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    Movie Review

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever wears its emotions on its sleeve

    Alex Bentley
    Nov 10, 2022 | 4:05 pm

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe and writer/director Ryan Coogler find themselves in almost an impossible position with the long-anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The death of star Chadwick Boseman in 2020 left a gaping hole in both the ongoing MCU and in Coogler’s story plans for this film, which likely had to be mostly scrapped in the absence of his character, King T’Challa.

    And so, like much of the MCU’s Phase Four films, Wakanda Forever feels tenuously patched together. Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole address the elephant in the room right away, starting the film with T’Challa’s (off-screen) death, a sequence that is as elegantly handled as possible. It is the first of multiple times in the film that characters like his sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) and mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett) grapple with the loss, moments that never fail to bring big emotion into the film.

    At first, it feels like the film’s main storyline will be successful, introducing a new group of beings, led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta), who live underwater in a country they call Talokan. Like Wakanda, they live in an area that’s rich with vibranium, which makes their deep-sea land a target for countries eager to be on a level playing field with Wakanda. Naturally, they defend their territory at all costs, with the mysterious nature of the Talokans leading to them being confused for Wakandans.

    Early conflicts between the Talokans and Wakandans are suitably entertaining, with the Talokans – featuring blue skin, masks filled with water to be able to breathe at all times, and possible regenerative properties – seemingly indomitable. But as the film goes along, and especially in the final act, the battle scenes become repetitive and filled with subpar CGI that takes the viewer out of the necessary escapism mode.

    The film works best when it returns to the personal aspects of the story. Without the presence of T’Challa, the film becomes mostly about the women of Wakanda, including Shuri, Ramonda, Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), and warrior Okoye (Danai Gurira). The way each adapts to their new or adapted roles is much more interesting than any of the fights. Coogler also takes time to give the history of Namor and the Talokans, making them deeper than other nemeses in comic book films.

    When it comes time for a particular character to finally take up the mantle of Black Panther again, the reveal is not much of a surprise. But whether it’s the reluctance of that character, the appearance of the character in the suit, or the incoherence of the scenes showing off that person’s skills, there’s little that’s exciting about the newly-minted superhero.

    It’s also disappointing that – after the world-building and addressing of real-life racial issues in the first film – this film doesn’t push harder in that regard. Coogler and the production team, especially costume designer Ruth E. Carter, make Wakanda as real as ever, but the implicit promise T’Challa makes at the end of the first film - that Wakanda would be a beacon for Black people around the world - is only lightly addressed.

    There is little the filmmakers could do about it, but the film misses Boseman’s larger-than-life aura. Much of the film centers on Shuri, but Wright is better as a supporting actor than a lead. A better choice would have been Bassett, who is as strong as ever, or Nyong’o or Gurira, who are each compelling in their roles. Winston Duke once again makes the most of his brief appearances as M’Baku.

    For all its faults, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is still the most watchable of the recent slate of MCU films. The central conflict doesn’t yield many rewards, but the film wears its emotions on its sleeve, giving fans permission to publicly grieve the generational talent gone too soon.

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    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in theaters on November 11.

    Tenoch Huerta Mej\u00eda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
      

    Photo by Eli Adé

    Tenoch Huerta Mejía in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

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    Movie Review

    Disturbing new horror film Bring Her Back will shock fans of the genre

    Alex Bentley
    May 30, 2025 | 4:00 pm
    Sally Hawkins and Sora Wong in Bring Her Back
    Photo courtesy of A24
    Sally Hawkins and Sora Wong in Bring Her Back.

    While there have been plenty of great horror movies that have come out of the United States, there are also many examples of other countries delivering films that put American ones to shame. Whether it’s the freedom of working outside the U.S. studio system, different sensibilities, or something else, international horror movies often hit way harder than domestic ones.

    The latest example is the Australian film Bring Her Back, directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, the same filmmakers behind the 2023 sensation Talk to Me. The fantastically unnerving story centers on Andy (Billy Barratt) and his sister, Piper (Sora Wong), who’s legally blind. The two are put into foster care after the death of their father, finding a home with Laura (Sally Hawkins), a former social worker. Laura is enthusiastic about having Piper, who reminds her of her blind daughter who passed away, but Andy feels a coolness toward him right away.

    Also living with Laura is Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), whom Laura says has been mute since her daughter’s death. But Oliver’s actions are much weirder than him not being able to talk, and Laura alternates between being dismissive of him and overly attentive. Things start to go off the rails when Andy witnesses a horrific event, and he and Piper - along with the audience - are unprepared for how awful things will get.

    The film, written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman, ranks extremely high on the list of most disturbing films you’re likely to see. It’s not just the blood and gore that can be found in many other horror movies; it’s the manner in which the carnage comes about that may haunt the dreams of viewers. The things that the filmmakers choose to show are so shocking that it’s fair to wonder what kind of a mind comes up with such atrocities.

    But the Philippous have more on their mind than trying to traumatize viewers visually. It’s a movie about grief and a broken foster care system mixed with a tinge of the supernatural. While it’s not entirely clear what’s going on with Laura and Oliver, it involves something spooky that has affected both of them in inexplicable ways. The film combines the horrors of real life and the incomprehensible for a highly effective story.

    The film also veers far away from your typical horror film arc. While Laura is the “villain” of the film, she’s also a victim in a certain way, and the filmmakers have empathy for the trauma that she has endured. They don’t excuse her actions, but the reasons behind them are explained, and so the journey that Andy and Piper go on becomes more meaningful than if it involved a monster with no back story.

    Hawkins, who’s been nominated for two Oscars, elevates the film with her high-level acting. No matter what kind of weird thing Laura does, it feels grounded because Hawkins is bringing it to life. Barratt and Wong play their roles well, but it’s Phillips who’s the real revelation. Without speaking a word, he turns in a supremely creepy performance, one that’s especially amazing for the physical things he’s asked to do.

    Even horror film aficionados may not be able to anticipate the level of depravity on display in Bring Her Back. Unlike other movies in the genre, it’s not out for cheap thrills. The Philippous give it heart and soul, along with some of the most messed-up scenes you’ll see this year.

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    Bring Her Back is now playing theaters.

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