Hope Madondo

I feel utterly disappointed and regretful for enthusiastically recommending this subpar film to others. My anticipation for this movie was unparalleled, even among other Marvel releases. The trailer alone sent shivers down my spine. As a screenwriter myself, I'm convinced I could have crafted a more compelling narrative. Ryan Coogler's success with the first installment made his misstep with this sequel all the more disappointing. Given the larger-than-life world of Wakanda, I expected a similarly epic storyline. Instead, we were presented with a weak and subservient Wakanda fawning over an underwater demigod. The plot's reliance on contrived elements, such as recruiting an MIT student at Namor's behest, reeked of poor writing. The absence of a strong, masculine creative voice was glaringly apparent. Every character's cringe-worthy dialogue and over-the-top acting made for a painful viewing experience. The accent portrayals were also woefully inaccurate, perpetuating stereotypes about African speech patterns. The meandering plot and sluggish pacing only added to the frustration. It's disheartening to see Marvel resort to diminishing male characters to empower female ones. With a budget exceeding $200 million, I expected more impressive action sequences, not video game-inspired stunts executed by Shuri and Namor. The use of spears by the technologically advanced nation of Wakanda was also perplexing. Ryan Coogler, you had one job – and it seems you failed to deliver.

I remember hesitating whether I should watch it or not. That's because I had lost faith in Bollywood movies. Most of them are trashy and cringeworthy with gravity-defying action sequences. The tropical cliche is that we have a shirtless dude at the end of the movie beating up the bad guys who are armed to the teeth. He has nothing but six-pack abs so he wins. I am a Zimbabwean but I still watch these movies. I hope the message gets where it should. Okay it's Pathaan time!! What a movie! It's fast-paced with an intriguing character development. The suspense, twists and turns keep you on the edges of your chair. The cast was amazing and they all lived up to their names. I must say this. Shah Rukh Khan is really the man he thinks he is. All my friends and family now have a different perspective on Indian movies all thanks to Pathaan.