Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

When I reviewed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in November, I said that “the most outstanding achievement of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is that it says something beautiful and meaningful through the themes of hopelessness, mourning, and forgiveness.” Upon watching it several times, my thoughts on the film have stayed the same. The thing with Wakanda Forever is that it’s setting up so many things while also becoming a therapy session (of sorts) over the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman.

While I understand people’s criticism of the film, we must agree to disagree. I love the film’s message about embracing a lost loved one by letting go of our hatred, fear, and desire for vengeance. It’s why The Last of Us Part II is one of the greatest video game stories of all time. The two share similar themes that are told beautifully through powerful performances by the cast.

Chief among them is the queen, Angela Bassett. There’s a reason why the Academy nominated her for her performance here. Her powerful speech about losing her family gives me goosebumps whenever I hear it. Although she wasn’t nominated, Letitia Wright also provides a powerful, multilayered performance as Shuri. She conveys passion and emotion as her character becomes more jaded with the world.

Overall, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a worthy sequel to Black Panther. Unfortunately, because of the loss of Chadwick Boseman, Wakanda Forever is not better than the original. There’s a presence in this film that is not there. Yet, even though the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman is enormous, it won’t kill this franchise. The cast lifts the heavy load of Boseman’s loss and carries on his legacy. It’s a much-needed therapy session for everyone—the cast, crew, and audiences. I’m sure that Chadwick Boseman is smiling down at the film and proud of what everyone has accomplished here.

Movie Rating: 4.5/5 atoms

Video

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits Ultra HD Blu-ray with an HDR10 transfer and a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. The brightness is vibrant, and the lights beam off the screen. The black levels are inky black and are well-represented in the picture. There are also a lot of shadow details during the film’s various nighttime scenes. Wakanda Forever, as a whole, has a colorful palette. The HDR provides a rich color saturation. Whether it’s the blue from the Talokanians or the red of the Dora Milaje, each spectrum color pops off the screen. The image is also crisp and clear.

Video Rating: 4.5/5 atoms

Audio

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits Ultra HD Blu-ray with a Dolby Atmos and a core 7.1 Dolby TrueHD Master Audio track. This review will reflect Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s Dolby Atmos track. The overhead effects seamlessly move across the soundstage when the film requires it and fill it up like a dome. Scenes like the airships flying past during T’Challa’s funeral or the ocean sounds when we reach Talokan. A good number of atmospheric effects fill the soundstage and immerse the viewer. Ludwig Göransson’s score uses all channels and fills up the soundstage. Dialogue is clear and distinct. The bass also booms prominently—especially during action-packed scenes.

Audio Rating: 4/5 atoms

Special Features

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s Ultra HD Blu-ray disc has no special features. However, you can find the following special features on the 1080p Blu-ray disc:

• Envisioning Two Worlds
• Passing the Mantle
• Gag Reel
• Deleted Scenes
  • Outside the Scope
  • The Upstairs Toilet
  • Daughter of the Border
  • Anytime, Anywhere
• Audio Commentary by Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole, and Autumn Durald Arkapaw

Features Assessment

Unfortunately, this release comes with a limited number of bonus features. The best one is the commentary with Coogler, Cole, and Arkapaw. They discuss the film for a rather informative track. Many times, they watch the movie and share details about the production. As they find their groove, the commentary gets more substantial and lively. He and his team have an easy camaraderie that makes for an engaging listening experience.

After that, most of this stuff is filler. Much like the other behind-the-scenes featurettes, Envisioning Two Worlds will likely be a small snippet of the more extensive featurette found in Assembled: The Making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. As you can imagine, the featurette examines the production design of the new worlds introduced in Wakanda Forever. Passing the Mantle focuses on the relationship between T’Challa and Shuri and how they integrated it into Shuri’s story. At the same time, Mantle also examines Shuri’s other vital relationships.

The gag reel and deleted scenes are self-explanatory. Still, the only thing to note is the deleted scene between Shuri and Okoye. This scene hints at the future of the Midnight Angels in the MCU.

Special Features Rating: 3/5 atoms

Overall, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is an excellent sequel with a beautiful and meaningful message about mourning and forgiveness. The video and audio presentations are outstanding, but the lack of bonus features is disappointing.

Overall Rating: 4/5 atoms

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now available in stores on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.

This Blu-ray was reviewed using a retail/advance copy/unit provided by Walt Disney Home Entertainment.