Black Panther

Black Panther has built a real following in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus and Hulu among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 23,618 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch it for Chadwick Boseman — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

There is a reason Black Panther keeps coming up in conversation. Black Panther treats its concept seriously enough to follow it all the way through. King T'Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country's new leader. However, T'Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T'Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia, the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan 'special forces') and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war. Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. Black Panther came out in 2018. The rules of Black Panther's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, Black Panther fits the bill. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Watch for Chadwick Boseman in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.