I saw the Black Panther...

T'Challa, the Black Panther is back, brought to life by the sophisticated thespian, Chadwick Boseman. I couldn't be happier, for this is one solo outing that lives up to the hype, and for all you guys who felt jilted by the wise-ass, slanted claptrap Disney spewed in the guise of "The Last Jedi", writer/director Ryan "Creed" Coogler more than compensates for Rian Johnson and Kathleen Kennedy's polarizing blunder. 

The story is basic, though rich in its raw emotion, picking up some time after "Captain America: Civil War", in which King T'Chaka (John Kani), the original Black Panther, was killed, along with others, in a rigged explosion. Now, T'Challa takes his rightful place as the new Wakanda ruler. However, a cunning villain waits in the form of Erik "Killmonger" Stevens, played by the charismatic Michael B. Jordan (who already holds mythic distinction in having portrayed the fiery Johnny Storm and the mighty Adonis Creed). Killmonger believes he can run Wakanda far better than T'Challa ever could (as well as the world) and desires the crown with unscrupulous lust. He also harbors a woeful secret, which drives his conquering actions. 

The script by Coogler and Joe Robert Cole is a hardy spurt of wits and brawn, enshrouded by African steampunk wonders the likes of which no Marvel movie has ever displayed. Truly, Wakanda is more spectacular than "Civil War" led us to believe and even more imaginative than the pages of Marvel ever depicted. Wakanda is full-blown, high-tech Shangri-La and more awe-inspiring than anything one will find among the new "Star Wars" worlds. 

T'Challa's vibranium costume is also stunningly kick-ass. Yeah, it looked great in "Civil War", but here (maybe because it's given more screen time) it's a beacon of utter stylishness (and there are variations of it), making it perhaps the best looking Marvel design next to Tony Stark's varying gear. It makes T'Calla look alien at times (and I do mean that in the best "Alien" sense), blessed by a level of formidable gusto that no mere mortal could project, and yet beneath the suit, there's merely a man--but a man who matches his outfitted symbolism to the virile tee.

No matter how striking the decoration, it's the Panther-vs-Killmonger theme that gives this story its passion, with both characters fighting tooth-and-nail for leverage. From this comes conviction, cruelty, honor, hate and respect. If Hollywood weren't so full of itself, Boseman and Jordan would get Oscar nods, but of course, any such acknowledgement would only upset those bow-to-your-enemy millennials and general, college-kid goofs: insipid sects our eponymous champion would never ever emulate!

The rest of the cast is just as superb in supporting the story's intensity, with Angela Bassett as T'Challa's beautiful and stately mother, Queen Ramonda; Forest Whitaker as T'Challa's mystical advisor, Zuri; Lupita Nyong'o as T'Challa's secret-agent love, Nakia; Sterling K. Brown as the wayward N'Jobu; Daniel Kaluuya as T'Challa's fickle friend, W'Kabi; Letitia Wright as T'Challa's technological sister, Shuri; Winston Duke as mountain leader, M'Baki; Florence Ayo as security-guard Kasumba; Danai Gurira (that's right, "Walking Dead'"s sword-swiping Michonne) as the fierce General Okoye; and Tolkien-movie veterans Andy Serkis as ruthless smuggler Ulysses Klaue/Klaw; and Martin Freeman as CIA operative, Everett K. Ross. 

Among these participants, the ladies are as resourceful as the men (trust me, you don't want to mess with the Dora Milaje!), and that's real decent and swell, but all the same, their steely prowess never prevents "Black Panther" from what we desire it to be: a guy flick. The Black Panther is a gent that fellas of any age or ethnicity can follow, admire and strive to emulate. And yes, the Black Panther dictates the action with both brawn and shrewdness. Sorry SJW jerks (who conveniently ignore the fact that the censorious Nazis also consider themselves SJWs), but this movie is a throwback to the best of the best in manly execution, and though the Avengers films have never let us down in that regard, we really needed that rough and tough, right-over-wrong shot in the arm after "Jedi'"s lopsided turn.

Heaps of credit go to Coogler for keeping the mythology focused. Though the writer/director gives T'Challa his own interpretive spin, he respects the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby foundation. It's safe to say that Coogler made this movie not to please (or appease) some bloody clique, but to delight Marvel and Black Panther fans, and if others should just so happen to leap on, so be it. 

For those who believe that virtue can--and should--triumph over evil, that hard work and dignity constitute an honorable path to success, this is your movie. 

To hell with those misguided fools who'll shake their heads and click their pompous tongues, claiming that craven passivity and verbose resignation are the only paths to survival. In the same vein, to hell with those who praise "Black Panther" for no other reason than it seems the right and do, even in advance of actually viewing the picture. This adventure wasn't made for any of those pretentious clods, and because of that (hip, hip, hooray!) the noble Black Panther reigns supreme upon the silver screen!!!