As soon as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrived on Disney Plus, there are few fandoms that have proven to be as unpredictable as those that follow the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Everyone can say it's a perfect or near-perfect film, with director Ryan Coogler once again delivering an underwhelming third act fight stuffed with unreliable CGI and a lack of genuine stakes, but there's still plenty to love up until that point, especially since Wakanda Forever began to sag.
Is the Black Panther sequel the finest the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ever had to offer? Almost inconceivable not, but it is certain to be a popular choice among those who see it. It's not a particularly bad film, or even a largely disappointing one, but it's easy to despise something that failed to live up to expectations and pressure.
To begin with, bringing one of the most successful films of all-time – as well as a Academy Award nominee for Best Picture – was almost an impossible task, notwithstanding the cast and crew's having to deal with the death of Chadwick Boseman.
Wakanda Forever may not be great, but it's nonetheless excellent, and while everyone is entitled to their opinions at the end of the day, you might have guessed that the backlash would be raging as soon as the Disney Plus premiere date was announced.