Black Panther is still going strong. It’s tracking to easily be one of the top blockbusters of the year. For a sensibly-minded conservative, news surrounding this movie has probably been frustrating. Whenever liberals love something this much, you know it has to stink. That, in itself, is not the most surprising part of the story. Sure, Black Panther is full of political social commentary, and plenty of it caters to leftist thinking.
However, this designed commercial success for black members of Hollywood is not entirely one-sided. It has ample criticism for both sides of the political spectrum, and some of the digs at the left are excellently crafted. Of course, you won’t hear about any of this on mainstream media. Be warned: if you have any interest in seeing this movie, there are spoilers ahead.
Absentee Fathers
The protagonist of the movie, T’Challa, inherits the crown at the start of the film. The antagonist, Killmonger, usurps the throne in his evil plot. Throughout the movie, a clear dichotomy exists between the two characters. T’Challa is a compassionate hero who feels the full weight of the mantle of rule. Killmonger is the psychotic revolutionary his name implies.
The two are actually cousins, but they were raised with a clear difference. T’Challa had a father while Killmonger didn’t. The movie pulls no punches in criticizing the absentee father culture of black America. It’s clear that Killmonger became a monster because he didn’t have a healthy paternal influence growing up. Conversely, it is the lessons learned from his father that gives T’Challa the strength to overcome adversity and save the day.
Isolationism and Black Lives Matter
The dominant themes of the movie work in tandem. One group is staunchly isolationist while the other is a militant revolutionary faction. It hits both extremes pretty hard. What is completely shocking is that the main character share’s Trump’s stance on border security. Wakanda deploys wall technology that would make Trump’s face light up like Christmas. It is the villain who wants to arm gangs and thugs so black people can overthrow every government in the world.
While the plot borders on the vaudevillian, it serves as a harsh critique of the violence and militant tendencies of the Black Lives Matter movement. This movie, made by black people for black people, completely eviscerates one of their loudest political messages. And, it does it without mercy or apology.
Hillary Clinton
The most gratifying moment in the movie is paired with the lowest. The token white character is in a scene with most of the major players. When he tries to explain the situation, he is summarily silenced. It’s the lowest form of pandering, giving progressive audiences a chance to revel in the chagrin of the white man.
Despite the bile-inducing wish fulfillment, the very same scene has a moment that has been completely ignored by mainstream media. T’Challa’s supporters are trying to get him help after being severely injured. As they beg with the man with the power to help, M’Baku, they contend that T’Challa was treated unjustly. M’Baku questions the terms of the situation and in short order rebukes T’Challa’s entourage. He tells them that T’Challa lost the fight fair and square and that there is no room to contest the issue.
The exact quote is difficult to find. Clearly, no one wants to acknowledge its existence. Still, it is a clear and unflinching critique of Hillary supporters who still refuse to accept the results of the last election. For the left’s latest champion movie to take this stance without question says a lot. It’s a shame they are pretending it never happened.
Overall, Black Panther is not a conservative film. It caters to left-leaning audiences and is full of lowest-denominator appeal. Still, it refuses to be a mindless slave to the progressive agenda of Hollywood. It will clearly be one of the biggest movies of the year, and a black, liberal cast and crew were given a platform to speak. They didn’t hesitate to use that platform to chastise some of the most destructive talking points of the left. That this can happen in the center of the most elite movie studios in Hollywood and be embraced by the American masses is telling.
Black Panther puts an obvious crack in the armor of identity politics. It will be interesting to see if Hollywood will let any others slip by. More importantly, will it be disenfranchised minorities who carry the torch?
~ American Liberty Report
