Thoughts on the Black Panther Trailer-I'M NOT IMPRESSED

I caught the Black Panther trailer at the library on Monday.

 And I’m still NOT impressed.

From what was presented in the Black Panther trailer it’s looking like a major disappointment. Flat visuals, uninspired acting and a predictable storyline I’ve seen a Kajillion times. There wasn’t a single thing presented in that two minutes that would persuade me to pay for a movie ticket to see this movie.

Black Panther’s story looks to be by the numbers. Sellout Killmonger is trying to challenge Real Brotha T’Challa, for the throne of Wakanda so he and The Evil White Man Klaw can plunder the nation’s resources and get all the Vibranium out of the great mound to sell to White folks.

Meh. But what can I expect from the company that produces Minstrel shows like Scandal and The Mayor?

If Marvel Studios wants my $15 they’re gonna have to give me a better story than a re-hash of a 1970s Blaxploitaition movie with some warmed over special effects from nine-year old Marvel Studios movies like Iron Man and Captain America: Civil War.

I’m starting to see why Ava DuVernay walked away from this movie. Clearly Disney didn’t want to put any real effort in their story or present something unique. From the flat uninspired visuals and one-dimensional acting. From what I’ve seen onscreen the Director of Fruitvale Station is WAY out of his depth. Again, I see more frames of him telling instead of showing, and his characters don’t become people with any sort of depth, dimension, personality or “voice”. There’s nothing special about them. Nothing to make me like anyone. Nothing to make me CARE about anything in this movie.

Yeah, Black Panther features Black characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But that’s all they are. Black.

I’m sorry that’s not good enough for me. If Blade could give viewers a strong Black hero and a compelling story in visually strong film in 1997, then why can’t Black Panther give us MORE in 2017?

As a Black fantasy and sci-fi fan, I want MORE from a superhero movie featuring an African American character than them just being Black. I want a rich story filled with depth and substance. Multidimensional characters. Original special effects. A fresh take on a Black superhero that makes everyone take a look at Black culture and see something special. That’s something I don’t see on the screen of Black Panther.

I know it’s possible to give Black audiences MORE. Because I do it with every book that I publish. When I write I dig deeper looking for that richer story, something that puts a fresh take on Black culture and the Black fantasy genre.  When I write a story I want it to be special. Something unique. Something that opens up a readers’ imagination and see the Black world from a different perspective. Something that makes them think.

I believe if I made a Temptation of John Haynes movie I know it’d BLOW THE DOORS off what was presented onscreen calling itself a Black Panther Movie.

 If that’s the Black Panther trailer I know the film will be par for the course for the growing list of mediocre projects at Marvel Studios. Ever since Luke Cage got shot with a Judas bullet Marvel Studios has been losing its way creatively. If Kevin Feige doesn’t get it together I’m having a feeling that Avengers: Infinity War is gonna be the LAST Marvel Studios movie we see. Period.

Many people in the Black community want Black Panther to be an epic. However, there’s nothing to make me believe this movie will be epic. To say it was made by a Black director and a Black screenwriter is a disappointment. There was little imagination in that trailer, and very little creativity. Nothing to POP and make you think this film is distinct. Black Panther looks like looks like something cut and pasted from a dozen Marvel Studios films with a bunch of stock Blaxploitation characters with the names of Marvel characters cut and pasted onto them. From the Uncle Tom Killmonger, to the Evil White Man Klaw, to Black Momma, Black Panther is paint by the numbers. Black audiences deserve better than this.

I was on the fence about buying a ticket for Black Panther. But from what I saw onscreen it’s looking more and more like a PASS. Yeah, I want to support a Black Superhero movie. But I want a GREAT Black superhero movie. One people will be talking about for generations.