DUBAI: Black Panther may be a Marvel superhero movie, but it’s hard to describe the story without it sounding darn-near Shakespearean. A young king takes the throne after his father’s tragic death. When he finds out the truth about his father’s legacy, and the mistakes his father made as a leader, he must grapple with the fate of his country—keeping it out of the hands of a charismatic and dangerous man who arrives to take the throne and change its direction.
The young king’s name is T’Challa, and he rules the fictional African nation of Wakanda, a land that has, due to a special natural resource found only there, has unmatched wealth, technological development and prosperity. To protect itself, the rulers of the country have always kept the country’s greatness a secret, refusing to open its borders, engage in either war or humanitarian efforts.
What makes Black Panther so potent is the question T’Challa is faced with — what is a powerful country’s role in the world? — has no easy answers. Even better, the film’s central antagonist, Killmonger, who arrives in Wakanda to change the country into a direct interventionist, makes thought-provoking points of his own, as the best villains do, forcing T’Challa to consider a different path forward.
There are many reasons why Black Panther became a global phenomenon. As the first Marvel superhero film to feature a predominantly black cast from a young black director, it showed audiences something they’d never seen before. That representation will mean so much to communities that Hollywood has traditionally underrepresented, and to young viewers looking up at the screen to see a hero that looks like them, across the world.
What will make this film resonate is that, while providing plenty of action spectacle, beautiful stars, art direction, costumes and superheroism, it is a film with a lot on its mind, asking many questions about how the world should approach its future, and how it should reckon with the many sins of its past.
While the film doesn’t provide enough satisfying answers, the debates it has sparked, and will continue to spark, are what make it an essential film, especially in a country embarking on a new future, and asking these same questions itself.
Black Panther is much more than a superhero movie
Black Panther is much more than a superhero movie
- The young king’s name in the movie is T’Challa, who rules the fictional African nation of Wakanda, a land that has has unmatched wealth, technological development and prosperity.
- To protect itself, the rulers of the country have always kept the country’s greatness a secret, refusing to open its borders, engage in either war or humanitarian efforts
‘Flying Over Saudi’ launches cinematic aerial experience of Saudi landmarks
RIYADH: The Flying Over Saudi experience was launched on Thursday at Boulevard City as part of Riyadh Season, introducing visitors to the first experience of its kind in the Kingdom.
The attraction provides a cinematic aerial journey using immersive technologies and multisensory effects that display Saudi Arabia’s most significant natural and urban landscapes from a new perspective, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The experience takes guests on a visual journey over the Kingdom’s diverse terrain, taking in Saudi Arabia’s vast deserts, towering mountains, lush valleys, modern cities, and expansive coastlines, in addition to special views of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah.
The film is presented in 8K resolution, featuring high-quality footage that captures the Kingdom’s geographic and cultural richness in a matter of minutes.
Each ride lasts about eight minutes, enhanced by sensory effects such as wind, water mist, and natural scent elements, along with innovative seat motion that intensifies the sense of realism and creates an experience close to actual flight.
The visual and audio technologies work seamlessly together to immerse visitors fully in the scenes presented.
By combining its immersive elements with footage filmed over diverse landscapes, Flying Over Saudi offers Riyadh Season visitors a new perspective of the Kingdom, one that merges advanced technology with local visual identity and highlights one of the widest natural maps extending from north to south and from the coastlines into the heart of the cities.
The launch of this experience exemplifies Riyadh Season’s commitment to delivering high-quality entertainment built on innovation and advanced presentation techniques. It further contributes to introducing visitors, from the Kingdom and abroad, to the beauty and diversity of Saudi Arabia’s destinations, reinforcing the season’s position as a leading platform for world-class immersive experiences.
