BLACK PANTHER – I AM confused. I liked the movie it was exciting. I’m not a big Marvel fan, but I think this movie was well done and in comparison to other Marvel movies I've seen, it's far better. Kudos to the young African American director. But I don't see Black Panther as a political narrative. Let me repeat, Black Panther the Movie is not the political narrative so many of us African Americans make it out to be. Let me also state, that I think this movie is good for young black boys and girls to see themselves on the big screen. But the fact of the matter is, Black Panther is just another American tale.
Let’s start with giving a little background about the movie. It centered around a brother killing his brother (Cain vs. Abel), because the brother (living in US) wanted to use the resources from his home land (Wakanda in Africa) to help other oppressed brothers in the community where he resided. When the King of Wakanda discovered his brother’s transgression, thanks to a snake— (oh…my bad, Forest Whittaker) he murdered his brother. All to preserve the resources of Wakanda—in Wakanda (greed). Then he lies to cover the truth and left his nephew stranded in the US. Talk about black on black crime.
My problem with this movie is it was hailed as having an all-black cast. But when I watched the movie I discovered that just isn’t the case. There’s a white CIA agent – why is he even a part of the movie? Whose telling us this story??? (Can’t be the uncle or cousin, they're dead, perhaps it’s the new King of Wakanda--or maybe it's Stan Lee—the white creator). I haven’t forgotten about that scene at the entrance to the movie, where the son asks the father to tell him the story again, I believe that’s called a set-up. Also the new King of Wakanda doesn't save the day. Nope, it’s Stan—my bad—the white CIA Agent who really saved the day. Oh but he had direction from the King’s sister, the Wakanda most like an African American Girl (got that).
Because of Wakanda’s technological prowess, they were able to save the white CIA Agent, but couldn’t save their own black brother. In Game of Thrones when John Snow died his brothers used every resource in their power, (including—dark magic) to bring him back to life (ijs). I know, I know, Cuz wanted to die, he wanted to meet his ancestors (got that too).
This movie depicts the image of black brother vs black brother, while the white man ends up benefiting the most, hence the real story of slavery. Black tribe sells his brother to the white man—white man uses that resource to build a nation (stretch? Maybe—you decide). Or perhaps slavery is a bit much, maybe it depicts what king Leopold did in the Congo, without the truth.
In the move the CIA Agent survives due to Wakanda’s ingenuity. He lives and goes back home and tells the story of Wakanda. Next thing you know the King of Wakanda, having been enlightened by the truth, stands side by side with his bride at the National Assembly, before the United Nations, giving the world access to Wakanda’s resources; meanwhile, Stan the man--sorry, the white CIA Agent is seated in the audience, wearing a nice suit and a proud smile on his face. Mission accomplished—divide, conquer, control.
Lastly, that jab at African American women and our hair is duly noted because this black film wouldn’t be a black film if it didn’t make fun of African American women and our hair. Maybe it's petty, but so is the black boy in the monkey tee shirt. Or so is this unspoken dynamic that supposed to exist between African American women being fake, and African women being real. When the truth of the matter is we are all genuine, have black skin, bleed red blood and worry about our hair.
Maybe my synopsis is not that deep. I can go on and speak about the way the movie glorifies aspects of African tradition and tribal life, while consciously ignoring facts about customs and beliefs that need to be changed. I could go into how places in Africa continue to oppress and mutilate women, I could speak about President Obama's 2015 speech in Kenya that condemned such practices, or talk about how tribal communities force young girls to marry old men under the guise of tradition, but none of these ugly subjects were captured in this beautiful American tale. So I’ll leave that right there.
This movie is no political narrative, but African Americans are so happy to see ourselves lit up in Magnificent lights, with a predominant black cast, that we will overlook every detail, just to have that glory.
😂#getthatdirtoffmyshoulder; #dahtruth.com.