Well, here it goes … some summary thoughts on Black Panther. Be assured, there are no spoilers here.
Simply stated, Black Panther is a visual feast for the eyes*. It is produced on a scale I have rarely (if ever) seen projected on the big screen. In a word, the world of Wakanda is MAGNIFICENT and must be seen at the cinema to be fully appreciated (IMAX > 3D in my opinion).
As it relates to the story itself – after a somewhat deliberate start, once the action of the story kicks off (and boy does it), I found myself fully immersed and engaged in this world and its players. So focused was my attention, I did not feel the passage of time.
The construction of Black Panther makes it a solid standalone movie, independent of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In other words, never did I feel like any foreknowledge of any previous Marvel film was required to understand or enjoy this film – it stands on its own. That said, director Ryan Coogler was able to weave tidbits from prior films in a way that served both novice and MCU devotees well.