It’s no secret that Black Panther has been a massive success at the worldwide box office. It just recently joined the billion dollar club, in terms of total gross in that category. It doesn’t mean, however, that some audiences haven’t enjoyed it – if not for one of the silliest reasons imaginable. Audiences in China, specifically.
Some transcribed Chinese reviews have pointed to a lot of very interesting things – and we have them here for you, of which the average review can be translated as saying:
“Still too routine, but the protagonist changed to black. Another piece of work that expands the layout is limited, and the action scenes and story highlights are limited. Some political ambitions have been inserted in the middle. Actually, it is boring.”
One reviewer noted:
“People may not be accustomed to black movies… They also set a lot of scenes at night.”
Another said that the film was so black – it made them tired:
“Black Panther is black, all the major characters are black, a lot of scenes are black, the car-chasing scene is black—the blackness has really made me drowsy.”
Another reviewer wrote:
“When I entered the theater, a bunch of black people was fighting in the night… I’ve never been in a theater so dark that I couldn’t find my seat.”
Another one:
“The film is filled with black actors and actresses. Also, because the film’s colors are a bit dark, it’s nearly a torture for the eyes to watch the film’s 3D version in the theater.”
So what exactly is the deal here? University Lecturer in Shanghai Mark Daniels had the following to say on the matter while speaking to Sixthtone:
“I find that a lot of stereotypes in China come from a limited exposure to diversity, so assumptions are made reflexively. Hopefully this film sparks interest in Chinese viewers to learn more about the history, people, and cultures of those from Africa.”
Whatever your thoughts are on the film, it can still be found tearing up the box office – still currently playing in most theaters. A sequel for the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie has already been confirmed by Kevin Feige.
What are your thoughts on these reviews of Black Panther? Be sure to tell us your thoughts in the comments!