Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Black Panther Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 9, 2018

Black Panther was a special production for many involved in its construction, representing not just another movie about a fictional hero capable of great feats but standing as a symbol as the first superhero of African descent. The character debuted in the 1960s, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, at the height of the Civil Rights movement in the United States and has become one of the most beloved icons of the Marvel, and indeed the greater comic book, universe. The character was introduced to moviegoers in the fantastic Captain America: Civil War and is now the focus of Director Ryan Coogler's (Fruitvale Station, Creed) third feature film. Black Panther is a rip-roaring Superhero film steeped in culture and tradition while simultaneously presenting cutting-edge technology and modern-made excitement. The film's arcing plot line is a little stale, but it's a fine, fun flick that performs well above most of its cliché-riddled parts.

The king is dead, long live the king! The African nation of Wakanda, thought to be well behind the times and poverty stricken by the outside world, is actually a technologically advanced society thanks to the fortuitous arrival of a meteorite made of the alien metal "vibranium" some years ago. It has transformed Wakandan society, a transformation the people and leadership have kept secret for many years. In line to lead the nation is T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) who fends off a tribal challenge to take his rightful seat at the nation's head and assume the identity of the Black Panther. He is immediately tested when it is revealed that an old enemy, a man his father could not defeat named Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis), has stolen a valuable vibranium sample for a museum that did not know what it had in its possession. Aiding the longtime Wakandan nemesis is N'Jadaka (Michael B. Jordan), a radical with his eyes set on a bigger prize than even the valuable vibranium.

Black Panther soars as a production steeped in its characters' culture. The film is set in the fictional nation of Wakanda, a landlocked country said to be isolated form the world and believed to be a poor, struggling third-world nation. However, the people hold a secret that has provided them radical advancements in technology, including medicine and weapons. The filmmakers have done a wonderful job of effortlessly blending together colorful, carefully considered culture and radical, but not unbelievable, technology into the film's world. It's an oftentimes breathtaking display of new and old, of characters expressing themselves, battling, and caring for one another in ways that highlight both ends of the spectrum, and that they so effortlessly, and believably, maneuver through both with nary a hiccup along the way is a testament to, certainly, their skills as actors but also the writers' vision for the world and how and why it works. For the audience, it's a dazzling display, quite unlike anything that has ever been on the screen before, and even as the film plods through a story that's as cliché as the world is visionary, the structural support carries the film beyond the crudities of its basic arc.

The film elevates considerably once the action is truly set into motion, after core story arcs begin to take shape, and character motivations and secrets are revealed. Action scenes are exciting and well choreographed, even if they often stem from fairly trite, stale dramatic circumstances. A car chase partway through the film is exceptionally well crafted, with several unique ideas executed to perfection while the sequence yields enjoyable mayhem. But the film thrives more on its character construction and less on its action, more on its arcing story and less on its point-to-point scenes. It's a film that's by-and-large predictable in execution, even as it takes a difficult dramatic turn at the end of its second act to which the characters react remarkably well and help create a sense of panic, sadness, and darkness at the new realty before them, but even still there's not much of an element of surprise at how the movie will resolve thereafter. But it's fun. It's crafted with passion on both side of the camera, the production values are everything one could want in a movie of this type, and even if the characters maneuver through stock ebbs and flows, they do so with conviction. The cast is fantastic all-around, each primary absorbed into the character and buying into the blend of traditional-meets-future. Michael B. Jordan is the film's standout as the cocky and powerful villain.

Black Panther Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The digitally photographed Black Panther looks great on Blu-ray. The image sees precious few stumbles -- trace amounts of macroblocking, less than ideal black levels in an early nighttime scene, a sprinkling of noise here and there -- and what shortcomings there are are always overmatched by the otherwise first-class presentation. The image appears clean and highly detailed. The digital source material doesn't offer a traditional filmic veneer but that's not at the cost of any texturing, which is excellent. Consider the Black Panther outfit, which despite practically materializing out of thin air (or a necklace, in this case), offers some amazingly tangible, tactile ridges and a sense of real material density that the Blu-ray reveals with striking precision. Other intricate and ornate costumes are exceptionally sharp and well defined, too. Facial features are intimately revealing, environments are sharp, and various digital constructs -- 3D character renderings, force fields, flying craft -- come effortlessly sharp. Colors are robust and many. The palette springs to life with a beautifully presented variety of traditional, and very vivid, African colors. The palette finds a natural, balanced harmony that never over-accentuates or dulls any shade. Skin tones are healthy and accurate and black levels, beyond a few minor missteps, are pleasantly deep and true. This is a very attractive release from Disney.

Black Panther Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Black Panther roars onto Blu-ray...assuming one cranks up the sound loud enough to properly hear it. This DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack is another in a growing line of Disney films to present at a very low volume. On this reviewer's system, a -12.5db setting is generally a sweet spot, but this, and other recent Disney titles, requires cranking it up to a calibrated reference level of 0.0db to appreciate; at -12.5 the track is audible, but lacks any kind of dynamic command of the stage. Once the volume is properly set, though, the track is quite good, though not quite a beast. Bass is present but not often in any prodigious quantities. There's enough support heft to music, explosions, power flying craft, car chases, and a large-scale battle at film's end to add some dynamism to the track, but this one certainly doesn't rock the stage with any serious, big-time authority. Percussion drum beats are perhaps a notable exception, offering plenty of weight to each strike. Still, the track is never shy about engaging every speaker at its disposal. It's frequently very open, sprawling about and drawing the listener square into the middle of any given scene, from fights for supremacy to the film's climactic battle where all sorts of chaotic sound elements present but never draw the listener's attention away from the main-draw, on-screen action. Several discrete effects are very enjoyable. A tire rolls into the back right speaker following the big car chase in the middle of the film, and craft distinctly fly through the stage towards the climax. Minor atmospheric details are handled well, and dialogue is clear and detailed with natural front-center positioning and some excellent reverberation at the 97-minute mark.

Black Panther Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Black Panther's Blu-ray release contains a large assortment of extra content. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Crowning of a New King (1080p, 5:34): A look at Black Panther's debut in Civil War, the character's place in the Avengers, the costume, the character's grounded and relatable origins, the character's journey between Civil War and this film, the character's comic origins, the film's driving story, and more.
• The Hidden Kingdom Revealed (1080p, 6:57): A closer look at the fictional realm of Wakanda, both the location and the people who inhabit it.
• The Warriors Within (1080p, 6:08): A discussion of the prominent role women play in Wakanda, with focus on several of the film's key female characters.
• Wakanda Revealed: Exploring the Technology (1080p, 6:16): This piece explores the critical role Vibranium plays in the story, including how it has helped develop the land and its use in clothing, weapons, and vehicles.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 1:38).
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 6:53 total runtime): Included are UN Meet and Greet, Okoye and W'Kabi Discuss the Future of Wakanda, T'Challa Remembers His Father, and Voices from the Past.
• From Page to Screen: A Roundtable Discussion (1080p, 20:27): Comic Writer Christopher Priest, Comic Writer Don McGregor, Black Panther Executive Producer Nate Moore, Comic Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, Black Panther Writer Joe Robert Cole, and Black Panther Co-Writer/Director Ryan Coogler discuss the character's history in the comics, his emergence in the Civil Rights era, the character's transition to the screen, the character and story's importance to African-Americans and general society, the character's place in contemporary America, the character's cinematic introduction in Civil War, Chadwick Boseman's performance, and more. This is the best supplement of the bunch.
• Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years -- Connecting the Universe (1080p, 8:39): A look at the crossover worlds and the sprawling character roster in the Marvel films.
• Exclusive Sneak Peek at Ant-Man and the Wasp (1080p, 2:26): A quick behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming movie with on-set footage and interview snippets.
• Audio Commentary: Director Ryan Coogler and Production Designer Hannah Beachler offer a rich, passionate, and well-versed commentary that covers all of the usual commentary essentials as well as details beyond the basics of the shoot. A very good track.
• Director Ryan Coogler Intro (1080p, 1:23): Available only under the "Play" tab. Coogler discusses the honor of bringing the character and comic to the screen, powerful women in the film, and the themes that connect to him and wide audiences alike.

Black Panther Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Black Panther is not a bastion of narrative creativity, but it's done well, it's exciting, it's well acted, and it's beautifully and passionately crafted. Action, costumes, and conviction make up for a fairly linear storyline that has precious few surprises up its sleeve. It's not the best entry into the MCU, but it's a lot of fun in its exploration of one of the most interesting worlds and engaging characters on the Marvel roster. Disney's Blu-ray is packed with extras, features excellent video, and audio is fine if one cranks it up. Highly recommended.