In essence, this is fantasy. But fantasy intrigues the mind which can shape reality. Coogler definitely did his thang! But for those who know, if you want to control your future, to create it, you must first envision it. What type of future do YOU want?
I’ll start with the my not so positive critiques then move up to the plus’:
1) From what I remember reading comics as a youth, Namor was from the underwater city of Atlantis—which historically can be linked to ancient Kush and Kemet. Although Marvel depicted him to look somewhat asian, he most certainly was NOT of Mexican/Central American heritage. So that threw me off. The reference to Mayan culture that also includes Mayan glyphs throughout just wasn’t historically accurate and I felt was a lost opportunity to explore the melanated origin of a city that allegedly became submerged both in water and secrets, was not attributed to dark pigmented people—again, failed by Marvel and Coogler.
Was this done to include brown people? I think so. But for Atlantis to be excluded is a lost opportunity—trust, I know this is all fiction, all of Marvel, but as a historian, and because folks believe what’s on screen opposed to historical research using timelines, history will be distorted. Imagine if someone decided to make a super hero from ancient Kemet (erroneously called egypt—which is in Afrika by the way) who wasn’t Afrikan… oh wait… they did! Disney+ released a series called Moon Knight, an Arab who speaks with an english accent(?!!?)
2) I’ve had a few debates about this, and my biggest disappointment was how Shuri, who wanted to avenge her mother, the Queen’s death after channeling the spirit of Kilmonger, by killing Namor, decided not to is yet another example of why we collectively continue to suffer at the hands of global white dependency (in this case, the white nations who were untouched as Wakanda and Namor and his people potentially kill each other off (trust, the european and asian nations luv watching us kill off each other and after they’ll be the ones coming to take the natural resources (in this case Vibranium, in the real world, Cobalt, Tungsten, and Gallium to name a few).
Because we allow our enemies to live, we continue to suffer, and everytime we have that opportunity to annihilate them—which, btw, they most certainly are trying to do to us—we get all spiritually dignified and let them live. Smh!
Not just with killing Namor, it’s what ALL these fictitious super “hero’s” do! If you never kill off your enemy, given enough attempts, they most definitely will kill not just you, but your way of life. The thing is, these “heroes” have inflated ego’s who MUST have enemies so they’d be of use. Imagine, with no nemesis’, there’s no one to fight. The people are at peace because there’s no threat. Villains can murder innocents at will, all “hero’s” do is put them in jail and clean up their mess!
Think about it, Wakanda was never attacked until T’Challa decided to meet at the United Nations revealing to the world who they are. Outside forces interest immediately fell on the quest to steal their natural resources. Had they operated like Kilmonger, who wanted to share this with all of our people in the hood to rid ourselves of our historically collective foe, perhaps we could resurrect the peace we once knew after.
But our diversion comes when we have empathy for our enemies and its cemented when we attach made up thoughts of ‘Luv thy enemy as you do yourself’ ideologies. This is Stockholm syndrome at its finest!! Do we really want to believe our Ances-Starz want us to continue to suffer? Do WE want our future bloodlines too?! Especially while others continue to benefit from it?!!?
I do get Shuri not killing Namor was the right decision, but as we later saw, his yield was strategic, so although he’s not truly an ally to Wakanda… their true enemy are most certainly the western world pirates—I mean powers!
We must realize if we are to truly get back to our greatness, it will involve killing only because our foe intends to control/kill us and the control I speak of is historically documented past AND present, with violence.
You can build but so many homes. If your enemy keeps burning them down and you choose instead to rebuild (from less resources each time) rather than to confront the person(s) who keep lighting it up, then they may actually deserve to be victimized, sorry, not sorry.
3) Dope movie overall. Long time coming, understandably so with Covid also factored into the delay.
4) Absolutely LUV’d the shift (and balance) of Afrikan women leading as well as executing decisions that determined the fate of how Wakanda defended itself. The balance of the women and men of Wakanda fighting in balance together was also seen between Namor’s people. Not sure I’ve seen that on screen before.
5) The homage to Chadwick was heartfelt and not over the top. I especially liked that it was revisited in the end in the extra scene that also had a dope surprise! For there to be a son of T’Challa was 🔥!
In essence, this is fantasy. But fantasy intrigues the mind which can shape reality. Coogler definitely did his thang! But for those who know, if you want to control your future, to create it, you must first envision it. What type of future do you want? Perhaps you will take to heart what you just read.
