The making of Black Panther warranted major popularity with its racial representation and inspirational hero behind the story. However, my appreciation from the movie begins even from the opening scene, captioned “Oakland 1992.”
As a Bay Area kid, the implications that come from the location of Oakland speaks volumes and only adds to the beginning scene. The attention to detail that sets the scene perfectly includes the broken basketball hoop that has a crate to replace the hoop and the run down, yet looming apartment building. Oakland, California is known to be dangerous and a poor area. The location is associated with drive-by shootings, and thievery, and thus so, associated with racial bias against the black community. This idea is widely accepted by the people living in the Bay Area. Thus, Oakland becomes not only the background that shapes Killmonger but the motivator and explains the violent tendency he has given his childhood enviroment.
When the director chose Oakland, in a sense,it becomes the antagonist of the movie. Anyone familiar with Oakland understands how infused the location is with the black community and the stereotyped hate and violence that follows African Americans.
There is a sense of pride and silent understanding that comes with recognizing the Oakland “Easter egg” in Black Panther. Part of this stems from the recognition of Bay Area in major film, and the other comes from the nature behind the connected world between character and actions in the movie.