Drama
The Rainmaker
This adaptation may lack the depth of its source material, but it isn’t a bad option if you’re itching for a new legal drama.
Secrets, secrets are no fun—but in Wakanda, they’re a necessity.
If you’re at all familiar with the Marvel comics or the movies they inspired, you probably know about Wakanda, a fictional kingdom deep in the jungles of Africa. Wakanda is protected by the superhero Black Panther, but it’s also home to a nearly unlimited supply of vibranium, a priceless mineral with incredible abilities.
Its abilities are so incredible, in fact, that Wakanda’s technology is light years ahead of the rest of the world. Not that the rest of the world knows it. To quote another iconic Marvel hero, with great power comes great responsibility, and to Wakanda (at least, Wakanda before the events of 2018’s Black Panther movie), responsibility means keeping their vibranium a secret at all costs.
Keeping such a treasure trove completely under wraps, however, is no easy feat. But with something this valuable, no mistake can be tolerated. Whenever vibranium slips out into the world, Wakanda sends highly skilled, highly dangerous warriors to retrieve it. And good luck to any thieves who think they can get away unscathed.
Eyes of Wakanda follows four different Wakandan warriors across four different periods of time as they reclaim stolen weapons and artifacts. No, secrets may not be fun, but when it comes to vibranium—and the security of the world, for that matter—it’s better safe than sorry.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe found success for a number of reasons, but just one of them is its appeal to all ages. Kids love seeing Iron Man blast though aliens while the Hulk smashes through buildings. And adults — well, most adults like the same thing, actually. Eyes of Wakanda also attempts to reach all ages, but its success is…debatable.
Kids might enjoy the stylish animation and action-packed battles, but some thematic content may require some shielding of eyes. People are killed with arrows and swords, cults burn down villages and torture their captives, and innocent people are beaten and enslaved. Most of this is bloodless or happens offscreen, but it’s still a bit beyond your standard superhero action.
If you happen to be an enthusiast for Wakandan lore, you may be interested in this look into fictional history. Younger Black Panther fans, however, may get a bit more than they bargained for from this animated series. Oh, and if your little Marvel fan is watching for T’Challa or Shuri, don’t hold your breath waiting for them to appear. You’ll be holding it for a while.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
In 1260 BC, a former member of the Dora Milaje (Wakanda’s all-female warrior guard) named Noni is tasked with an impossible mission: capture a rogue Wakandan agent known as “the Lion” who is using stolen vibranium to lead a quickly spreading cult.
It’s almost impressive how much action is crammed into this 30-minute episode. From sea battles to melee duels, the episode features a wide range of fighting. Other than the occasional flash of blood, there’s no gore to worry about.
Thematically, however, the action is a bit darker. The Lion’s cult raids a city and kills screaming townspeople with arrows and axes. Noni, our heroine, takes down several enemies by stabbing them with knives, breaking their bones, and even throwing an axe into a cult member’s face (again, we don’t see blood or gory wounds). The cult threatens to brand their prisoners if they don’t willingly follow the Lion; one man is dragged away and we hear his screams from offscreen. A female prisoner is slapped repeatedly across the face when she refuses to be “re-educated” by the cult. Noni jumps off of a ship to escape the cult and finds an underwater cage full of skeletons.
The members of the Lion’s cult treat their leader like a god and repeatedly call him “divine.” Noni is called a blasphemer when she refuses to follow him. Someone fighting the cult calls out “death to the false god” as he attacks.
Lauren Cook is serving as a 2021 summer intern for the Parenting and Youth department at Focus on the Family. She is studying film and screenwriting at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. You can get her talking for hours about anything from Star Wars to her family to how Inception was the best movie of the 2010s. But more than anything, she’s passionate about showing how every form of art in some way reflects the Gospel. Coffee is a close second.
This adaptation may lack the depth of its source material, but it isn’t a bad option if you’re itching for a new legal drama.
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