarely achieve.
Worth noting
What makes it linger is the conflict at its center. T’Challa’s inheritance is challenged not only by enemies outside Wakanda, but by the moral consequences of Wakanda’s secrecy and privilege. Killmonger is compelling because his anger is rooted in history and abandonment, which gives the film a sharper edge than most Marvel entries.
Bottom line
The movie is not flawless; the final stretch leans more conventional and some effects are uneven. But the performances, production design, and thematic ambition carry it. It’s one of the rare blockbuster hits that feels both crowd-pleasing and culturally specific.
Top Letterboxd reviews
lauren (4.5★) · 12734 likes
brain: erik killmonger is a villain
big brain: erik killmonger is a villain who had some good points
bigger brain: erik killmonger was left orphaned and like many people of low socioeconomic standing, not given the resources to grow up to be traditionally successful. he is right and speaks painful truths. he wants to liberate and protect black people all over the world, and provide a sense of belonging to people who have only known what it is to have… more
Georgia Coley (5★) · 5527 likes
Long live the king. Wakanda Forever.
kai (4.5★) · 4655 likes
letitia wright calling martin freeman a colonizer is a strong contender for best line delivery of 2018 so far
sree (5★) · 3368 likes
this was more of a civil war than civil war
Hannah (4.5★) · 3131 likes
being attracted to both michael b jordan and lupita nyong’o is bi culture
2000 · Action, Drama, Adventure · 2h 35m · R · Curator 8.4/10 (3.8M ratings) · Where to watch: Hulu, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Kanopy, AMC, Philo
A revenge-and-empire epic about legitimacy, honor, and the struggle to reclaim a throne.
Topics
superhero, action-adventure, science fiction, political conflict, Afrofuturism, cultural identity, royal succession, blockbuster, moral ambiguity, comic-book spectacle