'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' is an emotionally satisfying tribute to Chadwick Boseman and King T'Challa | Movie review

Nov. 8—Although only seldom seen in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," the late Chadwick Boseman is never far from our minds as we watch what is both a fitting tribute to him — and to the character with which he had become most associated — and a satisfying action-filled superhero story.

Dedicated to the star of 2018 cultural phenomenon "Black Panther," who died in 2020 after a very private battle with colon cancer, "Wakanda Forever" begins with brilliant Wakandan princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) unable to use all of her knowledge, cutting-edge technology and even prayer to save her brother, King T'Challa, from a never-identified illness.

Soon, we witness a funeral, at which tears cascade down faces. It is followed by a grand, joyous celebration of the king's life and then by more gut-wrenching sobs as Shuri says goodbye to T'Challa's casket.

Fittingly, "Wakanda" forever is, ultimately, Shuri's story.

Returning director Ryan Coogler and other decision-makers at Marvel Studios wisely chose not to recast the role of T'Challa for this latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

And the death of the king leaves Wakanda — the fictional wealthy African nation rich with the highly desired resource vibranium, an incredibly strong metal with other notable qualities — without its superpowered guardian, the Black Panther.

This troubles Wakanda's new leader, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett, "Mission: Impossible-Fallout"), more than it does her daughter.

"The Black Panther is a relic," Shuri, still harboring great anger for the outside world a year after her brother's death, tells her.

But as other nations step up efforts to steal the country's vibranium, a greater threat emerges.

Ramonda and Shuri are visited by Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía), king of a hidden undersea empire, Talokan — taking the place of Atlantis for MCU purposes. He wants Wakanda's help in abducting an American scientist who has developed vibranium-detection tech. If Romonda refuses, Namor — who, unlike those under his rule, can fly via wings on his lower legs and can breathe air, and is looked upon as a god — promises to return to Wakanda with a massive attack force.

As he clearly is able to evade Wankanda's perimeter defenses, Namor must be taken seriously. However, Ramonda and Shuri have little interest in delivering the scientist, who proves to be 19-year-old MIT student Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne, "Judas and the Black Messiah"), whose smarts may just rival Shuri's.

The adventure begins in earnest after Shuri and Okoye (Danai Gurira, "The Walking Dead"), leader of Wakanda's fierce force the Dora Milaje, pay a visit to Riri in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The young woman has no idea of the adventure awaiting her.

And although Okoye and one of Namor's henchmen engage in a gripping spear fight on a street, most of the thrilling action in "Wakanda Forever" happens after Shuri and Namor spend time in the latter's Kingdom, getting to know each other and hoping to come to a diplomatic solution for their two empires.

Written by Coogler and fellow "Black Panther" scribe Joe Robert Cole, "Wakanda Forever" struggles just a bit with story flow until all the obligatory large action sequences take over, not surprising given "Wakanda Forever" stretches behind the two-and-a-half-hour mark.

To the credit of the talented Coogler ("Fruitvale Station," "Creed"), though, even when we see Wakanda suffer an epic water-based attack, the film never strays far from its emotional center.

Most of its returning characters, including Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"), help in that effort, the actors conveying their characters' huge sense of loss while they also look toward an uncertain future.

Even M'Baku (Winston Duke, "Us"), the physically imposing, rough-around-the-edges ruler of Wakanda's isolated and mountainous Jabariland, has evolved a bit further.

Another returning actor, Martin Freeman ("The Hobbit" trilogy), adds a little something, too, as Everett Ross, a CIA agent who owes his life to Shuri and has great respect for Wakandans.

Namor, meanwhile, is a better villain on paper than he is on the screen, in part because Mexican actor Huerta ("Narcos: Mexico," "The Forever Purge") is lacking that certain something here. That Namor isn't just out to rule the planet — he mainly wants to protect his realm, and if he has to destroy the surface world to do it, so be it — makes him an above-average baddie, but it's simply not all that thrilling when he's on the screen.

Also, we get a largely by-the-numbers performance from Wright ("Silent Twins," "Black Mirror") as she's thrust into the center of the franchise. That said, the actress has her moments and is an asset to what, at day's end, is an ensemble affair.

To that end, expect a welcome surprise appearance or two, one of which is pivotal to Shuri's character arc in this film.

Most importantly, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" is a heartwarming goodbye to Boseman. Images of the actor fill the "MARVEL" in the now very familiar "MARVEL STUDIOS" screen we get after the movie's prologue — a really, really nice touch.

And be sure to stay seated for a mid-credits sequence before heading home. You'll do so with your soul well-fed.

'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'

Where: Theaters.

When: Nov. 11.

Rated: PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action and some language.

Runtime: 2 hours, 41 minutes.

Stars (of four): 3.5.