I've been on the Rock as Black Adam hype train since his attachment to the project a long time ago.
Dwayne Johnson, does his job well. He carries the film and channels the character within, but the film takes liberties on his iteration as the comics version is all about control and has no problem ruling Kahndaq while here he seems a bit more heroic. It kind of fits Dwayne Johnson more and the characters he typically plays than it serves the character, and I understand that adaptations have to differ at times, but this was a change I had a hard time adjusting with. If I had to theorize, I suspect Johnson absolutely had his fingerprints all over the change given that he is a big megastar.
I thought Intergang was severely wasted and no need for them as they are a mob family in DC lore. Hence the gang, and here they are just an occupying force in Kahndaq that apparently the whole world is okay with.
The JSA are an absolute treat. The MVP for me is Pierce Brosnan as Kent Nelson/Doctor Fate. He was definitely the best actor of the bunch and of course any comic-fan can see from a mile away that Kent Nelson would die as he typically does. My only nitpick is that I wish we could have seen Nabu as a presence and his relationship with him. Aldis Hodge is a good Hawkman and plays it straight very well. Noah Centineo and Quintessa Swindell as Atom Smasher and Cyclone provide decent rookie roles within the team.
Action is a blast. The film delivers on that and it's fun. VFX is good here and there, noticeable in a lot of other scenes. VFX wimpy version of Black Adam looked extremely jarring as they just put his muscular jawline head on a more lean body. In comparison, while not perfect Chris Evans' jawline and face was slimmed to match the skinny body.
The music is very loud and obnoxious. I for some reason found it hard to listen to any dialogue come through cause of it.
What I absolutely loathed was all the human elements to the film. Bodhi Sabongui who plays Amon Tomaz (who will eventually be Black Adam Jr.) is absolutely horrible in the film. His delivery is so flat and his bond with Black Adam is extremely contrived and a waste of screen time that all could have gone to JSA. For example, more with Kent Nelson and Nabu or some backstory to Hawkman's origin, etc. His abilities to evade Intergang henchmen with his skateboard is a leap of logic. Didn't care much for his mother played by Sarah Shahi who will eventually have a bigger role in Black Adam's life. Her brother is played by Mohammed Amer and is just there for annoying comic relief. Humor in general I thought did not work well in the film.
The final villain is a complete waste. To me this easily could have been Black Adam vs the JSA. That's your film, not introducing some macguffin crown that makes you the devil version of Shazam/Black Adam. Sabbac the character and Marwan Kenzari who plays Ishmael Gregor deserved better for a future installment.
Now I can appreciate the commentary how a country like Kahndaq in the middle east is left behind to fend for itself even with all the other superheroes in the world, and what would happen when they get a hero who can match Shazam and Superman. However it's executed in a manner that comes off extremely half-assed and what didn't help was the humans leading that end of the plot.
The return of Henry Cavill's Superman in the post credit scene is phenomenal. As a giant MAN OF STEEL and ZSJL fan it was extremely cool to see him don the Superman suit again and I am hopeful for more. BUT I hope Dwayne Johnson does not forget about Shazam. Black Adam and Superman have fought in the comics and other media and I understand that Dwayne Johnson is a huge fan of Superman and wants to fight him as he unapologetically has stated, but Shazam and Black Adam are the equivalent to Superman/Lex Luthor or Batman/Joker and the lack of Shazam's name is a little upsetting despite the cameo from Djimon Hounsou as the wizard. I hope at some point they all cross paths as it is canon that Superman and Shazam know each other due to the ending in the first Shazam film.
Extending that olive branch, I did enjoy the presence of Viola Davis' Amanda Waller. I can always appreciate connectivity and world building.
Overall, this really isn't exactly good, but it's not exactly great. It's not a dumpster fire film like some other DCEU entries, but for every decent thing about this film, it counters it with something bad and it's very frustrating because all the ingredients were there. I'm sure there will be enough success that will warrant a sequel and more crossovers within the DCEU, but Black Adam needs a better director and better writers that can meet Johnson's demands. While I know his interests and his decisions are his to make as he is a producer and as DCEU fans we should thank him for Henry Cavill's return, but I hope he indeed can service the characters more than he'll service himself.
5/10.
Dwayne Johnson, does his job well. He carries the film and channels the character within, but the film takes liberties on his iteration as the comics version is all about control and has no problem ruling Kahndaq while here he seems a bit more heroic. It kind of fits Dwayne Johnson more and the characters he typically plays than it serves the character, and I understand that adaptations have to differ at times, but this was a change I had a hard time adjusting with. If I had to theorize, I suspect Johnson absolutely had his fingerprints all over the change given that he is a big megastar.
I thought Intergang was severely wasted and no need for them as they are a mob family in DC lore. Hence the gang, and here they are just an occupying force in Kahndaq that apparently the whole world is okay with.
The JSA are an absolute treat. The MVP for me is Pierce Brosnan as Kent Nelson/Doctor Fate. He was definitely the best actor of the bunch and of course any comic-fan can see from a mile away that Kent Nelson would die as he typically does. My only nitpick is that I wish we could have seen Nabu as a presence and his relationship with him. Aldis Hodge is a good Hawkman and plays it straight very well. Noah Centineo and Quintessa Swindell as Atom Smasher and Cyclone provide decent rookie roles within the team.
Action is a blast. The film delivers on that and it's fun. VFX is good here and there, noticeable in a lot of other scenes. VFX wimpy version of Black Adam looked extremely jarring as they just put his muscular jawline head on a more lean body. In comparison, while not perfect Chris Evans' jawline and face was slimmed to match the skinny body.
The music is very loud and obnoxious. I for some reason found it hard to listen to any dialogue come through cause of it.
What I absolutely loathed was all the human elements to the film. Bodhi Sabongui who plays Amon Tomaz (who will eventually be Black Adam Jr.) is absolutely horrible in the film. His delivery is so flat and his bond with Black Adam is extremely contrived and a waste of screen time that all could have gone to JSA. For example, more with Kent Nelson and Nabu or some backstory to Hawkman's origin, etc. His abilities to evade Intergang henchmen with his skateboard is a leap of logic. Didn't care much for his mother played by Sarah Shahi who will eventually have a bigger role in Black Adam's life. Her brother is played by Mohammed Amer and is just there for annoying comic relief. Humor in general I thought did not work well in the film.
The final villain is a complete waste. To me this easily could have been Black Adam vs the JSA. That's your film, not introducing some macguffin crown that makes you the devil version of Shazam/Black Adam. Sabbac the character and Marwan Kenzari who plays Ishmael Gregor deserved better for a future installment.
Now I can appreciate the commentary how a country like Kahndaq in the middle east is left behind to fend for itself even with all the other superheroes in the world, and what would happen when they get a hero who can match Shazam and Superman. However it's executed in a manner that comes off extremely half-assed and what didn't help was the humans leading that end of the plot.
The return of Henry Cavill's Superman in the post credit scene is phenomenal. As a giant MAN OF STEEL and ZSJL fan it was extremely cool to see him don the Superman suit again and I am hopeful for more. BUT I hope Dwayne Johnson does not forget about Shazam. Black Adam and Superman have fought in the comics and other media and I understand that Dwayne Johnson is a huge fan of Superman and wants to fight him as he unapologetically has stated, but Shazam and Black Adam are the equivalent to Superman/Lex Luthor or Batman/Joker and the lack of Shazam's name is a little upsetting despite the cameo from Djimon Hounsou as the wizard. I hope at some point they all cross paths as it is canon that Superman and Shazam know each other due to the ending in the first Shazam film.
Extending that olive branch, I did enjoy the presence of Viola Davis' Amanda Waller. I can always appreciate connectivity and world building.
Overall, this really isn't exactly good, but it's not exactly great. It's not a dumpster fire film like some other DCEU entries, but for every decent thing about this film, it counters it with something bad and it's very frustrating because all the ingredients were there. I'm sure there will be enough success that will warrant a sequel and more crossovers within the DCEU, but Black Adam needs a better director and better writers that can meet Johnson's demands. While I know his interests and his decisions are his to make as he is a producer and as DCEU fans we should thank him for Henry Cavill's return, but I hope he indeed can service the characters more than he'll service himself.
5/10.