The Power of the Panther

It had been a while since I felt the emotional impact of a movie. That I truly formed a connection with a story that was being told. The message that was being conveyed. In 2 hours and 15 minutes I was re-ignited. All my passions. All my dreams. All my aspirations. Apparently, I wasn't the only one. The power of the Panther has affected millions everywhere. T’Challa’s reign as king of the box office seems long lasting and there are no signs that the Panther will be removed from the throne.

I hadn’t been to the movies in years, but something inspired me to go out and see Black Panther. With the current racial climate in the U.S. however, I told myself not to go to any of the opening nights. The fear of a racist outburst shooting was something that I didn’t want to fall victim too. I waited about a week after it opened to go see the movie and I was anticipating a typical Marvel action-packed film, but instead, I received a cultural awakening.

The powerful message of the complicated relationship between Africans and African-Americans, Erik Killmonger’s deep-rooted anger with his fellow Wakandan family, and Wakanda’s isolation from the outside world combined to create a cinematic marvel for the masses. The black community was already inspired and excited for the movie, but I don’t think we were prepared for the impact that it would truly have on all of us. No matter how you spin it, the movie had a way of being inspirational to us all.

The power of the panther was accomplished by the amazing cast that includes Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyongo, Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurita, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Forest Whitaker, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Andy Serkis, and Martin Freeman. Yes. It was necessary to name them all because every performance was that amazing. It was all tied together by the impeccable directing style of Ryan Coogler who is also known for directing Creed (2015) and Fruitvale Station (2013). Coogler is now known for taking his movie production budgets and more than doubling them in box office profit. With a cast such as this combined with such a powerful message, there’s no wonder that everyone is walking around with their forearms across their chest saying Wakanda Forever.