Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever
Year: 2022
Genre: Superhero; Action
Duration: 2 Hours, 44 Minutes
Where to watch: Cinemas
The end of Marvel’s ‘Phase 4’ is the sequel to 2018’s critically acclaimed ‘Black Panther’, which starred the late but fantastic Chadwick Boseman. Not going to lie, going into this film… I was concerned. Worried even. Marvel’s run of movies and Disney+ shows since Black Widow have been more misses than hits for me, so it felt justified to be a tad perturbed about how Marvel and director Ryan Coogler would handle the real life passing of Boseman, and translate that in-universe with T’Challa’s.
Right from the jump the audience is already reminded of Chadwick’s passing, the film doesn’t necessarily use it as a crutch but it pushes the already fantastic supporting characters – the story and the lore of Wakanda – to greater heights. T’Challa/Chadwick’s death is a beautiful sequence of scenes, done better than I could have ever hoped.
Angela Bassett absolutely kills it in BP:WF, every scene she is in she’s demanding and powerful with every action and spoken line. Even Latitia Wright, coming from supporting cast to becoming the main character, really stepped up and gave it her all. Her raw emotions are felt when needed but she isn’t afraid to let her cheekiness slip out and I’m thankful for the writing staff and Coogler for not letting her character lose what made her so loveable in the prequel.
However, Wakanda Forever isn’t without its faults. Including advertisements, it’s a 3 hour session, which could have easily been condensed to about 2 hours 30. Some scenes didn’t feel necessary, some characters or side plots weren’t needed. The main antagonist ‘Namor’ (Tenoch Huerta) was played brilliantly. While not included portrayed in the source material, Huerta was fantastic and I’m excited to see where Marvel take him.
Black Panther2: Wakanda Forever is a mixed bag of lollies, you get cool action sequences, some lazy CGI, a decent plot, great characters but the icing on the cake is a beautiful love letter and tribute to Chadwick Boseman. It’s not the best MCU film, but it’s one of the better ones in Phase 4.
3.5/5
Chainsaw Man
Episodes: 1–6
Year: 2022
Genre: Animated, Action, Comedy Horror
Duration: 30 minute episodes
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
It’s not often I do animated content. It’s also not often I get the opportunity to read the source material before it’s been adapted to the screens. Chainsaw Man, the anime, is brilliant. Chainsaw Man, the manga, is genius. Tatsuki Fugimoto, the author, is a god amongst men.
In a world where Devils are created from human fears, a young teenager Denji and his pet Puchita, who is part canine/Chainsaw Devil, are hired by the Yakuza as devil hunters so he can pay off the debts of his deceased father. After a job gone wrong, Denji and Puchita make a contract and merge, where Denji is reborn as… the Chainsaw Man. Joining the Special Division 4 squad, he is teamed up with the Blood Fiend known as Power, and senior officer Aki in their pursuit and goal for taking down the Gun Devil.
Chainsaw Man is a charming series, it’s action packed, it’s full of clever and crude humor but most importantly it’s gory. Even to say it’s gory doesn’t do it justice. Bloody, gruesome, stomach turning and over the top insane. It’s beautiful. The studio who gave us iconic series such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan and the latest Evangelion movie are responsible for the unfiltered zaniness of Chainsaw Man. Now this isn’t a turn off (however for some viewers it might be), that is the combination of 2D and 3D animation. It might throw some people off because it ‘looks cheap’, however I think it’s done to perfect effect. Imagine penciling in 300 stills just to show a chainsaw spinning. Ludicrous.
As a reader of the manga, I’m actually torn between which of the two to recommend to my friends. Ultimately it depends on what kind of medium you prefer. If you get the chance to read and watch Chainsaw Man, please do. Loveable characters, Denji’s goal in life is every male’s true ambition, and the story is incredible.
4.5/5
