The First Black Panther Reviews Are In—And They’re All Raves

One of the most hotly anticipated movies of this year is, without a doubt, Black Panther. Its trailer was screened at Comic-Con last summer to tears and a standing ovation, and later practically broke the internet with its online release. Last month, advance tickets for the film went on sale and promptly broke records within the first 24 hours, making it the bestselling Marvel Cinematic Universe movie in terms of pre-sales. (Anyone with doubts about the bankability of black films need look no further than Girls Trip and now, Black Panther, for proof of both the demand for and success of these films.) The rabid excitement for this film is understandable. Not only is it Marvel’s first black superhero film, but it’s directed by Ryan Coogler, the young visionary behind Creed and Fruitvale Station, and is packed with enough star power to make a person’s head explode—Lupita Nyong’o, Daniel Kaluuya, Michael B Jordan, Chadwick Boseman, Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker. Whew.

The film, which is scheduled to release on February 16, had its premiere last night in Los Angeles and if initial Twitter reactions from film critics are anything to go by, it lives up to all the hype. Scroll through for a look at what they’re saying, and get—if humanly possible—even more excited for this film’s arrival at a theatre near you.

Jen Yamato, film reporter, Los Angeles Times

ReBecca Theodore-Vachon, film/TV contributor, Entertainment Weekly, Forbes, NYTimes, Roger Ebert, The Urban Daily

Vanessa K DeLuca, editor in chief, Essence

Frank Pallotta, entertainment/media reporter, CNN

Angie J Han, movies reporter, Mashable

Rebecca Keegan, Hollywood correspondent, Vanity Fair

Tre’Vell Anderson, film reporter, Los Angeles Times

Kyle Buchanan, senior editor, Vulture

Natasha Alford, deputy editor, The Grio

Peter Sciretta, editor, Slashfilm.com

Erik Davis, managing editor, Fandango