Black Adam is the latest DC character to get his own movie showcased and it’s served as a passion project of sorts for Dwayne Johnson. While the plot is standard superhero fare, Johnson’s charisma sells it and helps elevate it to some new and unexpected heights.
Johnson stars as the titular character who was born around 2600 BCE in the country of Kahndaq. He witnesses the death of his son when he tries to rise up against their tyrannical captors. He’s then given the powers of some ancient wizards and placed into a deep sleep for the next few thousand years.
In modern times, an archeologist (Sarah Shahi) discovers a crown that would give unlimited power to anyone who wears it. She and her crew are captured by a criminal organization that wants possession of the crown and it’s here where Black Adam awakens and the movie becomes center stage for Johnson to display his larger-than-life heroics.
Originally, Teth Adam, as he’s called, wants nothing to do with humanity due to his dark past, but a team known as the Justice Society of America attempts to recruit him.
Aldis Hodge is Hawkman who has technology from another planet; Noah Centineo is Atom Smasher who can control molecules and manipulate his size and strength; Quintessa Swindell is Cyclone who can command the wind and Pierce Brosnan is Dr. Fate, a sorcerer who can see into the future. I love these characters and their powers.
Black Adam has a hard time working with a team and his definition of being a hero is not conventional. Sometimes he saves people because it’s the right thing to do and other times, he just happens to be at the right place at the right time.
Johnson does make this fish-out-of-water character work well in the action scenes and he does add a degree of welcoming complexity. Is Black Adam an avenging angel or will he turn on those who trust him? That’s one of the things that work in this movie’s favor.
The action scenes are big and loud, but they do offer goofy fun with Johnson slinging bad guys and even his own team around like rocks. Plus, there’s even a David and Goliath match between him and Atom Smasher that draws some genuine laughs.
I’m not sure if Black Adam is for the DCEU, but it’s certainly a step in a new direction for the franchise. There’s also a super cameo by another DC character that will no doubt have fans salivating at the very idea of another anticipated movie.
As it is, I am recommending Black Adam as an overstuffed but energetic romp.
Grade: B+
(Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, intense action and some language.)
