Thread by @groove_sdc

A few thoughts on #WakandaForever. This will include spoilers and some rambling thoughts so be prepared.

So let's get into it.

Part of the reason I went to see it was to get my mind off sports. I mean, I was always going to see it but I figured this was the best time. I wanted to avoid the rush of the premiere and see it late night preferably at an IMAX.

Mission accomplished.

https://twitter.com/groove_sdc/status/1592377326310141952?s=20&t=r4vik8j_F78q5G1SIMArDg

First of all, I'mma comic book nerd. And what that means is I've seen comic book movies evolve from white men in leotards floating around on wires to real live movies with substantial budgets, diverse casting and developed characters.

Bast be praised.

What that also means is ... I don't give a shit about a lot of very online criticisms of MCU movies. It's not according to canon. It's too "woke." It's too commercialized.

Shut yo ass up.

I grew up watching this.

And while I don't mind good faith criticisms of MCU movies, I realize what they are -- entertaining but imperfect. They won't please everybody. But they are 100 times better than anything we were offered previously. So I try to keep them in perspective.

That being said this is a good movie. Not better than the first #BlackPanther but still worthwhile. And tbh I didn't expect it to be better than the first. Chadwick Boseman is a force. His death was cataclysmic. Can't come back from that. But they tried as best as they could.

First of all, Namor looks great. And @comicsexplained said it first but I'mma repeat it: I have never given a shit about Namor. At all. But this film? They reimagine him as a bad mufucka with "Bad Motherfucker" written on his wallet. Tenoch kilt it.

Also as a veteran and fan of "Narcos" and particularly and especially "Narcos: Mexico" I'm full go with any and every former cast member that makes his way into a comic book or superhero movie.

Y'all putting Rafa in the MCU?

Sign me the fuck up.

Despite how much I was cool on Namor as a comic book nerd, he's still a very powerful character and arguably Marvel's first mutant. He's very important to the MCU. Namely because the idea of "mutant" has largely been a DCU thing in the movies. Until now.

So his character was important and they needed to get it right. They did. They picked the right character, the right actor and the right character development. They made him a proper villain with depth.

And did I mention he looks cool as shit?

Also when did we become so opposed to "woke" MCU films and strong women leads that we hate character development?

This film went through Namor's background, parents, childhood and motivations.

But that's bad because they changed his background from Atlantean to Mexican?

Sigh.

Seems to me that's a good thing. Don't see any badside to this.

https://twitter.com/groove_sdc/status/1592527695979589633?s=20&t=r4vik8j_F78q5G1SIMArDg

This also seems to be a good thing.

https://twitter.com/groove_sdc/status/1592527229149396993?s=20&t=r4vik8j_F78q5G1SIMArDg

And despite attempts to call it a "flop" it's doing quite well.

https://twitter.com/groove_sdc/status/1592527350511681536?s=20&t=r4vik8j_F78q5G1SIMArDg

But anyways back to the movie.

You're probably going to cry. T'Challa's funeral procession is a beautiful tribute. And I'm not afraid to admit I shed some tears during it. It's joyous but incredibly sad.

This movie is about grief, denial and acceptance. A reoccurring theme throughout. And they did a masterful job of balancing that with the typical story of a threat from a new villain.

There's a perfect cameo that illuminates this dichotomy.

Do you want vengeance or justice?

How do you handle your grief says a lot about you.

Does it anger you? Do you feel lost? Do you repress it? Do you question the existence of God and the supernatural? Does it alienate you? Do you feel vulnerable?

This movie explores all of that and we're better for it.

Another theme of this movie is indigenous cultures, Mesoamerican cultures and the price of colonialism.

And it's interest how the two cultures (Wakanda and Talokan) handle it.

Wakanda retreats inward to protect itself. Talokan goes deep underneath the water to do the same.

In case you didn't know Talokan is the city Namor and his people built and reside in. In the comics its Atlantis but I'm not sure Marvel has the rights to that (DC does) so they reimagined it.

And its background is both interesting and beautiful.

screenrant.com/marvel-talokan…

This film also explores the current state of Wakanda, which is in flux. The King is dead. The Black Panther is gone. The Heart Shaped Herb is extinct. Nakia is gone. W'Kabi is in prison.

They do a good job of showing how much things have changed and the repercussions of that.

The movie also introduces Ironheart/RiRi Williams (played by Dominique Thorne) and I thought she added an unpredictability to the storyline that was welcomed.

Plus um she's fine as hell.

In and out the comic.

There's also quite a bit of humor. The colonizer joke comes back. Everett Ross has a surprising ex. There's even a joke about ashiness.

It connected with me but not enough to take away from the tenor of the film.

These folks are laughing their way through pain.

When they can.

They also introduce the Midnight Angels, which is an elite force within the Dora Milaje that let's just say is not here for your patriarchal bullshit.

Here's Michaela Coel looking like the newest of money.

Can't wait for the spinoff.

nerdist.com/article/black-…

More information on the Midnight Angels.

I'm telling you.

This is gonna be good.

stylecaster.com/midnight-angel…

Flaws and plotholes? Yeah there were are few.

First of all Wakanda is woefully unprepared to deal with Namor and his army. His first invasion proved that.

So after thoroughly decimating their defenses I was surprised to hear him say: "alright I'mma come back inna week."

In the comics Namor is famously relentless, unforgiving and remorseless. He doesn't cry for his enemies or their weakness.

So in my mind he had subjugated Wakanda and the next move was to finish them.

But I get you can't do that for the storyline.

Also if you're looking for a BIG EXPLANATION about how T'Challa passed you're not really going to get it.

There's no breakdown of how he died and what he died of.

I appreciated that. We all know. Doesn't matter IMO.

But if that bothers you I get it.

Also Everett Ross is obviously compromised due to his connection to Shuri and Wakanda so there's an argument to be made that his superiors should've known that from the jump and never allowed him to be in a position to be considered an objective observer.

We're nitpicking tho.

Overall tho it was a really good movie. I liked it. I enjoyed it. As a #BlackPanther superfan it was kinda like therapy. I'm still in mourning. For Black Panther. For Chadwick. For what the MCU might have been if he was alive. This was an outlet I needed.