Black Adam review

 In what has been a long time coming and a passion project for Dwayne Johnson Black Adam finally arrives on the big screen making his DC film debut. Black Adam's story is one of slavery, power and ultimately becoming a symbol for the people of your home. It stars Dwayne Johnson as the titular anit-hero real name Teth Adam. He is imprisoned in a tomb with thousands of years having passed since he was cast into the tomb by the very same wizards who gave Billy Batson the power to turn into the hero Shazam. Thousands of years have passed in the city of Khandaq which is now under control by a group named Intergang they rule over with a pretty concrete fist. That all changes when a group of people come across the tomb of Black Adam when looking for a crown that is said to have belonged to a King of Khandaq years previous, the same King that Black Adam defeated in a pretty brutal manner. It is from here where the story truly kicks into gear as the things heat up in big and bombastic way. 

Introducing the Justice Society of America featuring characters like Hawkman, Dr Fate, Atom Smasher and Cyclone. They're all introduced fairly quickly and come off as sort of one note to begin but once we get more time with each member you do get to like them and understand their thinking. For instance Hawkman is a stoic hero who always wants to help anyone he can without taking any lives which is a big difference to Black Adam's rule of thumb which involves just pure and utter chaos and destruction. As for Dr Fate he can see the future and thus is a lot more magic and mystic arts based. Atom Smasher and Cyclone are new additions to the team and they're quite fun to be honest. I'm hoping we get a Justice Society movie at some point to further flesh out these characters and others from the team like maybe Wildcat, Hourman or even Stargirl and Jay Garrick that would be ideal in my opinion. 

Black Adam is a feast for the eyes. It is visually stunning with the action set pieces being worth the price of admission alone. The scenes are fast paced, packed with intensity and are the best action scenes in a DC movie since Batman V Superman in 2016. What brings the movie down however is when it tries to be funny featuring moments like random thus being tossed aside screaming and the little to no emotion of Black Adam seems to show when he does something deemed wrong in the eyes of the JSA. It's not horrible by any means but some scenes just took me out of the experience which was disappointing. Overall Black Adam is a giant step in the right direction for the DC movie universe especially given how a post credit scene sets up something BIG for the future. Black Adam was not quite what it could've truly been but is a highly enjoyable time at the cinema. 

★★★