“A torture for the eyes”: Chinese moviegoers think Black Panther is just too black

[NoOne'sBoy]

Marvel’s first black superhero film Black Panther made a strong debut in China, taking in more than $63 million this weekend and helping it cross the billion-dollar mark globally. And while the film filled seats in China, it didn’t exactly bring in rave reviews from Chinese audiences—in fact, online reviews hint at subtle racism and discomfort with the all-black cast.

Set in Wakanda, a fictional country in East Africa that’s hidden from the outside world, the movie portrayed a romanticized version of Africa that had never been touched by the white man. Led by a cast of black actors and actresses, the film presented how the king of the country, T’Challa, used his intelligence, ancestral knowledge, and access to advance technologies to become the superhero Black Panther.

Another reviewer who came into the theater late made a similar observation: “When I entered the theater, a bunch of black people was fighting in the night… I’ve never been in a theater so dark that I couldn’t find my seat.”

Someone else said the experience was worse in 3D (link in Chinese): “The film is filled with black actors and actresses. Also, because the film’s colors are a bit dark, it’s nearly a torture for the eyes to watch the film’s 3D version in the theater.”

It’s yet another reminder of China’s limited exposure to race. Last month, in the annual Lunar New Year TV gala by China’s state broadcaster CCTV, producers had a Chinese actress in blackface and cast a black actor to play a monkey. In October, a Chinese museum hosted an exhibition titled “This is Africa” that juxtaposed images of black people to animals, including monkeys and cheetahs.

https://qz.com/1226449/a-torture-for-the-eyes-chinese-moviegoers-think-black-panther-is-too-black/

 

[Avicenna]

LOL.

 

[waz]

Lol what did I just read.....
I personally can't stand the movie, great action but it patronises real African culture.

 

[UKBengali]

The film is really average.

No idea why it did so well.

 

[jaybird]

The logic in this article is if you don't like Black Panther the movie after watching it you are racist. Even though it did better than Star wars the last jedi in China. Smearing China on every opportunity they get.

 

[Avicenna]

The logic in this article is if you don't like Black Panther the movie after watching it you are racist. Even though it did better than Star wars the last jedi. Smearing China on every opportunity they get.

To be honest both Chinese and South Asians who have not grown up in a multi ethnic environment tend to be "racist".

There is no denying that.

Actually you can generalize that statement to any ethnicity or background.

Its lack of exposure to the "other".

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

It's true. Imagine if the roles were reversed and the ethno-state was white instead of black.

 

[jaybird]

To be honest both Chinese and South Asians who have not grown up in a multi ethnic environment tend to be "racist".

There is no denying that.

There are racist people in every country. I don't believe Asian countries including China are anymore racist than other countries in the world. And it certainly not racist in this case, Talking about reaching.... This article is nothing but propaganda of the west. The theme is to smear China every which way you can.

 

[Divergent]

Racist.

 

[Avicenna]

There are racist people in every country. I don't believe Asian countries including China are anymore racist than other countries in the world. And it certainly not racist in this case, Talking about reaching.... This article is nothing but propaganda of the west. The theme is to smear China every which way you can.

I'm not saying the Chinese or anyone else are inherently racist.

I'm just saying people who lack exposure to other cultures and ethnicities may have viewpoints that are
interpreted as racist.

South Asians, who I can speak for are incredibly racist; the ones back in South Asia.

The South Asian kids that grew up in the west, not so much.

 

[Jlaw]

To be honest both Chinese and South Asians who have not grown up in a multi ethnic environment tend to be "racist".

There is no denying that.

Actually you can generalize that statement to any ethnicity or background.

Its lack of exposure to the "other".

People who are more expose to multiculturalism tend to be more racist. The only difference is that these morally "superior" Caucasians are better at hiding it.
Back on topic, the movie goers have a point that the movie was too dark. The lighting must be bad. It's too dark to see the black actors.

 

[Avicenna]

People who are more expose to multiculturalism tend to be more racist. The only difference is that these morally "superior" Caucasians are better at hiding it.
Back on topic, the movie goers have a point that the movie was too dark. The lighting must be bad. It's too dark to see the black actors.

I disagree but I will leave it at that, as I don't wanna derail this thread.

 

[24 Hours]

Marvel’s first black superhero film Black Panther made a strong debut in China, taking in more than $63 million this weekend and helping it cross the billion-dollar mark globally. And while the film filled seats in China, it didn’t exactly bring in rave reviews from Chinese audiences—in fact, online reviews hint at subtle racism and discomfort with the all-black cast.

Set in Wakanda, a fictional country in East Africa that’s hidden from the outside world, the movie portrayed a romanticized version of Africa that had never been touched by the white man. Led by a cast of black actors and actresses, the film presented how the king of the country, T’Challa, used his intelligence, ancestral knowledge, and access to advance technologies to become the superhero Black Panther.

Another reviewer who came into the theater late made a similar observation: “When I entered the theater, a bunch of black people was fighting in the night… I’ve never been in a theater so dark that I couldn’t find my seat.”

Someone else said the experience was worse in 3D (link in Chinese): “The film is filled with black actors and actresses. Also, because the film’s colors are a bit dark, it’s nearly a torture for the eyes to watch the film’s 3D version in the theater.”

It’s yet another reminder of China’s limited exposure to race. Last month, in the annual Lunar New Year TV gala by China’s state broadcaster CCTV, producers had a Chinese actress in blackface and cast a black actor to play a monkey. In October, a Chinese museum hosted an exhibition titled “This is Africa” that juxtaposed images of black people to animals, including monkeys and cheetahs.

https://qz.com/1226449/a-torture-for-the-eyes-chinese-moviegoers-think-black-panther-is-too-black/

Some of these complaints are legitimate though, the lighting on the film is really bad in some areas.
Anyway, poor article. It has a 6.7 on the Chinese imdb. Most people gave it 3/5 score which is fair I suppose and the most helpful review is a 4 star rating.

The music from the movie seems pretty well liked though.

 

[jaybird]

By the way, if your computer monitor or Smart phone brightness setting is more than 50% bright. You are racist or at least subconsciously racist. Obviously you don't like darker things!

 

[Skull and Bones]

I usually have a dislike towards Marvel movies, but DC is going to shyte too.

Lol what did I just read.....
I personally can't stand the movie, great action but it patronises real African culture.

Yes, nothing wrong in it, is it?