The DC Extended Universe from Warner Bros. has seen some significant changes recently, including the unexpected cancellation of Batgirl and modifications to release dates and creative directions. But if anything has stayed constant, it’s Dwayne Johnson’s confidence that his much-anticipated franchise debut, Black Adam, would fundamentally alter the order of things in the fictitious universe. Although the long-term repercussions of this film haven’t been established, it serves its purpose as an introduction to one of DC’s most prominent anti-heroes. Dedicated DCEU fans will find a lot to like here, but others who are more tired of superhero antics may not find Black Adam’s action-packed style to their liking.
After an exposition-heavy prologue that takes place in the past, Black Adam shifts its attention to the streets of the fictitious nation of Kahndaq in the present, where the evil Intergang maintains its populace under military control. The crown of Sabbac (Marwan Kenzari), a lethal relic that was created to grant its possessor the abilities of Hell, has been the subject of archaeologist Adrianna’s (Sarah Shahi) investigation. She finds a tomb during her hunt that contains both the crown and the all-powerful Teth-Adam (Johnson). Adam, who was formerly a slave in Kahndaq, was granted the gods’ abilities long ago, and he utilized them to exterminate Kahndaqi invaders. Now that he has been reawakened, Adam turns his focus to the Intergang members. It doesn’t take long for the Justice Society of America, directed by the much more conservative Carter Hall (an admirably heroic Aldis Hodge), to become aware of his brutal techniques.
Action, if there is one thing Black Adam never lacks, is it? Director Jaume Collet-Serra creates a number of scene pieces that feel properly grandiose when taking into account the film’s protagonist, from the tumultuous initial seconds after Teth-Adam awakes to an earth-shattering confrontation in the streets of Kahndaq. One of the most potent characters in the DC world, Black Adam, is swiftly established in his film. Black Adam makes no attempt to downplay Black Adam’s harsh nature, which Johnson has publicly discussed in public. This is a comic book superhero that doesn’t hesitate to kill his foes, and while the violence has been somewhat toned down for a PG-13 classification, it is really rather reviving in that it doesn’t try to soften the character’s darker aspects.
Some characters suffer as a result. Despite receiving little background information, Hodge’s Hawkman very clearly shows himself as the best kind of hero and a capable leader. He has an intriguing interaction with Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), a fellow JSA member whose abilities are wonderfully represented while being very loosely defined. Since there isn’t much on the page about the bond between these two characters, Hodge and Brosnan do a lot to engage the audience. Quintessa Swindell and Noah Centineo have some endearing moments but little substance in their roles as Cyclone and Atom Smasher, the JSA’s youngest members. Even yet, Swindell stands out because they give Cyclone a peculiar yet appealing personality. The confrontation between the protagonists and the movie’s real antagonist, the demonic Sabbac, is significantly less interesting than theirs. Even while the narrative concerning the crown of Sabbac is there from Black Adam’s first few minutes, Collet-Serra prefers to concentrate on the conflict over Kahndaq and Adam’s ongoing battles with the JSA, making the plot feel like an afterthought throughout the whole movie.
By drawing on Adam’s darker side, I type here. Johnson doesn’t have a lot of one-liners to share, and he doesn’t only rely on his remarkable body. His lack of softness feels all the more powerful because he is so much more serious. However, one wishes Johnson had been given a little more credit in the Black Adam script. There are so many discussions regarding Adam’s ethically dubious viewpoint that it gives the idea that the screenwriters were skeptical that viewers would see that he differs from typical heroes. However, Adam’s portrayal makes up for its lack of nuance with intrigue. There is genuine curiosity in learning what the DCEU’s future holds now that Adam is a player on the field.
The most intelligent or entertaining superhero film isn’t necessarily Black Adam. Even still, it makes for a rather engaging introduction to one of the more fascinating DCEU characters. Johnson has been working on getting Black Adam done for years, and his enthusiasm for the undertaking is palpable nearly from the start. Although certain characters clamor for more attention and the action-packed style of the film can be tiresome, Teth-genesis Adam’s narrative succeeds in defying what audiences would have anticipated from Johnson’s live-action superhero debut.
Below is the trailer for Black Adam:
