Black Panther (2018)

[The Dark Knight]

I just shake my head and feel sorry for people who take time out of their lives to manipulate rotten tomato or IMDB scores.

I stated this probably isn't going to make much of a difference, therefore I agree with the thought that this is a waste of time. But I don't know why should this anger me, because as I also stated, they're just being outright honest about their practises to the point people find it shocking/offensive. These people aren't the first and they're not the last to do this. I think Rotten Tomatoes as a website has tarnished film criticism, and that's a view shared by director Brett Ratner and Martin Scorsese. Perhaps this Black Panther story will apply the microscope to the broader issue?



Smithey's rotten review doesn't seem to be indicative of what he actually thought of the movie, but rather what he thought about the hype it was getting. He didn't think it deserved to be the best-reviewed movie on Rotten Tomatoes, and then decided to manipulate the system to take the achievement away from the film. So...not any different to what these DC fans are doing with Black Panther. If you shake your head at these DC fans, shake your head at the likes of Smithey as well.

[riddler]

I just shake my head and feel sorry for people who take time out of their lives to manipulate rotten tomato or IMDB scores.

I stated this probably isn't going to make much of a difference, therefore I agree with the thought that this is a waste of time. But I don't know why should this anger me, because as I also stated, they're just being outright honest about their practises to the point people find it shocking/offensive. These people aren't the first and they're not the last to do this. I think Rotten Tomatoes as a website has tarnished film criticism, and that's a view shared by director Brett Ratner and Martin Scorsese. Perhaps this Black Panther story will apply the microscope to the broader issue?



Smithey's rotten review doesn't seem to be indicative of what he actually thought of the movie, but rather what he thought about the hype it was getting. He didn't think it deserved to be the best-reviewed movie on Rotten Tomatoes, and then decided to manipulate the system to take the achievement away from the film. So...not any different to what these DC fans are doing with Black Panther. If you shake your head at these DC fans, shake your head at the likes of Smithey as well.

As much as I want to, what Smithey is doing isn't quite as bad; he's giving a movie a weaker review than he otherwise would have because he feels it's overrated. I admit to doing something similar on the IMDB: if I feel a film is heavily underrated or overrated, I will adjust my vote by one point; so for instance a film I'd normally rate a 7, I might rate a 6 or 8 depending on its perception. There's a big difference between that and voting on a film you haven't seen before with the purpose of manipulating ratings which is what fanboys have been notorious for. Case in point: Dunkirk despite being out for less than a year has more IMDB votes than Citizen Kane which came out in 1941.

[The Laughing Fish]

  I don't believe this.

It appears that the people who started the anti-Black Panther on Rotten Tomatoes campaign are trolls who are trying to make Marvel detractors look bad.

Source: https://twitter.com/dcolympus/status/959894703071219712

[The Dark Knight]

As much as I want to, what Smithey is doing isn't quite as bad; he's giving a movie a weaker review than he otherwise would have because he feels it's overrated.

Which shouldn't be done. He didn't properly review the film but the reputation it had. RT has changed the way reviewers look at scoring films. This Black Panther incident seems to be the work of trolls, but I maintain their message was just blatantly honest. This crap does happen...and it's going to keep happening. We only knew about Smithey because he broadcasted it via Twitter. We only knew about the sham Black Panther campaign because they deliberately made it public. Not everyone is going to do that. And I will add this: if DCEU fans were incorrectly grilled for this 'disgusting behavior' (which is happening and will keep happening) are they going to apologize? Probably not. And if they do it'll be insincere and at the bottom of the page.

[The Laughing Fish]

I watched Black Panther over the weekend. While I do think it's highly overrated by the critics, it was still a decent movie, and the first MCU movie I enjoyed since Doctor Strange.

Unlike last year's movies, the jokes in this film is few and far between, the tone is a much more dramatic, and the film is even more focused with some fascinating themes i.e. family, African diaspora, foreign aid. It does pull ideas from a James Bond movie too. It has its flaws, one that's particularly bugging me, but I'm not keen to dwell on them right now.

Worth watching at the cinema if you have nothing to do.

[Travesty]

I saw it on opening day, and it was ok. Granted, I like the MCU(I know some of you hate it, but I enjoy them, and think they have a place in cinema), but I think it's on the lower end of the MCU movies. I don't get the overreaction to it, other than people talking about the political aspects that are outside of the movie itself. But even then, I've seen people on SHH or on twitter say how amazing the movie itself is, even outside of the political aspects. Maybe I'll try to find some posts, but someone over at SHH said that Killmonger's characterization was on par with films like Citizen Kane....yeah, I don't know about that. To me, the movie felt like your normal Marvel fare. It's fine, and I enjoyed it, but don't expect the second coming. it's just another solo-MCU movie. The hero goes through his journey, and fights another evil version of himself(ie, Iron Man vs Iron Monger, Hulk vs Abomination, Cap vs Winter Soldier, AntMan vs YellowJacket, etc).

[Silver Nemesis]

This movie is doing insane business at the box office. It's only been out a few days and it's already crossed $400 million WW! I caught a screening earlier today. Here are a few thoughts quickly thrown together.

Firstly I've got to mention the hyperbole surrounding the political response. The movie is definitely being overhyped and overrated by the press. We saw this happen with Wonder Woman last year, and it's happening again now. That's not to say that Wonder Woman and Black Panther aren't good films, because I think they're both very enjoyable. But I don't believe either movie warrants the prestige the media is attributing them. So how good is Black Panther? It's pretty decent IMO, but not great. Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan are proving to be one of the most interesting director-actor combos in Hollywood right now. I preferred their previous two collaborations – Fruitvale Station (2013) and Creed (2015) – over Black Panther, but all three films are strong in their own way.

Two criticisms I've levelled at previous MCU films is that many of them (but not all) lack memorable settings and threatening villains, but Black Panther rises above both of these issues. Wakanda is a great location and lends the story a strong sense of place. The best parts of the film are the sequences set in Africa; the further the plot strays from Wakanda, the less interesting I found it. There are two primary antagonists in the film: Klaw and Killmonger. Klaw is a dull, disposable bad guy in the tradition of the MCU's First Phase villains. Killmonger is a more layered adversary who has a personal connection to the hero and poses a genuine threat to him. I've admired Michael B. Jordan's acting since his time on Friday Night Lights, and Killmonger ranks alongside  Vulture as one of the MCU's more interesting recent cinematic heels. The first half of the movie focuses more on Klaw and features a few too many location jumps for my tastes. Aside from the world-building aspect, I found the first hour dramatically unengaging and only mildly diverting. The second half focuses more on Killmonger and takes place almost entirely in Wakanda. This is where the dramatic weight begins piling on and the movie really comes to life.

The quality of action is pretty disappointing. T'Challa is one of the best martial artists in the Marvel Universe and I loved his fight scenes in Civil War. I was hoping his first solo outing would showcase some more grounded CQC combat a la Daredevil, but the action is very CG-heavy and over-the-top. Certainly there's nothing here to rival the raw intensity of the boxing matches in Coogler's previous film. Black Panther's energy-absorbent suit renders him practically invincible, which undermines the sense of threat posed by anyone other than Killmonger. I also thought the quality of some of the CGI was very poor. Especially for a movie with a production budget of $200 million. But this is precisely the level of action I've come to expect from the MCU's cinematic offerings, so I can't say I'm too shocked. However I did enjoy the jungle fight in the film's opening act. That sequence reminded me a little of Lee Falk's Phantom comics (and the 1996 movie with Billy Zane).

Colourful visuals abound and the costumes and production design are beautiful. The African aesthetic helps distinguish this from other more generic-looking superhero fare and further characterises the movie's unique visual identity. The acting is solid across the board and I liked Chadwick Boseman's understated performance in the title role. T'Challa is not the most interesting or amusing hero in the MCU, but he possesses a quiet dignity that endears him to the viewer. He sustains scars, haemorrhages father figures and has his core values undermined throughout the story. He's got more in common with Steve Rogers than he does with Tony Stark, Star-Lord or Peter Parker. And in a cinematic universe that's overflowing with wise ass heroes, it's nice to see a more serious lead take the spotlight for a change. But while I liked T'Challa and Killmonger, I do think the movie suffers from a few too many supporting characters. There just isn't enough space in its 2-hour runtime to develop them all properly. Hopefully the next film will focus more on the Wakandan mythology and we'll get to know some of the supporting players a bit better.

That's more or less all I have to say about Black Panther. It's not the masterpiece some are claiming, but it is an entertaining film. The movie is rife with racial and political commentary. There's a lot to be said on that subject, but I won't bother getting into it right now. What I would say is that the political subtext is not as preachy or aggressive as some quarters are making it out to be, so don't let it put you off seeing the movie.

[The Dark Knight]

someone over at SHH said that Killmonger's characterization was on par with films like Citizen Kane....yeah, I don't know about that.

While I do think it's highly overrated by the critics, it was still a decent movie
It has its flaws, one that's particularly bugging me, but I'm not keen to dwell on them right now.

I saw it on opening day, and it was ok.
I think it's on the lower end of the MCU movies.
I don't get the overreaction to it
To me, the movie felt like your normal Marvel fare. It's fine, and I enjoyed it, but don't expect the second coming.

The movie is definitely being overhyped and overrated by the press.
But I don't believe either movie warrants the prestige the media is attributing them.
Aside from the world-building aspect, I found the first hour dramatically unengaging and only mildly diverting.
The quality of action is pretty disappointing.
I also thought the quality of some of the CGI was very poor.

[The Laughing Fish]

someone over at SHH said that Killmonger's characterization was on par with films like Citizen Kane....yeah, I don't know about that.

Not at all surprising considering Super Hero Hype attracts the most delusional sheep going around the 'net. God, I can't stand those people.

While I'm at it, Twitter can go to hell too. Every time I take a peak on the trends surrounding a blockbuster movie, you get plenty of these bandwagoners, such as the pathetic bloggers who write for entertainment or second-rate pop culture websites, that are just cheerleading certain films mainly because of their political agenda. I'm seeing plenty of people jumped on the Wonder Woman bandwagon, only to go against in favour of Black Panther now. These people aren't fans of films at all. They're either shills, or as I said before, they will only prop up a film if it suits their ideological agenda.

The supposed 'adults' who perpetuate this Marvel vs DC rubbish are the worst. I thought the Nolanites were an extreme case of fanboys, but after seeing how some MCU fans behave on Twitter, I've come to realise fanboys care more about hype than the enjoyment of the films they proclaim to love. Some of the crap I've read from the Marvel fans on Twitter have made me embarrassed to be an MCU fan. Pitiful.

To me, the movie felt like your normal Marvel fare. It's fine, and I enjoyed it, but don't expect the second coming. it's just another solo-MCU movie.

I don't consider it a favourite of mine either, but I got to admit, there is a lot of creative cinematographic imagery here that makes it memorable. The scenes where T'Challa and Killmonger go through a ritual where they ingest a herb and have a dream of speaking to their fathers feels like something you'd see in a DCEU film. T'Challa's dream in particular. BP isn't in my top five favs, but it's definitely high and above GOTG2 and Homecoming, which I really didn't like at all. Didn't bother watching Ragnarok, that looked rubbish.

The hero goes through his journey, and fights another evil version of himself(ie, Iron Man vs Iron Monger, Hulk vs Abomination, Cap vs Winter Soldier, AntMan vs YellowJacket, etc).

Yes, this is definitely part of the Marvel formula that a lot of people have begun to criticise nowadays, and it's hard to argue against it. Usually, this parallel between the hero and the villain occurs in the first solo film; Doctor Strange vs Kaecillius is another example. I don't necessarily mind it, but I can't deny that it gets repetitive, and lacks imagination. But I'll cut Cap and Bucky some slack because Rogers trying to save his friend, the only remnant left from his past other than the terminally ill Peggy Carter.

[riddler]

Yes, this is definitely part of the Marvel formula that a lot of people have begun to criticise nowadays, and it's hard to argue against it. Usually, this parallel between the hero and the villain occurs in the first solo film; Doctor Strange vs Kaecillius is another example. I'm don't necessarily mind it, but I can't deny that it gets repetitive, and lacks imagination. But I'll cut Cap and Bucky some slack because Rogers trying to save his friend, the only remnant left from his past other than the terminally ill Peggy Carter.

To be fair though, just about every super hero fights villains who parallel themselves: Batman has Catwoman (and Manbat), Superman has Bizarro and Zod, Flash has Zoom and the reverse flash, the Green Lantern has the Yellow, Black, Red, and Orange lanterns etc. Black Panther has another one in the comics: The American Panther who has similar skills but is a racist and targets criminal minorities.