Black Adam Review – Surprisingly Amazing

Black Adam Review – In ancient Kahndaq, Teth Adam was given almighty powers by the gods. After using these powers for revenge, he was imprisoned, becoming Black Adam. Almost 5,000 years have passed and Black Adam has gone from man to myth to legend. Now free, his unique form of justice, born of rage, is challenged by the modern-day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher and Cyclone.

GOOD

OMG I love how Black Adam hits the ground running with the action and doesn’t look back. Black Adam is no hero. He doesn’t save cats from trees or worry about the injustices that affect humanity. This guy is there for himself. It’s a refreshing take on the traditional superhero landscape. That said, Black Adam has no problem being lethal to any candy ass poo that’s reckless enough to get in his way. I LOVE THIS and think DC handled this character adaptation extremely well. The casting of Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam is better than I expected. I keep guessing I’ll take issue with the fact that Dwayne Johnson has no cultural history with that part of the world. This can, of course, still be a problem for some, but I forget about this problem pretty quickly.

Pierce Brosnan is awesome as the aging superhero Dr. Fate. He is collected and calm, and is considered a person of wisdom for the team and its tactics. Aldis Hodge is practically the other star of the Black Adam movie. I love Hawkman’s Black Nike energy. For some reason this dude is just ready to fight anyone at any time and I’m here for it. His callous aggression towards Black Adam can be felt in every scene they share together and it’s a credit to Aldis Hodge’s portrayal of the character. Quintessa Sindel and Noah Cintineo round out the Justice Society as Tornado and Captain Atom. They’re more like Justice Society sidekicks, but add a bit of levity to a pretty brutal movie.

The writing is surprisingly very good. I had low expectations for DC movies. DC movies aren’t always my favorite, but the wit, energy, and humor in this film are very well handled. The character arcs of Black Adam, Hawkman, and Doctor Fats are very well balanced and the pacing is perfect. We learn about Black Adam’s origin throughout the film with a few twists along the way, but the Justice Society also benefits from character development. I won’t spoil, but the things we learn about these characters are informative and useful to appreciate.

THE BAD

The pace can sometimes be a little off. There are times when the film slows down to add more narrative but I want to see more violence and action. The intro and backstory are rushed at the start, with the film doing everything it can to bring it up to the present day. there are times when I want to see more of Khandaq in ancient times to understand its history. The ending can also be boring as the movie almost feels a bit too long. The beginning of the last act is a bit slow. Yes, it adds tension at the end, but it’s a brutal stop to the momentum Black Adam is building for himself.

There is absolutely no explanation or origin of the Justice Society in this incarnation. These guys are right there and they’re ready to fight Black Adam after being pointed in his direction by the US government. There is also no explanation as to why this justice society is working with the government. I understand why they see Black Adam as a threat, but they work with shady government people.

GLOBALLY

Best DC movie in a very very long time and goes a long way in restoring my faith in DC movies. The pecking order has changed and I love that this movie is meant to add some competition to the crowded superhero market. Great movies like this push contestants to improve and that’s what I’m here for.