I saw Black Panther this afternoon. The film is a success on every level. The craftsmanship and writing stunned me. Black Panther is a serious, thoughtful, challenging movie that surpasses the sky-high quality of previous Marvel movies and ventures into the stratosphere.
Go see this movie in the theater if you can — for the big-screen experience of course, but also to enjoy the movie with enthusiastic fans.
The cultural significance of Black Panther, especially for many African-Americans, must not be underestimated. Others will describe this phenomenon better than I will, but let me offer this anecdote:
My local theater was packed when I got there and even more crowded as I left. I saw African-American fans of every age and both sexes wearing all sorts of attire that incorporated African traditions. I cannot recall ever before seeing a crowd of fans dressed up for a superhero movie that included adult, and even elderly, women.
As I left the theater, my group paused to help a large family (most of them dressed as I described) take group photos. This family was so happy to be together there to watch the masterpiece that is Black Panther. This touched my heart, and I highly recommend going to the theater with as much of your family and friends as you can muster.