Black Adam (2022) Review

After what feels like forever Black Adam has finally made its way to cinemas and I managed to find the time to watch it today and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees an individual with the power of a god released in order to provide justice to his land. 

Main Character

Dwayne Johnson has been set to play Black Adam for years and finally he has been given the chance and I thought he was really good in this film. He provides more then his generic performance that he has become known for, he is intimidating as Adam and adds plenty of depth to this character. He still has those elements of charm there but it doesn't overshadow the nuance of the character. 

Supporting Characters

Pierce Brosnan plays Dr Fate and I thought he was really good. He actually seems to care about the character and the role, Fate is a really interesting character in the comics and though he doesn't get enough screen time to truly flesh him out it does enough here. Aldis Hodge plays Hawkman and he was decent in the role, he plays the hero well and though the character is barely fleshed out but he uses his natural charisma to get him by. But the rest of the cast don't fare as well. Noah Centineo plays Atom Smasher & Quintessa Swindell plays Cyclone, these two feel like they are in a different movie and it doesn't work. They come across as annoying and like they are in a Marvel film while the rest of the film is pretty serious. The villain is one of the weaker ones that are seen in a DC film, he is clearly an afterthought and is really bland. There are a few generic human characters and they didn't offer anything particularly interesting either. 

Story 

When Teth Adam's backstory is explored in this film it was interesting to see and see this protagonist who is really brutal and does some things that wouldn't be seen by a traditional superhero. The issue with the story is that the rest of the film is really generic, with how many super hero films that have come out I feel like I have seen this final act done better in other films for sure. 

Script 

This film is at its best when it focuses on the dark side of the story. But it has some awkward use of comedy and not all the drama hits, the humans aren't interesting and their annoying exposition doesn't help rise it up. 

Style 

The film has some pretty impressive action sequences and it is paced pretty well throughout. A big issue is that my favourite action scene was probably the first one which is never good for a super hero film. Also again the final act CGI fights don't really stand out, there is one in particular that rips off specific action scenes from another comic book film. Also there is one instance of truly terrible CGI which you will notice straight away. 

Overall

Overall, Black Adam is an above average super hero film. It is entertaining but falls way short of living up to the hype, if you want to entertain yourself for a few hours then maybe give it a go but I wouldn't rush to see it. 

Rating - 6/10