When "Captain America: Civil War," which was an Avengers movie in all but name, came out in 2016, I was mostly looking forward to finally seeing Marvel bring Spider-Man to the screen. I didn't expect Black Panther to steal the show, quickly cementing himself as a fan favorite.

I left the film wanting to see more of the king of Wakanda. Now, this is the same movie that my parents fell asleep during while streaming it on Netflix one night. As enjoyable as nearly all of the films are, some people have fallen off of the Marvel bandwagon due to the accused repetitive nature of the films and the lack of stakes or consequences. I've read critiques on the tonally similar color schemes, the forgettable soundtracks and scores, and the obscenely generic villains.

Yet, as time has gone on, Marvel has proven that they learn from their critics. Their first violent departure from the comfortable superhero formula was "Guardians of the Galaxy," which featured an oppressively neon art style and a memorable soundtrack that was both thematically appropriate and appealed to the nostalgia of some viewers.

More recently, "Thor: Ragnarok" made waves with an '80s retro vibe and paying greater homage to Jack Kirby stylistically. And now, "Black Panther" breaks onto the scene in a movie that is the part origin story, part sequel and sets the bar for what a superhero should be and stand for.

"Black Panther" is the story of T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) ascending to the throne of Wakanda following his father's death in "Civil War." We are shown Wakanda as a literal utopia, a hidden African country with the most advanced technology in the world due to the large deposit of 'vibranium' that it sits upon.

It is an unexplored aesthetic of "neo-futuristic Africa" which brings more life to the film than any other on Marvel's roster. The colors are unapologetically vivacious. The costumes, designed by Ruth Carter, are grounded in genuine African culture but are amplified by the stunning sci-fi fantasy setting. But we do not spend too much time looking at CGI Wakanda from the sky; it is when the camera takes us to the street level that the world truly thrives.

We get a better look at art and culture within the fictitious African nation (even the average Wakandan in the background seems to have a unique style and story to them) and the soundtrack helps keep every scene interesting. The movie flows seamlessly from tribal drums mixed with synthetics to contemporary beats to a grand orchestral score that is haunting and spiritual, keeping the movie alive and upbeat without even dropping lyrics.

Black Panther, who stole the show in "Civil War," nearly plays second fiddle in his own movie. He is constantly surrounded by people who have art styles and character designs that are far more interesting than the Black Panther suit, and his allies are just as imposing as he is.

T'Challa is surrounded by the most powerful and memorable group of female characters in recent memory, including Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), an espionage agent and T'Challa's old heartthrob who wishes Wakanda to aid those less fortunate, T'Challa's charming younger sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), who is also Wakanda's greatest inventor, and Okoye (Danai Gurira) the general of Wakanda's military who's action scenes and character arc just about upstage Black Panther at every turn.

The most endearing aspect of the film, however, comes in the form of T'Challa's foil. Our main focus for the majority of the film lies on these African aristocrats. Meanwhile, our villain is just a guy from Oakland. He might as well have stepped right out of The Wire. And he did, actually.

To preface, my only concern going into "Black Panther" is that the character is not known for having particularly stellar villains within the comics. A certain "Man-Ape" holds a supporting role in the film, but not under that name. See if you can find him.

The point is that the roster of villains for Black Panther to fight are below the bottom of the barrel, even the primary one featured in the movie. Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), however, was saved due to some brilliant writing and re-working of his origin story, not to mention a standout performance.

Here is seen Marvel's most driven (and justified) antagonist thus far, one who is likable and has motivations that many could fully support. He seeks to take what is rightfully his as well as help the disenfranchised of the world. He is bitter and angry that Wakanda has held utopian status for centuries while their people in other parts of the world are left to grow up oppressed. He has an opinion that many can stand behind.

Not only that, he and T'Challa are naturally two different sides of the same coin. Had their circumstances been exchanged, they easily would have been each other. Nick "Killmonger" had a childhood that is unfortunately too familiar to many.

The difference is that he can pursue a fairy tale, in such a way that he truly is the hero of his own story. Had his character's end goals and corruptive violent tendencies been tweaked slightly, he easily could be the protagonist. He is given the most memorable and heartfelt moments and lines within the film, ones that may make you tear up and will certainly make your chest tighten.

You may also notice some theater patrons shift uncomfortably in their seats; this reaction is to be expected, especially following one particular line. You'll know it when you hear it. All of this at least continues the tradition of former Human Torch actors going on to play better Marvel characters.

The writing is at its strongest when focusing on Killmonger and juxtaposing him to T'Challa. It weakens slightly leading up to the last act when focusing on a couple "fake-outs" that will fail to fool an audience who has seen a movie before (and one that is directly spoiled by the trailers for "Infinity War"). This hardly does anything to slow down the momentum that the movie has built up to that point, however.

In conclusion, this can easily be chalked up as another entertaining Marvel movie, but there is something more to it. It fills a void in the movie industry and creates an avenue of inspiration for some who are not used to seeing themselves within superheroes on the big screen.

It blends spiritual and ancestral values with contemporary issues. It is funny without being derogatory. The primary white male character is a fish out of water who aids the plot without being the savior. The rarity of the film, being a predominantly black cast and production team, pushes the moment. The movie does not tone down its themes, culture, or its message.

It is a rare movie that gets better with each passing minute, even up to the first post-credit scene (my new personal favorite in the MCU). Black Panther is primarily a celebration, but not without its own statements to make.