Black Adam (Mini-Review)

Black Adam is another movie set in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). In 2600 BCE Kahndaq had a tyrant king that was searching for a power beyond mortality. It was only when a boy wanted to rebel and was given the power of Shazam by wizards that he became a force to be reckoned with. He managed to kill the tyrant before disappearing. In the modern day, Archaeologist Adrianna Tomaz seeks the Crown of Sabbac. Her search leads to unleashing Teth-Adam. This in turn leads to Amanda Waller wanting to imprison Adam. With many people against him, Adam doesn't have time to adjust to modern day before needing to fight. Black Adam was released in 2022. It was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. It stars Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo, and Sarah Shahi.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is enough to make me interested in any movie. He tends to have a charisma that is fun to watch. While he has taken on humorous roles, that isn't always the case. Doom (2005) had the actor being a tough character who becomes a villain by the end. In this movie he has a threatening presence more than a charming one. Though he is able to joke around here and there. Which works well for his character in this movie. I'm not a comic book reader (though I keep meaning to change that and I also keep losing comic recommendations from friends) so I'm not sure how well Black Adam is adapted. I'm very aware that most characters in comics tend to have a lot of backstories that differ greatly from one another.

This movie is a non-stop action ride with only a handful of moments where you can catch your breath. I'm far from surprised that it had to be toned down from an R rating. Black Adam isn't like heroes who care about sparring as many lives as possible. He will kill anyone who dares to attack him or threatens those he cares about. It isn't until far along in the film that he decides to spare lives when he doesn't have to. Though he still doesn't prioritize sparing his enemies.

There is a mid-credits scene. This one features a superhero viewers are familiar with. There is no post-credits scene.

I love Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. She may not be good, but she is more than enjoyable to see. Her part in this movie is extremely brief. One of Waller's few appearances is when she gets Carter Hall (Hawkman) and the Justice Society of America (JSA) to capture Adam. She also threatens the anti-hero after he manages to escape her grasp. Whenever she appears I'm always trying to examine her requests in every way possible. Yeah, she is extremely untrustworthy.

Hawkman's design was my favorite. It was the wings that really won me over. Every time he flew I was utterly entranced by him. He's also the leader and makes sure everyone knows it. He is kind, caring, and does the whole sparing lives thing. It is understandable why others decide to follow him. I probably would if I were a superhero.

I would recommend Black Adam to fans of the DCEU. I would also recommend Black Adam to those who want an action packed superhero movie.