Black Panther’s Message to the World

I had so much fun seeing Black Panther with my mother in on February 23. The amount of research and thought put into every element of the production is truly amazing and clearly evident. The movie is a perfect example of Marvel’s increasingly practiced talent of successfully balancing comedic elements and action to perpetuate the plot and charm the audience. It is a box-office show stopper that audiences across the globe have long since anticipated. The movie is centralized in an Afrocentric image culturally, however, is relatable to people of all walks of life. It is progressive, it is entertaining, and it encapsulates what it means to be a hero – to rectify wrongs, to learn, to save universally.

Unfortunately, the fighting for the betterment of humanity is political. I thought it was commendable of Marvel to use their moment of undeniable fame to make a statement about the importance of bridging societies together in this web that is the fabric of humanity. At the end of the movie, he said something along the lines of “Only fools build barriers… the wise build bridges.”

To clarify, I don’t think this is specifically pointed toward the United States and the Trump administration’s foreign policy. But rather a statement on the interconnectedness of people and the significance of collaboration in working to make the world a better place.

I absolutely love anything and everything that has to do with superheroes. Fiction weaves the super characteristics with the human ones. Their humanity makes our existence in the world seem a little more powerful and our lives seem more magical. The movie was not only socially advanced but eloquently packaged in this message of hope for a better future.