Black Panther has been generating a lot of buzz for over a year. For fans of Marvel Comics, its release was long overdue, and its popularity cannot be denied as it is now the highest grossing film of 2018–and one of the most financially successful movies of all time. A few months ago, the Academy even considered creating a new awards category, Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film, presumably because they didn’t feel Black Panther was worthy of Best Picture, but felt compelled to recognize its staggering box office returns. Facing considerable backlash from the media and film critics, the Academy backed off their proposed addition; and Black Panther has indeed nabbed a BP nod, the first for a comic book film.
I confess that I was rather skeptical about this film and its BP nomination prior to actually viewing it because 1.) I’m not a huge fan of comic book movies; and 2.) Everyone keeps talking about the film’s racial agenda, which made me even less eager to see it. But in the few days since viewing the film and letting it marinade a bit in my mind, I’ve come to the conclusion that Black Panther really is a decent movie (it seems especially so after my recent screening of The Favourite). Best Picture worthy, though? No, I’m not convinced it’s that good. What I do appreciate about the movie, however, is that it clearly presents a conflict between good and evil and emphasizes the importance of always choosing and fighting for what is good. At the same time, Black Panther also gives its viewers a glimpse into some of the tragic motivations for those who do evil and allows its hero to feel sympathy for the pain of others–while not excusing the crimes that they commit. That morality I greatly appreciated.
Why This Film Might Win BP:
If we’re simply looking at the numbers, no other film comes close to Black Panther; yet the Academy (especially in recent years) doesn’t necessarily choose to award films that are popular with the general populace. Numbers aside, the film’s story is compelling. No matter how one slices it, the good triumphing over evil bit just never gets old. And, yes, I think the racial agenda comes into play more in the conversation of why this movie might win than why it might not win because after all the clamoring over the past couple years for more prominent roles for African-American actors, here is a film that boasts an almost entirely African-American cast, presents an interesting plot, and was wildly successful at the box office. In an effort to prove its newly discovered love of diversity, the Academy might just hand over that final statuette to Black Panther.
Why This Film Might Not Win BP:
On the other hand, no previous comic book film has ever been nominated for BP, let alone won the Academy’s highest honor. While I enjoy seeing the good guys sock it to the bad guys, some Academy voters might view Black Panther‘s plot as a little repetitive since comic book films can often seem to blend all together. Plus, despite a general enthusiasm for the number of African-American actors in the film and for the film’s “celebration of African culture,” Black Panther received no acting nominations. Surprisingly, it also failed to grab a nod for Visual Effects, a category in which comic book films often fare well. No nominations for screenplay or editing likewise decrease this movie’s chances of winning BP. But, hey, it still made all that money!