Cinema, characterized Black Is King as a "perfect union of film and popular music", describing it as a "lavish... immersive and eclectic experience" that perfectly captured the zeitgeist of 2020. Writing for Decider, Anna Menta called Black Is King "an undeniably breathtaking, personal, and political work of art". Describing it as "a visual masterpiece" that is "almost overwhelming", Menta praised the many settings and outfits in the film and noted that every detail on screen had meaning. Niellah Arboine of The Independent said Black Is King shows Beyoncé at her most experimental, with a cinematographic style where "every shot is a piece of art" and music genres that the film "seamlessly jumps through". Arboine also praised how the film showcases a diverse range of elements that constitute blackness, such as black debutante balls, London council estates and durags. Odie Henderson of RogerEbert.com described the film as a "jaw-dropping visual achievement", applauding the cinematographers who provided a wide variety of "stunning visuals" that cohere as a whole. Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen of The Sydney Morning Herald agreed, writing that the film "takes the viewer on a dazzling, hyper-real ride through natural landscapes and space-age futures, while incorporating elements of black history and tradition". Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic of The New York Times, commented that the "overwhelming" array of outfits are "dazzling, but also calculated", with all of them existing to serve the vision of Beyoncé and reinforce her messages, while also "reinforcing her position as the ultimate cultural tastemaker". Okla Jones of Consequence of Sound praised Beyoncé's direction and attention to detail, noting how the colors, settings, outfits and music in each scene match the emotional state of the protagonist in his journey. Nathan Weinbender of Inlander praised Beyoncé's unique filmmaking style as one which fuses together mystic, surrealist and African cinematic influences. Weinbender concluded: "She's in complete control of every element here, confidently so, and the texture and warmth she brings to this project suggests it should stay that way." Janell Hobson of Ms. described Beyoncé as an auteur who orchestrated the music, visuals, fashion, dances and artists "in a grand unifying vision". Steve Rose of The Guardian stated that "Beyoncé is emerging as a major figure in cinema", adding that "it's safe to say that Beyoncé is... one of the most significant film-makers" on the planet. Chanté Joseph of The Guardian praised the film's messages of