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‘Black Panther’ Typically Only Gets 1 Major Criticism from Fans – and It’s Unseeable

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had its fair share of massive hits at the box office. It’s also had some movies that performed well commercially but didn’t receive much critical praise. In fact, it’s rare when an MCU movie receives both fan and widespread critic approval.  One of the films that did receive both is …
by Madilyn Zeegers
Published on
3 min read

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had its fair share of massive hits at the box office. It’s also had some movies that performed well commercially but didn’t receive much critical praise. In fact, it’s rare when an MCU movie receives both fan and widespread critic approval. 

One of the films that did receive both is Black Panther. Let’s take a look at how that film was successful with audiences and movie reviewers, and the single criticism it received. 

Ryan Coogler and Chadwick Boseman standing in front of a yellow background with a blue 'Black Panther' logo
Ryan Coogler and Chadwick Boseman | Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images

The worldwide phenomenon of Black Panther

Black Panther was a property that had rumored to be in development for years. As the MCU grew in popularity, it only made sense to include one of Marvel Comics’ most popular characters. Eventually, T’Challa made his way into the ever-expanding MCU. 

Directed by critically acclaimed director Ryan Coogler and starring Chadwick Boseman, Marvel released Black Panther in 2018 to rave reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a 97% approval rating with critics and a 79% approval rating with audience members. Artistically speaking, the film was the first MCU entry to garner widespread critical appeal. While others were deemed enjoyable “popcorn” flicks, Black Panther was seen as having serious artistic merit. 

While the character is popular in the comics, no one could have predicted how successful the film would be. It paved the way for T’Challa to pop up yet again in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Marvel has already announced that Black Panther II will come out in a few years, and the character is likely to be one of the major components of the MCU going forward. 

What made Black Panther so successful critically and commercially

So why was Black Panther such a huge success with critics and fans alike? For a number of reasons, including: 

  • The director. Ryan Coogler had previously directed Fruitvale Station and Creed. His stock as a director only went up after his work on Black Panther. 
  • The cast. Boseman was wonderful as the lead, but everyone around him was fantastic as well. Michael B. Jordan gave one of the best supervillain portrayals as Erik Killmonger. Letitia Wright gave a solid performance as the brilliant sister of T’Challa, Suri. Legends like Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker also appeared in supporting roles. Even though it was brief, Sterling K. Brown had a small but powerful cameo as Killmonger’s father. 
  • The timing. In a time when diversity in Hollywood is always a hot topic, it was refreshing to see a Black filmmaker and cast get an opportunity to get behind a big-budget film and knock it out of the park. The film’s success proved yet again that mass audiences want to see predominantly Black stories told on the big screen. 

All those factors came together for the perfect confluence of a blockbuster hit that critics could also see value in. It’s just the step in the evolution of superhero movies. Films that were once seen as entertaining distractions at best are now being taken more seriously. Whether it’s Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, Logan, or MCU classics like Black Panther, fans are realizing that superhero movies can also have quality. 

No movie is perfect, of course, and Black Panther was no different. There was one flaw that one fan pointed out. 

The one major Black Panther criticism from fans

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One MCU fan on Reddit pointed out a glaring problem with the movie even while recounting its many positive qualities: 

“Taking away the embarassing CGI in the final fight (thats the only problem i have with this), this movie feels completely different from the typical MCU formula. Overall it has some serious tone while having some really funny scenes. Every character in this movie – even if some dont get alot to do – feels unique, going to the main protagonist, to the side characters and villains.”

While it may be true that some CGI in the film isn’t pristine, that feels like the ultimate form of nitpicking. If that’s the biggest problem fans have with the film, it must mean the filmmakers did something very right. 

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