'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' first reviews: Here's how MCU film is faring with critics

'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' is almost here, and the first reviews are out. The film's script was written already but before it could be shot, Chadwick Boseman, T'Challa or Black Panther himself, died in 2020 of colon cancer. The script had to be rewritten and a decision was taken not to recast him. Instead, the film will introduce a new Black Panther.

Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, and Angela Bassett star in 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'.

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The film has received mostly positive reviews. It holds a rating of 88 per cent on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes. The critical consensus reads, "A poignant tribute that satisfyingly moves the franchise forward, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever marks an ambitious and emotionally rewarding triumph for the MCU."

Here are some of the reviews:

Screen International's Tim Grierson writes, "Wakanda Forever proves poignant in two ways: the film is often quite thoughtful in its exploration of grief, but it struggles to overcome what the actor's loss means to the future of this series."

CNN's Brian Lowry writes, "Presented the daunting task of bidding farewell to a star tragically taken in his prime in sober but stirring fashion, Coogler has given audiences, and the studio, a solidly and gracefully executed dive into a “Wakanda” for right now."

Houston Chronicle's Cary Darling gave a mixed review, "Certainly, the film has its high points but, ultimately, it pales in comparison to its predecessor, one of the best entries in the field of superhero cinema, and feels largely like a placeholder for the next movie."

Flickery Myth's Robert Kojder writes, "Coogler knows how to cut to the core of humanizing these larger-than-life characters and illuminate what they are fighting for with real-world relevancy. He’s two for two in creating layered heroes and antiheroes."

San Franciso Chronicle's Mick LaSalle gave the film a negative review. "In retrospect, the smartest course for the makers of “Wakanda Forever” would have been to do the very thing I would have been against. Indeed, it’s something that would have been unthinkable even a year ago: They should have waited a respectful interval and then found someone to else to play T’Challa. As it stands, “Wakanda Forever” feels as lost and forlorn as the Wakandan people," he wrote.

'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' will be the final film of Phase 4 of MCU. It will release on November 11.