Review Roundup: Critics Weigh In On BLACK PANTHER

Marvel Studios' "Black Panther" follows T'Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T'Challa's mettle as king-and Black Panther-is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life. @MarvelStudios #BlackPanther.

Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, with Angela Bassett, with Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis.

The film is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige with Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nate Moore, Jeffrey Chernov and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole wrote the screenplay.

See what the critics are saying here:

Peter Debruge, Variety: "Before we get carried away, let's be clear: "Black Panther" is still a superhero movie, which means that it's effectively conceived for 10-year-olds and all those who wish a film like this had existed when they were 10. Except that the latter category is potentially bigger than ever this time around (for a Marvel movie, at least), since there has never in the history of cinema been a film that allows an ensemble of black characters to take charge on a global scale quite like this - and many have waited their entire lives to witness just such a feat (the way that "Wonder Woman" was a hugely empowering game changer for women)."

Bryan Bishop, The Verge: "Ryan Coogler's Black Panther is different. Not only is it a long-overdue embrace of diversity and representation, it's a film that actually has something to say - and it's able to do so without stepping away from the superhero dynamics that make the larger franchise work. It's gripping, funny, and full of spectacle, but it also feels like a turning point, one where the studio has finally recognized that its movies can be about more than just selling the next installment. In the process, the studio has ended up with one of the most enthralling entries in its entire universe."

Brian Lowry, CNN: "Like most Marvel movies, the climactic portion of the film winds up being too chaotic, and a bit too long. But that's a quibble given the abundance of meticulous and pleasing touches, from Kendrick Lamar's musical contributions to the Easter eggs within the closing credits. The extravagant display of talent in smaller roles also adds to the sense of class, featuring Sterling K. Brown ("This Is Us"), "Get Out's" Daniel Kaluuya, Forest Whitaker and Angela Bassett."

Jimi Famurewa, Empire Online: "We open in the past, on a vast starlit sky, with king T'Chaka (John Kani) telling a young T'Challa (and us) about the vibranium meteorite that crashed into the country and went on to seal its future as a secretive, technological utopia. Next, we jump to Oakland, California, in 1992 - the birthplace of both Coogler and, in an important thematic nod, the actual Black Panther Party - for a prologue that establishes the notion of Wakandan spies, identifiable by hidden, glowing blue tattoos on their lower lips."

Kenneth Turan, LA Times: " A key to Coogler's achievement with "Black Panther" is that he's taken key production people along with him on all three of his films, including production designer Hannah Beachler, editor Michael P. Shawver and composer Ludwig Görannson. Director of photography Rachel Morrison, recently the first woman ever nominated for a cinematography Oscar, returns as well, as does expressive actor Michael B. Jordan, the star of Coogler's first two films."

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