As I begin to discuss the latest film to both star The Rock and be based on a beloved DC Comics character, allow me to state the obvious: yes, Superhero movies have gotten old. So old, that they can be seen ordering cheap meals at your local diner while talking about their favorite cop shows on CBS. Thatās not to say there arenāt any left for me to enjoy but, lately, itās become excessive. Disney has been the most egregious thanks to both their Disney + shows and films coming out at a rapid-fire pace. I get it, if something makes money, keep milking it until it doesnāt. Still, I just wish that studios would at least tap the brakes on this genre overkill.
Superhero fatigue rant aside, when āBlack Adamā was announced I wasnāt too enthusiastic. I didnāt necessarily have much fealty towards DCās beloved anti-hero and as much as I like Dwayne āThe Rockā Johnson in almost everything, The Rock basically plays.. well, The Rock in everything. However, after I saw that both Jaume Collet-Serra was announced as the filmās director and James Bond himself, Pierce Brosnan was cast as Dr. Fate, I was on board. While I really liked Daniel Craig as 007, Brosnan will always remain my favorite Bond. Heās always been an underrated actor who I feel is always deserving of better material. Frequent Liam Neeson collaborator Jaume Collet-Serra was also behind one of my favorites of last year, āJungle Cruiseā (Also starring The Rock), which I found to be Disneyās most fun movie in years. Needless to say, I was in anticipation of at least having a good time.
With āBlack Adamā finally out in theaters after spending 15 years in development, how does it fare? Does this film change the hierarchy of the DC Extended Universe as its marketing has touted? Or is it ājust another superhero, CG slugfestā? More so, is it at least a fun movie that caters to people who are secretly nostalgic for the mid-2000s? Actually, the answer is all of the above.
Similar to āHalloween Endsā, āDoctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madnessā, and even āPrometheusā, Iām not anticipating this to be a film that clicks with everyone. However, while those three are mostly related to creative decisions that might rub people the wrong way, āBlack Adamā is a different kind of divisive. This is a film that depends on your threshold for 2 hours of loud and mindless spectacle. This isnāt āSchindlerās Listā, itās a big-budget blockbuster starring The Rock. If youāre asking for an overly complex story and deep themes about the human condition, then this might not be for you. If youāre here for a good time, then come on in, take a seat, and relax.
The cast not only elevates this film but, also seems to be fully aware of what movie they are in. The Rock does in fact play The Rock: a big strong man who smolders intensely for 2 hours and remains unstoppable but, he still retains his usual charm. Surprisingly, Black Adam isnāt fighting anyone in a jungle. While he and The Rock spend 90% of the movie in a never-ending dong measuring contest, Aldis Hodge is great as Hawkman. He very much plays up the filmās campiness despite being saddled with the most repetitive lines in the film. While I would have loved to have seen more from them, both Quintessa Swindell and Noah Centineo are great as Cyclone and Atom Smasher respectively. They donāt have much to do but, as the junior members of the team, they make the most of their time on screen. I would love for there to be an HBO Max series of just those two kicking ass and then bonding over KFC family meals.
However, aside from Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, the standout here is Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate. As Iāve stated earlier, I really like Pierce in just about everything (except for musicals) and not only does he deliver as Dr. Fate but, he is easily the best character. While I really like the Justice Society as a whole, Dr. Fate seems to be the most sensible of the bunch. Throughout the first act, Amanda Waller (Welcome back, Viola Davis!) and Hawkman consider Black Adam to be destructive and violent. So, they attempt to reason with Black Adam by causing even more destruction than he does. While Black Adam does kill people as if he were in a T-Rated Mortal Kombat game, the skirmish between him and the Justice Society of America results in excessive property damage, cars being knocked all over the place, and people, of course, dying/getting seriously injured. A bit hypocritical if you ask me. Dr. Fate, however, seemed to be the only one out of the group trying to use any sort of logic. From the very beginning, he does his best to try to keep the peace and even saves random civilians before everyone else does so in the latter half of the movie.
Adding to the fact that this is simply a 90s movie are the human characters: Isis and her son Amon. They are as conventional as ever: Isis is a working mom and Amon is the rebellious son. While both of them are walking plot devices, they are also endearing as well. I knew what kind of movie this was going to be the moment we were introduced to Amon skateboarding to a Smashing Pumpkins song. Isis spends most of the movie trying to find and protect the filmās McGuffin: a crown that can awaken a storm of CGI demons while Amon operates as Black Adamās street-level sidekick. Theyāre not breaking any new ground but, both Sarah Shahi and Bodhi Sobongui make the most of their roles.
If there is one major issue that I do have though, it is within the third act. I still had a blast with it and was able to leave my brain at the door but, that doesnāt make it any less derivative. We get the ābig beam in the sky finaleā rearing its CG-laden head into this film as well as one of the most generic villains since Malekith in 2013ās āThor: The Dark Worldā. Sabbac is the filmās main antagonist because.. well, heās the bad guy. The final fight is still fun, especially when the people of Khandoq get involved but, generic and predictable. Also, even though the mid-credits scene has been given away, Iām not going to say much other than this: yes, it is worth it and yes, people cheered.
From a visual standpoint, Thereās a handful to enjoy. While the film does in fact drown in CGI, some of it is great. I really dug Hawkmanās design and any scene that involved Dr. Fate. While a lot of it feels like weāre watching an adaptation of Injustice, it felt more polished than this past summerās āThor: Love & Thunderā. Iād also like to add that both the set design and cinematography are in fact, ahem.. rock solid. Iād love to see more of Hawkmanās estate and the steel engine in future films/shows. Also, the score by Lorne Balfe is the near-perfect cherry on top. Both the JSA and Black Adam themes kicked a ton of ass as they blared through the speakers at my IMAX screening from yesterday.
Frankly, after barely surviving both āThor: Love & Thunderā and āMorbiusā, I can live with āBlack Adamā. Itās not going to break new ground or sweep awards season anytime soon. Director Jaume Collet-Serra and the cast understood the assignment and gave us just that: a campy 2000s movie where I could escape this garbage dump of a world for 2 hours. Yes, the narrative is generic. Sure, the villain is just another CGI baddie. Of course, the movie gets lost in its message of āwhat it means to be a heroā. This movie is so stuck in the year 2007 that I was waiting for the Linkin Park song āWhat Iāve Doneā to usher in the end credits. Still, I had a lot of fun with āBlack Adamā and the cast (Mainly Pierce Brosnan, The Rock, & Aldis Hodge) elevated this film. Similar to both āJungle Cruiseā and āMortal Kombatā from last year, āBlack Adamā operates best as an escapist, popcorn flick that harkens back to the campiness of the 90s/00s. Sometimes, a simple beat āem up is all I could simply ask for.
Final Verdict:
This isnāt going to change the hierarchy of the DC Universe but, āBlack Adamā is still a fun and campy crowd-pleaser that is elevated by an excellent cast.