Black Adam Movie Review

Black Adam (2022)

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Written by: Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani (written by), Bill Parker and C.C. Beck (based on the characters created by)
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Pierce Brosnan, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Henry Winkler
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods, and imprisoned just as quickly, Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

Verdict
This is an entertaining super hero movie. It suffers from the high bar Marvel has set, but this also doesn't have two dozen movie's worth of foundation. If this had been released ten years ago, I think it would have gotten a much better reception. It's fun to see Dwayne Johnson play against type as a bit of a villain. This certainly leans into a few tropes, but I was surprised at how much I liked it based on how bad reviews were. This is one of the better DC offerings, though that's not a difficult task. It's a capable super hero movie that provides cool visuals, big fights, and two hours of entertainment. It's a popcorn movie, not meant to generate discussion or to make you think.
It depends.

Review
This isn't near as bad as I expected it. The problem is that it's just coming out a few years late. That and Marvel has such a head start. To DC's credit, we haven't gotten an anti-hero super hero movie, and with Dwayne Johnson in the role, that's a lot of fun. Johnson typically plays the same charismatic hero in all of his action movies. His smile gets him out of trouble, usually, but in this movie he plays a dark and troubled character. I like seeing him play against type. He destroys everything in his path, especially anyone that gets in his way. He takes no prisoners.

Dwayne Johnson plays Teth Adam

A black magic crown kicks off the plot, which leads to Teth Adam (Dwayne Johnson) being freed from his tomb. He's released and wreaks havoc, destroying anything and everything. I enjoyed seeing a super hero completely let loose without restraint. We don't just a glimpse that maybe he isn't all bad. I did wonder how he spoke perfect English after being imprisoned for five thousand years, but that's just a small gripe.

There's a surprising amount of depth to his story, but this does cram a lot into the movie. We get a goofy brother, a betrayal, the kid enamored with this dark hero and hopes to modernize him. There's just a lot in this as he movie wants to do everything. 

The same wizards that bestowed the hero mantle on Billy in Shazam! are the same people that provide Teth Adam with his powers. This certainly feels like a movie in the same vein. The goal with both movies is to have some fun and provide big fights.

Pierce Brosnan plays Dr. Fate

Despite already having a Justice League, DC also has a Justice Society comprised of Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo). They are sent to preserve peace and imprison Teth Adam. It's a flimsy excuse to set up some drama, but it works well enough. Doctor Fate has the potential to be a cool character, but is costume looks so cool. Even his powers are fun. I really wanted more of him, but it's better to provide too little of a character than too much. Aldis Hodge is always charismatic, and that's no different here, but he plays the typical hero set on saving the world. Cyclone and Smasher are filler. There characters provide a bit of comic relief and even that is forced.

Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge play Teth Adam, Hawkman

Part of the problem is that this movie tries to do too much. Hawkman and Teth Adam smashing heads provides just enough story to carry the plot. Trimming some excess would give this a bit more focus. Really, we're here to see Teth Adam punch and lightning bolt his way through this story. The ultimate villain's motives are rather boring, but he looks kind of cool. That's really his only purpose, to give Teth Adam someone to fight and pull everyone together.

This movie certainly is a step behind some of the Marvel movies, but the comparison doesn't have to be made. This movie is entertaining enough, though it certainly takes many shortcuts.