So, ultimately, I’m leaning positive on this, but the film is definitely a mixed bag.
The pros:
– Angela Bassett is amazing.
– The continued visual representation of Wakanda and its tech is awe-inspiring.
– The score by Ludwig Goransson is fantastic.
– Everything Talokan, up to and including Namor, is stellar.
The cons:
– The script is a shaggy mess, including some of the most tacked on “world building” for the MCU yet, even if I thought Riri Williams was mostly well executed.
– Of course, this ends with a big CG action sequence. Because of course it does.
It could not have been easy to make this movie, so even with its flaws, I admire the work. But it stands in the shadow of the incredible first movie.