As the next phase of the Marvel Universe continues to develop, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is the latest in the line of new-age Marvel movies. And that’s exactly what it is: another Marvel movie. 

The sequel to the acclaimed movie “Black Panther” brought back much of the original cast (aside from Chadwick Boseman due to his tragic loss in the battle against cancer) and some new members like Shuri (Letitia Wright), Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Ironheart (Dominique Thorn), and more. Yet they failed to expand upon the groundwork laid by the original movie. 

The Disney and Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has turned from creative powerhouses, which encouraged viewers to push not only their own boundaries but the boundaries of society, to something reminiscent of a factory outputting processed food. Watching this movie felt as if I was having the same, mediocre, processed meal shoved down my throat for the thousandth time: edible, mildly enjoyable, but so uncompromisingly ordinary. 

Almost every single Marvel movie in the past decade has just been the same story told again. There is a saying that there are no original stories, but Marvel can at least pick some interesting ones. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is just another film where a conflicted and noble hero defeats a conflicted and misguided villain. 

Aside from the plot, the movie itself was produced beautifully. The CGI was breathtaking and the fights and in true Marvel fashion, were expertly crafted. Additionally, the music was invigorating, keeping one on the edge of their seat. 

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” wasn’t a terrible movie, it just felt as if I had seen the exact same thing a thousand times before. There is nothing original, nothing new, nothing that one can’t gain from reading spoilers on the internet. There is nothing in this film that commands you to watch it. It is yet another derivation of the same tired tales that have been impressed upon us since birth, and it is not something I would recommend viewing.