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

THE GOOD

OMG I love how Black Adam hits the ground running with the action and doesn’t look back. Black Adam is not a hero. He’s not saving cats from trees or is worried about injustices that affect mankind. This guy is here for himself. This is a refreshing approach to the mainstream superhero landscape. That said, Black Adam has no problem with being lethal toward any roody poo candy ass that’s reckless enough to get in his way. I LOVE THIS and I think that DC handled this character adaptation extremely well. The casting of Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam is better than I was expecting. I keep assuming I’ll take issue with the fact that Dwayne Johnson doesn’t have a cultural history with that part of the world. This may, understandably, still be an issue for some but I forget this issue pretty quickly.

Pierce Brosnan is great as the aging superhero Dr. Fate. He’s poised, and calm, and is seen as a person of wisdom for the team and their 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 willing to fight anybody at any time and I’m here for it. His ruthless aggression toward Black Adam can be felt in every scene they share together and that’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 are more like sidekicks in the Justice Society but add a sense of lightheartedness to a fairly brutal movie.

The writing is surprisingly really really good. I had low expectations for DC films. The DC films aren’t always my favorite but the spirit, energy, and humor in this film are handled really well. The character arcs for Black Adam, Hawkman, and Doctor Fats are very well-balanced and the pacing is spot-on. We learn about Black Adam’s origin throughout the movie with some twists along the way but the Justice Society also benefit from character development. I won’t spoil but the things we learn about these characters are informative and helpful in appreciating them.

THE BAD

The pacing can be a bit off at times. There are times when the movie slows down to add more narrative but I want to see more violence and action. The introduction and backstory is rushed through in the beginning with the movie doing everything it can to get to the present day. there are times I want to see more of Khandaq in ancient times to understand its history. The ending can also be annoying because the movie almost feels a little too long. The beginning of the last act is a little slow. Yes, it adds tension to the ending but it’s an abrupt stop to the momentum Black Adam builds for itself.

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

OVERALL

The Best DC film in a very very long time and goes a long way in restoring my faith in DC films. The hierarchy is changed and I love that this movie is out to add competition to the crowded superhero market. Great films like this push competitors to improve and I am here for this.