BLACK PANTHER : WAKANDA FOREVER - Monday 14th November 2022.

I saw the M Rated 'BLACK PANTHER : WAKANDA FOREVER' this week, and this American Superhero film is based on the Marvel Comics character of Black Panther, as portrayed by Chadwick Boseman in the 2018 film 'Black Panther', and who tragically died from colon cancer in 2020. This is the sequel to that 2018 film and is the thirtieth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is once again Directed and Co-Written by Ryan Coogler. The film saw its World Premier screening in Hollywood on 26th October, was released worldwide last week having cost US$250M to produce and having so far grossed worldwide US$401M, has generated largely positive critical acclaim and is the final film in Phase Four of the MCU.

The film opens up with Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) frantically trying to synthetically recreate in her lab the heart-shaped herb that could potentially save the life of her dying brother King T'Challa of Wakanda. The Queen Mother of Wakanda Ramonda (Angela Bassett) enters the lab with tears in her eyes proclaiming that her son, Shuri's brother and the King of Wakanda, T'Challa, has passed away and now joins their ancestors. 

We then fast forward a year and a joint expedition force by the CIA and US Navy Seals is somewhere in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. Deep down on the seabed is a vibranium detecting machine that has located a source of the world's strongest metal thought previously to exist only in Wakanda. The expedition is attacked and wiped-out by a group of blue-skinned water breathing ocean dwelling superhumans led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta) the King of the underwater city of Talokan. The CIA later lay claim that Wakanda was responsible for the attack on the mid-Atlantic expedition. Later, Queen Ramonda is invited to attend something resembling the United Nations where she is pressed by other countries to share their vibranium, but she flatly refuses believing that they would use it against Wakanda and to bring about widespread destruction. 

On the first anniversary of T'Challa's death, Ramonda takes Shuri out into the bush so they they can grieve together and burn their funeral ceremonial robes on the camp fire as is the custom. Namor appears out of the river confronting them both, having easily evaded Wakanda's advanced security systems. Blaming Wakanda for the vibranium race, he gives them an ultimatum - deliver to him the scientist responsible for the vibranium-detecting machine, or he will attack Wakanda without mercy.

Okoye (Danai Gurira) convinces Ramonda to allow her to take Shuri with her to locate the scientist - after all what could possibly go wrong? They learn from CIA agent Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman) that the scientist in question is Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), a nineteen year old student at MIT, and arrive at the university to confront her, and convince her to come to Wakanda with them. The group is tracked down and pursued first by the FBI and then Namor's warriors, who defeat Okoye before taking Shuri and Williams to the underwater city of Talokan to meet with Namor. Back in Wakanda and Queen Ramonda is angered to say the least that Okoye failed to safeguard Shuri, and so strips her of her title as General of the Dora Milaje. Ramonda then travels of Haiti to locate Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) who has been living there since the blip and who did not return to Wakanda even for T'Challa's funeral. Ramonda enlists Nakia's help to locate and return Shuri and Riri to Wakanda. 

Namor meets with Shuri and shows her his underwater kingdom of Talokan, which he has protected since the 16th century and is rich with vibranium. Bitter at the surface world that once rejected him, Namor meets with Ramonda and offers an alliance with Wakanda against the other nations of the world but promises to destroy Wakanda first if they don't cooperate. Nakia helps Shuri and Riri escape, and Namor retaliates with an attack against Wakanda's capital city, during which Ramonda drowns while saving Riri. Namor vows to return in a week with his full force, as the citizens of Wakanda are relocated to the mountains for their own safety.

Meanwhile, Ross is arrested by his ex-wife and new CIA Director, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), for covertly exchanging classified intelligence with the Wakandans. Using a remnant of the herb that gave the Talokan's their superhuman abilities from a bracelet given to Shuri by Namor, she reconstructs the heart-shaped herb and ingests it in liquified form, giving her superhuman abilities. She then meets with Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) in the Ancestral Plane, who urges her to seek revenge. 

With her new super powers Shuri puts on a new upgraded Black Panther suit and is quickly accepted by the other Wakandan tribes as the Black Panther. Despite M'Baku's (Winston Duke) strong desire for peace, Shuri is determined to exact vengeance on Namor for Ramonda's death and orders an immediate attack on Talokan. Preparing for battle, with Ayo (Florence Kasumba) assuming the mantle of General of the Dora Milaje, Shuri bestows the new Midnight Angel body armour upon Okoye, who in turn recruits Dora member Aneka (Michaela Coel) to join her. Riri creates an Iron Man type powered exoskeleton suit to help the Wakandans in battle. 

The Wakandans lure Namor and his warriors to the surface as a battle ensues, with the relentless Talokan's seemingly gaining the upper hand. Shuri traps Namor in a fighter aircraft, intending to dehydrate and therefore weaken him. The aircraft crashes on a desert beach and a fight ensues. Shuri gains the upper hand and releases an explosion which burns into Namor's back causing him to fall onto the sand just out of reach of his life giving ocean. Shuri holds a spear to Namor's throat, but realises the similarities between their life journey's and implores him to yield, offering a peaceful alliance between their nations. Namor accepts, and their fight ends.

Namor's cousin, Namora (Mabel Cadena), is angered at Namor's surrender, but he reassures her that their new alliance will allow them to conquer the surface world at some point in the future. Riri returns to MIT with the blessing of Shuri who extends the warm hand of friendship leaving behind her exoskeleton suit, while Okoye rescues Ross as he is being transported to captivity. In Shuri's absence, M'Baku steps forward to challenge her for the throne. Shuri visits Nakia who has returned to Haiti where she burns her funeral ceremonial robe allowing herself to finally grieve over T'Challa. In a mid-credits sequence, Shuri learns that Nakia and T'Challa had a son who is now eight years old, and that his name is Toussaint (Divine Love Konadu-Sun), who Nakia has been raising in secret away from the trials and tribulations of Wakanda and the throne. Toussaint reveals his Wakandan name is T'Challa, Prince T'Challa the son of King T'Challa.

'Black Panther : Wakanda Forever' pays a fitting tribute to the passing of King T'Challa, aka Black Panther, and indeed Chadwick Boseman that is heartfelt and emotional without being forced or contrived. The roles of Bassett, Huerta, Wright and Nyong'o especially are right on the money with each of them delivering compelling and relatable performances that keep the story grounded with a sense of realism. The CGI effects and the continued world building of Wakanda is impressive enough too, as are the action sequences which are delivered at an effectively staged pace so as to allow for characterisation development to come through in between and which is likely to bode well for the story arc when 'Black Panther III' eventually hits our screens at some future date. That said, the second act stagnates a little and I found my mind wandering and asking myself when was the pace going to pick up, and at 161 minutes runtime, this is over extended by twenty minutes I suggest. 'Wakanda Forever' was unlikely to hit the dizzying heights of the first 'Black Panther' instalment but when it boils down to the continuation of the story and establishing a foundation upon which to further build the next film in the 'Black Panther' franchise, then this film delivers on that premise. As of earlier this month, Director and Co-Writer Ryan Coogler and Kevin Feige, the Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment were revealed to have discussed a potential third Black Panther film.

'Black Panther : Wakanda Forever' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 10th November 2022.

The 22nd annual Belfast Film Festival is now in full swing having opened on Thursday 3rd November and closing on Saturday 12th November. This festival is Northern Ireland's largest of its kind, attracting over 25,000 people annually. The festival has grown to include the Docs Ireland international documentary festival, as well as an Audience Development and Inclusion programme. The festival also sponsors year-round film screenings around Belfast. Founded in 1995 the festival began as a part of West Belfast Festival and operated as the West Belfast Film Festival (WBFF) from 1995 to 2000. In its third and fourth year, WBFF ran as an independent event and included venues throughout the city. It became the Belfast Film Festival in the year 2000 and ran as a citywide event, including venues in all four corners of Belfast.

This years Opening Night film presentation was 'Ballywalter', from Ireland and Directed by Prasanna Puwanarajah in his debut feature film and tells the story of Eileen (Seana Kerslake), a caustic, unrepentant University drop-out whose dreams of a successful life in London have fallen by the wayside. Back at home with her mum, she makes ends meet by working as an unlicensed driver in her ex-boyfriend’s minicab. Shane (Patrick Kielty) has exiled himself in Ballywalter following the break-up of his marriage, but now he’s trying to get his life back on track by enrolling in a stand-up comedy course. When Shane calls a taxi to get him to his classes, Eileen answers and a surprising connection is made. As the two spend time together shuttling back and forth, a beautiful friendship develops. The Closing Night film is 'Aftersun' from the UK and US and is Written and Directed by Charlotte Wells in her feature film Directing debut. Here, eleven-year-old tomboy Sophie (Frankie Corio), is going with her single dad Calum (Paul Mescal) on a Turkish package holiday in the late 1990's. Days of sun, sand and shooting pool beckon, but there’s an undertow of sadness, maybe of future estrangement, to Calum’s laddish parenting, and it bleeds into Frankie’s perspective both past and present.

In the International Film Competition for first or second feature films, there are eight films competing for the award of a prize of £7,000 to the Director of the Best Film, alongside Jury Prizes for Outstanding Craft Contribution and Breakout Performance of £1,500 each. Those eight films are :-

* 'Blue Jean' - from the UK and Written and Directed by first timer Georgia Oakley. England, 1988 - and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government is about to pass a law stigmatising gays and lesbians, forcing Jean, a gym teacher, to live a double life. As pressure mounts from all sides, the arrival of a new girl at school where Jean works, catalyses a crisis that will challenge Jean to her core.

* 'Unrest' - from Switzerland and Written and Directed by Cyril Schaublin. This is the story of young watchmaker, Josephine (Clara Gostynski), in 1877 Switzerland, who gets involved with the rising anarchist movement as new technologies begin to transform money, time and labor in a small town.

* 'Beautiful Beings' - from Iceland and Written and Directed by Guomundur Arnar Guomundsson. Here, Addi (Birgir Dagur Bjarkason), who is being raised by a clairvoyant mother and an absent father, decides to take pitiful, beaten-up Balli (Askell Einar Palmason) under his wing and into his little band of outsiders. The gang's comradeship gives them an escape from troubled, often abusive home situations, but their bonds of teenage brotherhood will be sorely tested by a toxic tide of systemic, cyclical male aggression that almost ceaselessly seeks to turn frightened boys into violent men.

* 'Falcon Lake' - from Canada and Co-Written and Directed by Charlotte Le Bon in her feature film making debut. Fourteen-year-old Bastien (Joseph Engel) and his family are on holiday at a lakeside cabin in Quebec with an old friend of his mother's. More importantly, with her sixteen-year-old daughter, Chloe (Sara Montpetit), an unsmiling teen with a morbid sense of humour, on whom Bastien immediately crushes very hard.

* 'Tommy Guns' - from Portugal and Angola and Written and Directed by Carlos Conceicao. In 1974, after years of civil war, the Portuguese and their descendants fled the colony of Angola where groups of independents gradually claimed their territory back. A tribal girl discovers love and death when she crosses paths with a young Portuguese soldier. Meanwhile, another group of Portuguese soldiers is barracked inside an infinite wall from which they will have to escape once the past comes out of the grave to claim its long-awaited justice.

* 'Carajita' - from the Dominican Republic and Argentina, and Co-Written and Co-Directed by Ulises Porra and Silvina Schnicer. Sara (Cecile van Welie) and her nanny Yarisa (Magnolia Nunez) have a relationship that seems to transcend their class conditions. They are the closest thing to a daughter-mother, but an accident will test their intimate loyalty and the innocent illusion that nothing can separate them.

* 'A Room of My Own' - from Georgia and Co-Written and Directed by Ioseb 'Soso' Bliadze. Tina (Taki Mumladze), a young woman who has lost her way in life, rents a room from the vibrant Megi (Mariam Khundadze), thanks to whom she gradually starts to discover what it's like to be free and to be able to make her own decisions without being reliant on men.

* 'Return to Seoul' - from France and South Korea and Written and Directed by Davy Chou. A twenty-five-year-old French woman, Freddie (Park Ji-Min) returns to Korea, the country she was born in before being adopted by a French couple, for the very first time. She decides to track down her biological parents, but her journey takes a surprising turn.

For the full details of the other film and presentation strands taking place at this years Belfast Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://belfastfilmfestival.org/

Turning the attention then back to this weeks three new movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you in the coming week, we kick off with the 30th film in the MCU and the sequel to a massive hit in 2018 that this time sees the nation of Wakanda pitted against intervening world powers as they mourn the loss of their king T'Challa. This is followed up by a doco set in the heart of the Tibetan highlands, where an award-winning photographer guides a writer in his quest to document the infamously elusive snow leopard; before closing out the week with a celebration song and dance film marking the 30th anniversary of a classic Christmas story as told by a renowned English contemporary choreographer. 

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the three latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'BLACK PANTHER : WAKANDA FOREVER' (Rated M) - this American Superhero film is based on the Marvel Comics character of Black Panther, as portrayed by Chadwick Boseman in the 2018 film 'Black Panther', and who tragically died from colon cancer in 2020. This is the sequel to that 2018 film and is the thirtieth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is once again Directed and Co-Written by Ryan Coogler. The film saw its World Premier screening in Hollywood on 26th October, is set for a worldwide release from this week, and is the final film in Phase Four of the MCU.

Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M'Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T'Challa's death, and a new threat emerges from the hidden undersea nation of Talokan and its king, Namor (Tenoch Huerta). As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.

'THE VELVET QUEEN' (Rated M) - this French documentary film is Written and Directed by Vincent Munier and Marie Amiguet and is set in the heart of the Tibetan highlands amongst unexplored and inaccessible valleys, where multi-award-winning nature photographer Vincent Munier guides adventurer and novelist Sylvain Tesson on his quest to document the infamously elusive snow leopard. Munier introduces Tesson to the subtle art of waiting from a blind spot, tracking animals, and finding the patience to catch sight of the beasts. Through their journey in the Tibetan peaks, inhabited by invisible presences, the two men ponder humankind's place amongst the magnificent creatures and glorious landscapes they encounter along the way. 

'MATTHEW BOURNE'S NUTCRACKER!' (Rated CTC) - to celebrate its 30th anniversary with family-sized helpings of Bourne’s trademark wit, pathos, and magical fantasy, Nutcracker! follows Clara’s bittersweet journey from a darkly comic Christmas Eve at Dr. Dross’ Orphanage, through a shimmering, ice-skating winter wonderland to the scrumptious candy kingdom of Sweetieland, influenced by the lavish Hollywood musicals of the 1930's. Tchaikovsky’s glorious score and Anthony Ward’s newly-refreshed delectable sets and costumes combine with Bourne’s dazzling choreography to create a fresh and charmingly irreverent interpretation of the classic production. This film is Directed for the screen by Ross MacGibbon. 

With three new release movie offerings this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-