It’s been four years since we made a trip to the now iconic Wakanda in Black Panther, the Academy Award-winning Marvel movie which left a huge impact on culture at large and turned Chadwick Boseman into a superstar. Since then, Chadwick lost his battle with colon cancer and the world lost a legend. His passing left a crater in the film world and reminded everyone we can’t take anyone for granted. His onscreen presence had the vibe of a gracious but youthful performer, an actor giving powerful performances but never attempting to overshadow his coworkers. The Black Panther sequel was one of the most anticipated entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the passing of its hero leaving a giant question mark. How are they going to handle the real life death of its star? Coogler handles this real world tragedy with the feeling of a great loss permeating the world of Wakanda. There is a great reverence for the passed hero and the film never lets that feeling up. There is a seriousness and weight to Wakanda Forever which makes Thor: Love & Thunder look like a drunk guy making awkward jokes at a funeral. The emotional weight of Wakanda Forever is genuinely sad. The real world loss is tragic but that doesn’t make up for what is missing from this film: energy.

Wakanda Forever has a runtime of almost three hours which should be illegal for any standalone Marvel movie to attempt. This is an epic runtime and its superhero genre bonafides would lead you to believe that this a large package with a lot of plot and character to deliver but unfortunately this bloated, nearly Endgame-length blockbuster is content with playing its dour bit and keeping its energy level at a quarter of the original. The film’s plot is a plodding mix of 90s tropes and, oddly enough, the James Cameron film Avatar which, perhaps uncoincidentally, has a sequel being released next month by Disney. The bad guys are blue-skinned natives who want to protect their land and resources from militaristic humans. When was the last time you saw a giant blockbuster used to advertise a giant blockbuster? Tenoch Huerta is good as the villain Namor but he never reaches the same height as Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger, who’s angry energy is sorely missing from this film. 
The long-awaited sequel to Black Panther hits emotional moments unknown in previous MCU movies & serves as a solemn ode to its late hero but everything else in the film isn’t enough to hold up its heavy runtime. The film’s sleepy tone and slacked pacing deliver much less than its impactful predecessor. Recent Marvel movies have a star-problem. Long gone are the days of Iron Man and Captain America getting people in seats. These movies have lost their confidence and it’s hitting extra hard in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The grief of a star lost is in the forefront of Wakanda Forever and the MCU’s plodding existence is felt even stronger than it was in the abominable chuckle-fest Thor: Love & Thunder (WF obviously being the better film). When will someone straighten the MCU ship and get it back on track?

Rating: 5.5 out of 10