Black Panther parallels our political climate
By Erik Swann
Black Panther has some interesting similarities to our nation’s politics.
Black Panther has been called a geopolitical action adventure, and more recently, a combination of The Godfather and 007. Despite these varying descriptions, one element that’s remained consistent is the presence of politics, and it sounds like the political state of Wakanda will be very close to that of the United States.
In a recent interview with EW, Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman explained Wakanda faces turmoil due to the leadership transition, which in some ways reflects what is happening in our country today:
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"“Generally, there is unrest because there’s no leader on the throne. We’re dealing with a similar thing right now in this country. Just because a person was elected doesn’t mean everybody agrees with the things he’s going to do.”"
Boseman then discussed the kinds of responsibilities that T’Challa will have as the new leader of a nation:
"“Having to make the first decisions … what do you do first? What do you choose to do that’s going to get everybody on your side? It’s a political drama essentially.”"
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Making politics a focal point should help to make the film engaging. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) was a political thriller with a bit of social commentary, and it’s one of the strongest films in the MCU.
We’ll have to wait and see just how much of a political influence T’Challa’s first solo outing has. But, regardless of the amount, it’s sure to lead to some interesting discussions among audiences.
Black Panther claws its way into theaters on February 16, 2018.