Black Adam Review! DCEU Not Dead, Yet!

The movie that, supposedly, will put the DCEU back on track is out! Black Adam, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Pierce Brosnan, Sara Shahi, Noah Centineo, Quintessa Swindell, showcases an anti-hero on the road to either destruction or redemption. In the country of Kahndaq, the people are being controlled by the criminal organization, Intergang. The mythical figure, Teth Adam, a being with the powers of a god, is resurrected. After destroying his enemies in brutal fashion, the Justice Society is contacted to take him down. All the while, an ancient evil is being awakened and will consume Kahndaq unless it can be stopped. Before I continue, SPOILERS AHEAD!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

Alright! Black Adam is out, and it’s definitely not worth the 39% that Rotten Tomatoes gave it! Like, really?! From the first time we see Johnson as Adam, we clearly see that Adam is an anti-hero! From vaporizing mercenaries to single-handedly going toe-to-toe with the Justice Society, Black Adam is bringing “Black Air Force 1 energy”! Never backing down, and reluctant to be called a “hero” or “champion”, Adam is also a man with regret. Originally, it was his son who was chosen by the Wizards (the same who were mentioned in Shazam! Point for continuity!) to save Kahndaq from an evil king. But when the king couldn’t kill the Wizards’ champion, he targeted his family. After killing his mother, the champion, Hurut, transferred his powers to Teth Adam…after being killed by the king’s men! Rageful Teth-Adam kills the king, nearly destroying all Kahndaq in the process. The Council of Wizards (with Djimon Hounsou making a special appearance) detain Adam in a tomb for 5,000 years!

Seeing the Justice Society was a real treat! Hodge as Hawkman was great, however, his character as the leader was an interesting choice, considering Hawkman is known to be more of a wildcard, fighting first and thinking later. Doctor Fate, played by Brosnan, was genius casting and was low-key the M.V.P of the team! I already know the incoming “Oh, he’s a Doctor Strange rip-off!!” comments are coming. I would like to remind the casual fans that Fate was created first, and while there are some similarities between the two, there are more than enough differences. In the film, it seems like Fate isn’t as controlled by the helmet of Nabu and can pretty much do what Strange can and then some. Atom Smasher and Cyclone (Centineo and Swindell) represent the next generation of heroes. While they serve their purpose, I feel they could have used more character development. Adrianna Tomaz (Shai) is the professor who brought Adam back and tells the Justice Society that while they may stand for justice, they haven’t brought it to her country. Intergang had the country in a police state while pillaging resources for years, but the Justice Society was nowhere to be found. Which is one of the reasons why she believes in Adam being a champion of the people. The very mention that Intergang, itself, is in the picture is very interesting. Since Intergang relates to the villain, Darkseid, can we assume that he will make an appearance?! The fights are amazing, as well, having some slow-motion moments that really feel like a cartoon come to life. Also, more continuity is present, as both Viola Davis and Jennifer Holland reprise their roles as Amanda Waller and Agent Harcourt from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker!

Alright, time for the negative! For one, the villain of the film, Ishmael/Sabbac (played by Marwab Kenzari) is a little one-note. The whole” you killed my descendant, now I’ll exact revenge” deal is one-dimensional. Some more character development could have been used, but this is an action movie. Sometimes, the villain doesn’t need to have a great motive for viewers to gravitate to. Another negative, while smaller in comparison, is that Fate keeps taking off the helmet. In the comics, Kent Nelson is really possessed by the spirit of Nabu (the source of Fate’s magic.) He wouldn’t be able to keep taking it off without difficulty or sacrifice. Hawkman’s character also feels a little off, as he sees justice as black and white, without acknowledging the grey areas in life. Finally, Atom Smasher and Cyclone just feel like they had to pad out the roster, not really contributing to much on the team.

In conclusion, Black Adam is one of the best superhero movies of the year! Don’t let “critics” influence your decision. Go see it for yourself and then judge. Great action, some humor that isn’t overwhelming, world-building that’s sorely needed in the DCEU…AND a special guest appearance from a certain son of Krypton!!! (FINALLY!!!) I give Black Adam a 8.5 out of 10! Post your comments below, and till next time fellow blerds!