Released: 21st October 2021 (UK and US)
Length: 124 Minutes
Certificate: 12A
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Marwan Kenzari, Quintessa Swindell and Pierce Brosnan
DC’s efforts on the silver screen have had many ups and downs over the last decade. Following a set of smaller adventures in Aquaman and Shazam!, DC is attempting to pull itself back to prominence with Black Adam. With Dwayne Johnson at the helm, there’s a lot of fanfare involved, but the result is merely passable.
Millennia ago, a mystical element was first discovered in the city of Khandaq; one slave chose to defy his masters and was bestowed with the power of Shazam by the Council of Wizards. Some 5000 years later, the anti-hero (Dwayne Johnson) is resurrected, eventually forming a connection with a rebel fighter (Sarah Shahi) and her son (Bodhi Sabongui) alongside the local populace. A tussle ensues over both the powers Black Adam possesses and the mythical crown of his sworn enemy. It’s quite predictable and draws out very few differences from contemporaries, but if your expectations are low the story does offer some light entertainment. It stumbles heavily in the final act with a last minute reversal and a rushed reveal that doesn’t do the pacing any favours. One moment Black Adam is imprisoned for being dangerous, only to immediately break out again for the final battle. The same holds true for the brief mentions of colonialism and exploitation by mercenaries. Khandaq has been raided and pillaged for its resources for hundreds of years, but any intrigue quickly goes out the window when the action starts. There’s no doubt that Black Adam is no different from countless other superhero movies, but it commits wholeheartedly to the story and premise, making it capably inoffensive.
You shouldn’t expect any deep characterisation either. Black Adam himself has all the personality of a brick wall which turns out to be a decent fit for Dwayne Johnson’s mannerisms. On occasion the film leans into this and plays off his serious nature with the writing, but he’s far from a likeable protagonist. Often times, the focus shifts to those around him and the Justice Squad sent in to deal with the situation often has a lot more personality. Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) is set in his ways, only seeing the world in two colours, while Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) lay on some comic relief without being overbearing. It’s Pierce Brosnan who delivers the best performance here; having not been in a major blockbuster for years, he commits well to the mystical machinations of Dr Fate. The weakest element by far is the villain, Ishmael Gregor (Marwan Kenzari) who is mostly a non-presence throughout. On occasion there are some links to other films, most notably Amanda Waller of Suicide Squad but the film keeps the lens focused on the central narrative. Just about every character in Black Adam is incredibly basic, but they get the job done for a narrative of this calibre.
Black Adam is marked by the heaviest use of slow-motion in the series so far; the lightning from his fingertips, the way he tears his foes to pieces and the destruction across Khandaq, all of it serves to highlight the earth-shaking power of the character. Much like the character himself, deep blacks and golds make up the colour palette. For the most part, the film takes place in this dusty setting, though on occasion a computer-generated location will enter the scene. Outside of these moments, everything is fast-paced and high-flying with a ton of hi-tech display screens and a jump-jet that’s very reminiscent of the X-Men. That’s not the only samey element as the opening archaeology sequence mirrors Tomb Raider in both style and tone. The music fares slightly better with Lorne Balfe injecting some suitably thunderous music to accompany the action.
Touted as the next big release for DC, Black Adam is a perfectly disposable piece of superhero entertainment. All of it is very hollow, but the film leans into this tone and doesn’t try to be anything more than a simple two-hour thrill-ride. Fans will get exactly what they want, everyone else will have a throwaway flick to pass the time.
Rating: 3/5 Stars (Fair)
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