★★★★½

What is likely Marvel's most-anticipated release of all time has finally arrived, and it's safe to say that Black Panther lives up to the hype that has been surrounding it for months. Director Ryan Coogler has created a stunning feature that will be leaving audiences thinking about it for days to come (seriously, I definitely had a Black Panther-induced dream last night) and is probably the most politically and socially relevant Marvel film to date. Embedded with questions of identity, culture, and whether it is a prospering nation's duty to help those suffering around them, Black Panther may not have truly broken the MCU formula, but its perplex tackling of utterly real issues makes it seem much less like a superhero movie than a fantastical reiteration of the world exactly as we know it.

Chadwick Boseman stars as T'Challa, the next in line to be King of Wakanda, a nation in Africa secretly flourishing with technological advancements and wealth due to their possession of the world's most powerful metal, vibranium, despite their public front as a third-world country. In assuming his role as the king after his father's death, he gains the powers of the Black Panther to give him the ability to act as the nation's protector. But a threat is posed when Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) seeks to overthrow T'Challa in order to redistribute the Wakanda's resources with those in need in other countries, and wreaks havoc within Wakanda in his attempts to do so.

Black Panther boasts an all-star cast, with the likes of Lupita Nyong'o, Daniel Kaluuya, and Sterling K. Brown, among several others. Together, they form a powerful ensemble, and the film's energy is fully realized through their performances. With a balanced mix of sly humour and nuanced passion, this cast helps these characters to reach their full potential.

But what makes this film so special is its story and the questions that lie at the heart of it: at what point does it become our responsibility to help others in need if we ourselves have the resources to do so? And what cost does it have to our own position of privilege? Black Panther creates an antagonist that doesn't so much have evil intentions as he does an opposing view of what Wakanda should be doing with their power--he just went about it the wrong way. Because, really, doesn't he have a point? Is it justifiable to stand by and do nothing to help others for fear of falling into the same position? The question isn't one that has an immediately obvious answer.

The film doesn't take place in the continental U.S. or some mystical faraway land like most Marvel films, but gives representation to a place that doesn't often find its way onto the big screen, especially in blockbuster films. And even if superhero movies aren't normally your thing, I think it's fair to say that Black Panther is the exception--with its smart script, complex characters, and a bangin' soundtrack curated by Kendrick Lamar, it's one of those movies that will have inevitable mass appeal, and in this case, the world will likely be a better place for it.