Like Chris Nolan, Ryan Coogler has followed up an acclaimed indie and a solid studio programmer with a terrific would-be superhero blockbuster that, yes, deserves comparison to Batman Begins.
As a piece of pop art, Black Panther is a real marvel.
I can nitpick the loose first act and the rather rushed third act, as well as wonder out loud why Jordan doesn’t have more screen time in the first half of the movie.
Yet overall, both as a major studio action flick, a part of an ever-expanding cinematic universe and a potent antidote to 17 years of very specific post-9/11 blockbusters, Black Panther is about as good as fans of Creed and Fruitvale Station might hope.