The MCU caps off phase 4 with a film that was much better than I thought it would be. That being said, the standard set by films such as Thor: Love and Thunder and Doctor Strange 2 is very low, so it did not take much for Wakanda Forever walk over the incredibly low bar. Barring Spider-man: No Way Home, this is definitely the strongest film in Phase 4 of the MCU. But it's not without its problems.
On the side of good, the acting is great. All the actors are giving it their all, especially Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda. She gives one of the strongest performances in the MCU to date. The action is pretty good for a phase 4 MCU film and the CGI is nowhere near as bad as recent MCU outings. This film also gives touching tributes to Chadwick Boseman that are definitely moving.
Now, for the bad. The film is too long. There is a lot of unnecessary stuff in this film that could've been cut. Returning characters from Black Panther 1, such as Everett Ross, feel completely wasted here and have absolutely nothing to do. New character Riri Williams/Ironheart is introduced and she is just as pointless. While initially the objective of the plot, after she is introduced she gets very little to do and simply acts as a bargain-bin Iron Man. Namor as an antagonist is pretty cool, and he's given a lot more depth than previous phase 4 villains. However, he has a sudden shift in character where he suddenly wants to wage war on the surface world. This comes out of nowhere and simply exists to heighten the stakes to worldwide rather than just Wakanda. The ending also feels rushed as if the writers weren't sure how to wrap the film up and so simply end it on an anti-climactic note.
Overall, Wakanda Forever, while fun and definitely stronger than most phase 4 entries, is bogged down by pointless characters, muddled motivations and weak pacing. The acting really does carry this film and while the action is fun, the film doesn't do enough to justify its own existence and runtime.
On the side of good, the acting is great. All the actors are giving it their all, especially Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda. She gives one of the strongest performances in the MCU to date. The action is pretty good for a phase 4 MCU film and the CGI is nowhere near as bad as recent MCU outings. This film also gives touching tributes to Chadwick Boseman that are definitely moving.
Now, for the bad. The film is too long. There is a lot of unnecessary stuff in this film that could've been cut. Returning characters from Black Panther 1, such as Everett Ross, feel completely wasted here and have absolutely nothing to do. New character Riri Williams/Ironheart is introduced and she is just as pointless. While initially the objective of the plot, after she is introduced she gets very little to do and simply acts as a bargain-bin Iron Man. Namor as an antagonist is pretty cool, and he's given a lot more depth than previous phase 4 villains. However, he has a sudden shift in character where he suddenly wants to wage war on the surface world. This comes out of nowhere and simply exists to heighten the stakes to worldwide rather than just Wakanda. The ending also feels rushed as if the writers weren't sure how to wrap the film up and so simply end it on an anti-climactic note.
Overall, Wakanda Forever, while fun and definitely stronger than most phase 4 entries, is bogged down by pointless characters, muddled motivations and weak pacing. The acting really does carry this film and while the action is fun, the film doesn't do enough to justify its own existence and runtime.