BP2 - Nov 12

 Obligatory disclaimer: real life sucks, so let us talk about the latest BP film instead.

What can be said about it? Firstly, the queen-mother Ramonda is dead. I was completely unsurprised, (just very, very emotional), for this fits perfectly into the theme of MCU’s Phase 4 – out with the old, in with the new. The wheel of time moves, and the generations replace each other: T’Challa took over when his – their – father died, and Shuri did the same once her mother was no more. Shuri is now the queen of Wakanda, and until her nephew comes of age, she is the last of that line.

…Of course, she could always marry someone else and have children, but for the moment, she has enough on her plate without worrying about continuing the family line literally. Given that she’s probably some sort of an emotional mess now, that is good. What next?

First, an obligatory shout-out to Killmonger… well, to his ghost on the ancestral plane (or plain, or whatever). This was a nice tie-up of a plot line – he is at peace now, as is T’Challa, and Shuri… she is getting there. She has not killed Namor… given how much MCU has invested into him, it isn’t surprising – he isn’t going to be killed-off after a single film… but still, having a villain redemption, (more or less), story than a killing-off tale, is a pleasant surprise. War and peace, (sorry, Leo Tolstoy), are an important part of the BP portion of MCU, so here BP2 had delivered fully again.

Now, on the topic of villains, we got the countess Val. Apparently, she’s also in charge of CIA, because of course she is, and she’s also the ex-wife of agent Ross, (who appeared in the ‘Civil War’ and BP1 MCU films). Wonderful. It is up for grabs if she is a human or an alien, so maybe we should focus on America’s role in BP2? I am not talking about senorita Chavez here either – the fact is that CIA/America had set-off the conflict between Wakanda and Talocan (Atlantis), but…

…But RL matters, and right now the U.S. is in a fix, as no one in there knows as to where the States are to go. The relations between the Democrats and the Republicans remain very bad, and no one has any idea as to what will happen in the U.S. in 2024, who will win, etc., etc. Since Disney, in all of its’ current incarnations, hates risks, especially ones that can cause it to lose money, so far it has downplayed the role of the U.S. in MCU…and may actually be remaking the up and coming MCU components on the sly. That said, there’s no U.S. in BP2-

-But there is an America in this movie: Talocan is America, Mesoamerica to be more precise. If the CIA director Val Ross (cough-cough), stands for a Republican, WASP-ish America, then MCU’s Namor/Kukulcan and his cohorts stand for a Democratic America/Mesoamerica/America of P.O.C.s – and because of CIA’s machinations it confronts the Afro-Futuristic Wakanda, which – as we have discussed in the first BP film – is a Western utopia of Africa, (so go and look at that review, would you?). Because Disney/MCU has its’ own agenda, and it is more pro-Democrat than pro-Republican, everything, of course, is resolved at the end, and there’s a happy end for everyone, except for the queen-mother Ramonda, who is dead now, and for Shuri, who now has lost everyone…except maybe her new nephew… are we done with the U.S.?

…In the BP2 film? – yeah, pretty much, for it should be noted that Bucky Barnes the White Wolf of Wakanda hadn’t been mentioned at all here; in fact, the Avengers may as well not exist (at the moment). Riri ‘Ironheart’ Williams is an American, of course, but that fact is downplayed as much as it can be so yay! …Or not, given how the U.S. is still the top dog, (especially since R.F. is experiencing increasingly many and new problems of its’ own), so Disney/MCU’s downplaying of U.S. in its’… products may bite it in the arse yet.

Overall the BP2 film works, however. Both the cast and the crew delivered to the max, and the script is tight and good and enjoyable – what more do you need? Since BP2 is a glorious spectacle for one’s soul – nothing else. I have certainly enjoyed watching it, and still heartily recommend it for everyone else to go and see it too, (if you are able).

For now, though, this is it. See you all soon instead!