If you pushed me against a wall, and asked me what makes this second installment of the Marvel Black Panther film franchise different from other superhero films from this universe or any other, the best straightforward answer would be my title to this review. Yes, it’s how two funerals and bookends of grieving make this a superhero film that puts death, loss, grief, and redemption right in the center of the film’s narrative.

Directed again by Ryan Coogler, it’s no surprise to find that the loss of Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed T’Challa/Black Panther, is inescapable - and is met head on, throughout the film. Mind you, that isn’t to say that Coogler isn’t aware that the familiar superhero film tropes of fierce battles and big scale warfare aren’t part of the film’s exposition. They’re all there to provide low hanging fruit/rewards for the typical superhero film audience.

But what Wakanda Forever provides is a darkness and gloom brought about by grief that stands out from other like-minded films. For the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this is a strong departure and it adds gravitas and weight to the genre. The untimely death of Boseman could have had the producers looking for a replacement actor to the character, and this has been done time and again with other film franchises. But what Marvel has done is basically to say there is no other T’Challa but Boseman, and they’ve weaved his real life demise into that of the fictional character as well.

As such, much of the weight of the film’s exposition is now firmly placed on Shuri (Letitia Wright), T’Challa’s younger sister. Along with Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), mother to T’Challa and Shuri, these two women carry the pivotal roles of the new direction this film takes.

And kudos to the character of Namor (Tenoch Huerta), as Namor is a complex arch-villain. One who could have easily been an ally to the Wakandans. That Namor’s deep undersea world also has possession of vibranium becomes a central plot device, and it helps push the narrative into uncharted territories of motive and actions that make Namor an anti-hero of sorts. If there is something to be said of Namor’s world, it’s how it almost seems that they’re trying to pre-empt the coming release of Avatar: The Way of Water. You’ll know what I mean when you catch this film.

It’s also rewarding to have watched the first film, as several of the main cast of characters are back, and numerous references to said first film constantly crop up. These Easter eggs should make it fun for Black Panther fans to enjoy this film at a more advanced level.

Ultimately, your enjoyment and wholesale approval of this film will rest on what your expectations of a superhero film is all about. If you believe it’s all about the action scenes, then you’ll get your fill, but may feel too much of the two hours and forty minutes running time is devoted paying homage to Boseman - the excellent opening film credits alone could have sufficed in doing this for Boseman. But if you’re ready to expand your notion of the genre, then you’ll be ecstatic over how this film develops, and provides the thrills, while still offering much serious thought on the subject of death, loss and grief.