Warner Bros’ newest antihero film flies into theaters
Another installment in DC’s ever-growing catalogue of films dedicated to its many heroes and villains, “Black Adam” sees Dwayne Johnson return to the big screen as the protagonist of the story. “Black Adam” is the story of an antihero.
Originally named Teth Adam, he was a man born a slave over 5,000 years ago who has been reawakened and brought to the modern era. With his overwhelming power and devastating fighting capabilities, will he be the protector that his homeland needs or will he bring it to ruin?
The overall tone for the film was not as oppressively dull as the older DC movies like Snyder’s “Batman vs. Superman,” but it still gave weight and levity to the characters interactions and the world they lived in. The writing held strong throughout the film and I appreciate that they took the plot seriously.
There were funny interactions throughout a handful of scenes yet they never dwelled on them for more than they needed to.
Seeing multiple iterations of the same backstory with parts altered to show the truth was an interesting decision, but rather than disliking it, I found it getting me invested in Teth Adam as a character. We don’t see as much history for the other heroes in the film but I feel like any further additions to the narrative would’ve made it bloated. Sometimes characters simply existing and interacting is enough to create a believable world. Not everything needs to be covered in fine detail. Who doesn’t like a bit of mystery?
Despite being stoic and probably talking the least in the film, Dwayne Johnson does a good job making Black Adam a character people can root for. His interactions with the non-super characters help humanize someone that has god-like abilities. I was worried about the Justice Society’s inclusion in the beginning since I assumed it would come with their backstory, but I was delightfully surprised when they were presented as a pre-existing element in the world. It reminded me a bit of the X-men movies, especially with their giant private jet. Everyone in the group was likeable and each had their moments in the film without being overbearing on the plot itself.
“Black Adam” was a far more entertaining and well put together movie than I had anticipated. It’s a satisfying experience but I don’t think I’d put it amongst some of the greats as far as superhero movies go. As a standalone movie though I’d say that it’s a good middle ground for the genre and a solid way to introduce this lesser-known character to major audiences. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a movie that doesn’t require homework from the watcher like most comic book movies do today. “Black Adam” is a seven out of 10 film.
