“‘Black Panther’ is Not the Movie We Deserve” by Christopher Lebron covers the positives and negatives of the movie the black panther. One con mentioned in the article is the portrayal of warmonger as a villain in the movie. This brings us to the backstory of his father N’Jobu who set off on a conquest to get vibranium to arm black people around the world after he saw how black people were discriminated against, he was then assassinated leaving warmonger as a poor orphan. Warmonger wants to follow the footsteps of his father in eliminating discrimination but he is eventually killed in the movie too. According to Lebron ” This is precisely N’Jobu’s problem. In the United States, he learns of the racism black Americans face, including mass incarceration and police brutality. He soon understands that his people have the power to help all black people, and he plots to develop weapons using vibranium to even the odds for black Americans.” (Lebron). Villainizing a character that works for equality is one of the major downsides of the movie. One pro discussed in the movie is the portrayal of the black women in the movie as courageous, smart, independent etc. Lebron states “They are the film’s brightest spot: the black women of Wakandan descent are uniformly independent, strong, courageous, brilliant, inventive, resourceful, and ethically determined. I take it that a good deal of this is owed to Ta-Nehisi Coates’s success at elevating the series’ women to central characters with influence and power that turns more on their minds and integrity than their bodies.” One quote that interested me was when LeBron stated: “Even in a comic-book movie, black American men are relegated to the lowest rung of political regard.” after analyzing the movie further I noticed that this quote holds true since the hero is a white man that works in the CIA. This hero almost supports the idea that white men are at the top and solve the problems of the lesser people.

Although I have never seen the movie ‘Black Panther,’ after reading this article by Christopher Lebron, this movie sounds very offensive. He describes how the movie can be misinterpreted as promoting black empowerment; however, instead it promotes “racist narratives” and the “devaluation of black American men.” This is so shocking to me because everyone I spoke to about this movie found it so empowering and often even yelled, proudly “Wakanda” or “Black Panther” as a symbol of great honor for the movie. Lebron clearly shows how in the movie, black American men are represented as drug dealers, dangerous people, gangsters, and selfish. Not only that, but in this movie black American men are depicted as constantly fighting and working against each other instead of working together. This is very stereotypical and racist. Often African Americans are portrayed as being violent which is not the case at all. Black men are very much capable of working together and it is a shame that a movie that was initially created to empower the black community fails to correctly portray them.

A  very significant quote that stood out to me was at the end of page five and continued on page six where Lebron states “Killmonger, however, will not appear in another movie. He does not get a second chance. His black life did not matter even in a world of flying cars and miracle medicine.” The fact that ‘Black Panther’ portrayed black lives in this manner is truly appalling. African Americans are constantly facing discrimination, racism, and brutality on a daily basis in the real world. I would expect that this movie would depict African Americans in a positive way and will show that black lives do matter but instead it showed the exact opposite. It showed that even in an imaginary world black lives do not matter, that violence is always the answers, and that black men are nothing but gangsters. This is horrible. It is insane how the existence of African Americans is continued to be hindered and now in this movie it is being used to sell movies. It seems like in today’s society mistreats  what is considered the “minority” for entertainment. This is not something black American men deserve. This movie is not something the black community deserves.

After reading “‘Black Panther’ Is Not the Movie We Deserve”, his analysis of the movie was shocking and surprising in my opinion. Christopher Lebron’s review was unpredictable and unlike authors and critiques who praised “Black Panther” for so called promoting African American culture, especially black women, he argues that the movie does so but also devalues African American men. Throughout his review he brings the reader back to scenes and events that occurred in the movie, I myself had to re watch the movie in order to understand the review a bit better. When Christopher analyzed certain scenes and brought up controversial ideas, I viewed the movie from a different perspective, when I first watched the movie I never noticed any of the ideas he had brought up. For example, the scene in which T’Challa and Killmonger fight Christopher portrays the idea that, “. . . a contest between T’Challa and Killmonger that can only be read one way: in a world marked by racism, a man of African nobility must fight his own blood relative whose goal is the global liberation of blacks.”, from what I thought was just cool scene portrayed a lot of symbolism. Christopher also says this in his review, “Killmonger, however, will not appear in another movie. He does not get a second chance. His black life did not matter even in a world of flying cars and miracle medicine. Why? Perhaps Killmonger’s main dream to free black people everywhere decisively earns him the fate of death.”, this made me think about how other characters who have done worse things are given the chance to reappear in other movies, but Killmonger does not because he attempted to do something good for the African American people.

“‘Black Panther’ is Not the Movie We Deserve” by Christopher Lebron emphasizes several important and overlooked messages within the blockbuster Marvel film Black Panther.  Lebron discusses how the portrayal of Black Panther antagonist Erik Killmonger mocks the integrity of the Black Lives Matter movement in America. He states that Ryan Coogler’s decision to kill Killmonger communicated the invalidity of black lives as they fight for political change; that his death was the embodiment of silenced black voices when they have fought for their freedom.  Though Lebron makes some very power observations, I believe that his interpretations of Black Panther disregard and overlook the numerous positive impacts the film has had on the black community. It’s portrayal of a majority black cast conveying strong, and intelligent leaders is tremendously impacts African American people. Young black children are now able to see themselves in a manner that conveys the true strength of the African American community.  Their role models are no longer thugs, single parents, or struggling members of society, but strong, intelligent and powerful leaders of our world. This simple shift in what version of black culture is portrayed in media significantly impacts black audiences, motivating them to defy stereotypes such as the ones mentioned by Lebron. Despite Killmongers’ character being the embodiment of millions of lost inner-city black men, his strength and dedication to his people depicts an important message for young viewers.  Regardless of the adversities one has faced, it is vital that they grow from the challenges they have endured and develop into someone with ambitions and goals for their future. Though Killmongers’ path in life was extremely radical, he is a depiction of an inner city black man who has fought for his beliefs and for his people instead of falling victim to the lure of the streets. Christopher Lebron’s ideals are vital to discuss in our society, but the lack of recognition of Black Panther’s positive impact on black culture is unjust.  

In “Black Panther Is Not the Movie We Deserve,” Christopher Lebron discusses the reasons as to why the movie “Black Panther” is underestimating black American men. The place called Wakanda is a fictional place in Africa, where Wakandans’ are isolated from all of those who are anti-black racism. They are well aware of the dreadful treatment many African Americans have to go through in the United States. As Christopher mentions “a man of African nobility must fight his own blood relative whose goal is the global liberation of blacks,” there are two men T’Challa who is the leader of Wakanda and Killmonger who is trying to take away the throne of T’Challa. Killmonger who is seen as a bad guy just because he is trying to liberate his people from the racism they have to go through. This is an example as to why the movie “black panther” is underestimating black American men because Christopher Lebron shows us how there is a side where Killmonger is trying to set free African Americans and how T’Challa is just trying to contain his nation from white supremacy. This is where there has been many debates because the movie portrays the bad guy because he is trying to make a stance and urge for help to liberate African Americans.

An idea that interested me was when Lebron mentions “Even in a comic-book movie, black American men are relegated to the lowest rung of political regard.” In the movie a white men who is a CIA is seen as the one who helps save Wakanda. But, as for “bad guys” such as Killmonger was not even portrayed as a good guy, he was the one who was actually trying to help his people even if it meant there had to be violence involved. Despite his father being murdered by his own relative and being left in poverty by his family, he still gets no recognition whatsoever for at least helping to liberate African Americans which is outrageous and racist.

In Christopher Lebron’s article, “‘Black Panther’ Is Not The Movie We Deserve” he discussed many different points about Black Panther. For instance, Black Panther is a movie about black empowerment in which the only redeemed blacks were African nobles. One thing that I found surprising was women’s stance in this movie. According to Lebron, he states, “They are the film’s brightest spot: the black women of Wakandan descent are uniformly independent, strong, courageous, brilliant, inventive, resourceful, and ethically determined . . . Thus, the movie deserves praise for its gender politics—save in relation to the only black American woman”. In Black Panther, all genders are in a sense equal in power because both genders are being recognized. In black panther, Lebron states how there was racism in the movie because a white man became the hero in the movie all about black empowerment. According to Lebron, he states, “Even in a comic-book movie, black American men are relegated to the lowest rung of political regard. So low that the sole white leading character in the movie, the CIA operative Everett Ross (Martin Freeman), gets to be a hero who helps save Wakanda. A white man who trades in secrets and deception is given a better turn than a black man whose father was murdered by his own family and who is left by family and nation to languish in poverty. That’s racist”. A white man that wasn’t very trustworthy was given a better role than a black man who suffered his way to the top in a way to empower the black race.

Christopher Lebrons interpretation of the movie “Black Panther” surprised me. Less than a month of being out in theaters the movie, made a billion dollars. His analysis of the movies was very interesting and his point of view was different from most. Many individuals considered this a movie that promoted African American culture. The way he analyzed was as if this movie degraded it in a way. For example when he says “In the United States, he learns of the racism black Americans face, including mass incarceration and police brutality….., and he plots to develop weapons using vibranium to even the odds for black Americans.” He gave me a whole other perspective of the movie. We watch movies and we are quick to categorize the villain and the hero, and in this case there can be both.  N’Jobu, the father of Killmonger, were categorized as these bad guys. Yes, N’Jobu was using the vibranium to make weapons, but those weapons were going to be used to help African Americans against those who terrorize them. T’Chaka, HIS OWN brother ends up murdering him, leaving his son without a father. His analysis made me think. He also mentions how there always has to be a white savior. T’Challa was able to confide in a C.I.A spy, whose job is to be deceitful, but he couldn’t confide in his cousin.He couldn’t confide in his cousin, who grew up with no father. Instead he kills him. Doesn’t killing N’Jobu just clarify the stereotypes against African-Americans? T’Chaka, leader of Wakanda, kills his own brother, and refuses to aid the foreign who also struggle. “There is no reconciliation. Killmonger yanks the spear out of his chest and dies. The sun sets on his body as it did on Michael Brown’s.” The way he uses a real experience is powerful. N’Jobu was killed by his brother, and the movie ends with T’Challa killing his cousin. Killmonger meets the same death as his father. There was no saving him.