Large budgeted and badly disjointed, "Black Adam" belongs in the poor category with the likes of "Justice League" and "Superman vs Batman". The story is hackneyed, and the dialog is eye-rolling with terrible worn out humor. It feels like a bad imitation of better Marvel movies. Its too bad as there are some good costume and character designs. I don't think a an ancient awakened god would be spouting out sarcasm of today hipsters. It is better than WonderWoman 1984, but that's not saying too much. Alot of actoin scenes with not much to show for it, I'd give this one a miss and rate it a low 5/10.
1,473 Reviews
Fun entertaining anti-hero DC movie starring Dwayne Johnson; Pierce Brosnan shines as Doctor Fate
ObsessiveCinemaDisorder28 October 2022
While Black Adam isn't a groundbreaking top-tier superhero film, it is an entertaining superhero movie that makes it up with the charm from star Dwayne Johnson as an anti-hero and guilty pleasures including non-stop action, irreverent humor and a high kill count.
Dwayne Johnson carves out his own superhero niche with his anti-hero, a concept which the film wholeheartedly commits to. People die in this movie. My mouth dropped at Black Adam's kill count. As the numbers increased, the movie set itself in a tonal sweet spot that Marvel won't go near and Sony hasn't quite achieved with its Spider-Man villain films. What Black Adam does is downright wrong, but it's entertaining as heck to watch it play out.
The current culture has become so comic book literate where the story can just introduce a superhero team, the Justice Society of America, without any introduction. You get to know this team in the midst of the action, wondering about their origin stories or how they got their powers. It works, despite being overly stuffed.
Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate is quite the scene-stealer, providing gravitas that grounds the conflict at hand and adds another level of seriousness. He's a fascinating character. I hope for a Doctor Fate solo movie with Pierce Brosnan.
Aldis Hodge's Hawkman is a great straight man to Dwayne's Black Adam. The heart of the movie comes from the moral argument between them. One character wholeheartedly believes in killing and the other is completely opposed to it. To quote the Dark Knight, this battle of wills is an unstoppable force meeting an unmovable object.
In essence, Hawkman sets up for Dwayne Johnson to be Black Adam. The character doesn't want to back one step from his principles and just doesn't give a rats. It's the best part of the film and often hilarious.
The villain was not memorable and was just a big baddie for The Rock to fight in the climax. That said, this villain is no worse than the standard Marvel villain in an origin story.
In conclusion, Black Adam is a fun movie for a one-time watch. I enjoyed it with my inner Simpsons Comic Book Guy turned off and had a good time.
I suspect I won't have the first time experience on a second watch. The seams would crack. I would see that the young JSA members were cast to appeal to the teen demographic and a boy was placed at the center of the story to appeal to children, and the fact that the same boy does a voice-over in the opening credits is odd. On a second watch, I would realize it was all a bit silly.
Dwayne Johnson claims Black Adam as the mark of a new era for DC. The film does feel like a rechristening of the DC universe in a soft reboot type way. Now, the plan seems to be moving away from the Walter Hamada era. It always seemed weird to me how Hamada diverted from Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman stories and just focused on side characters and Elseworld projects.
I am glad plans are being made to get the DCEU going again. Dwayne Johnson bringing back Henry Cavill's Superman back to the DCEU is a great marketing idea that will guarantee butts in seats, even though it's hard to picture Dwayne Johnson as a star and producer willingly losing the fight.
Dwayne Johnson carves out his own superhero niche with his anti-hero, a concept which the film wholeheartedly commits to. People die in this movie. My mouth dropped at Black Adam's kill count. As the numbers increased, the movie set itself in a tonal sweet spot that Marvel won't go near and Sony hasn't quite achieved with its Spider-Man villain films. What Black Adam does is downright wrong, but it's entertaining as heck to watch it play out.
The current culture has become so comic book literate where the story can just introduce a superhero team, the Justice Society of America, without any introduction. You get to know this team in the midst of the action, wondering about their origin stories or how they got their powers. It works, despite being overly stuffed.
Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate is quite the scene-stealer, providing gravitas that grounds the conflict at hand and adds another level of seriousness. He's a fascinating character. I hope for a Doctor Fate solo movie with Pierce Brosnan.
Aldis Hodge's Hawkman is a great straight man to Dwayne's Black Adam. The heart of the movie comes from the moral argument between them. One character wholeheartedly believes in killing and the other is completely opposed to it. To quote the Dark Knight, this battle of wills is an unstoppable force meeting an unmovable object.
In essence, Hawkman sets up for Dwayne Johnson to be Black Adam. The character doesn't want to back one step from his principles and just doesn't give a rats. It's the best part of the film and often hilarious.
The villain was not memorable and was just a big baddie for The Rock to fight in the climax. That said, this villain is no worse than the standard Marvel villain in an origin story.
In conclusion, Black Adam is a fun movie for a one-time watch. I enjoyed it with my inner Simpsons Comic Book Guy turned off and had a good time.
I suspect I won't have the first time experience on a second watch. The seams would crack. I would see that the young JSA members were cast to appeal to the teen demographic and a boy was placed at the center of the story to appeal to children, and the fact that the same boy does a voice-over in the opening credits is odd. On a second watch, I would realize it was all a bit silly.
Dwayne Johnson claims Black Adam as the mark of a new era for DC. The film does feel like a rechristening of the DC universe in a soft reboot type way. Now, the plan seems to be moving away from the Walter Hamada era. It always seemed weird to me how Hamada diverted from Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman stories and just focused on side characters and Elseworld projects.
I am glad plans are being made to get the DCEU going again. Dwayne Johnson bringing back Henry Cavill's Superman back to the DCEU is a great marketing idea that will guarantee butts in seats, even though it's hard to picture Dwayne Johnson as a star and producer willingly losing the fight.
A fun and action packed superhero journey.
pap-0590019 October 2022
Black Adam is everything anyone hoped it was really. Its a fun and thrilling action packed superhero movie.
Dwyane Jhonson plays a somewhat stoic antihero and is elevated by his cast mainly the actors for Hawkman and Dr Fate who are the standout in this movie. Though i would have liked to seen more of Atom Smasher and Cyclone because theyre barely in the movie. The mythos of Black Adam is something most people will find interestig as well. And the film does a good job of introducing new characters and places and overall expanding the DCEU.
So did the heiracrchy in DC universe change? Well kinda. This film may be fun and pretty violent at times. And I can see it doing really well in the box office. The critics are most probably not gonna like this movie as it is a bit messy at times and the stoic performance by the ROCK may not be the cup of tea for everyone. But for an average joe who doesnt keep up with their daily cup of critical pretentiousness, and just wants to spend some time watching badass superheroes being badass. This is the film for you.
Its no 'Batman Begins' but it never wants to be. Fun but flawed is the best description i can give it. I really enjoyed it. And most people will certainly do aswell.
And also, stay for the post credits. You wont be disappointed.
Dwyane Jhonson plays a somewhat stoic antihero and is elevated by his cast mainly the actors for Hawkman and Dr Fate who are the standout in this movie. Though i would have liked to seen more of Atom Smasher and Cyclone because theyre barely in the movie. The mythos of Black Adam is something most people will find interestig as well. And the film does a good job of introducing new characters and places and overall expanding the DCEU.
So did the heiracrchy in DC universe change? Well kinda. This film may be fun and pretty violent at times. And I can see it doing really well in the box office. The critics are most probably not gonna like this movie as it is a bit messy at times and the stoic performance by the ROCK may not be the cup of tea for everyone. But for an average joe who doesnt keep up with their daily cup of critical pretentiousness, and just wants to spend some time watching badass superheroes being badass. This is the film for you.
Its no 'Batman Begins' but it never wants to be. Fun but flawed is the best description i can give it. I really enjoyed it. And most people will certainly do aswell.
And also, stay for the post credits. You wont be disappointed.
Never seen a movie so bad that I still enjoyed...
parksiet23 October 2022
No, the hierarchy of power in the DC universe did not change with the introduction of "Black Adam". This was a very mediocre film, and felt like a very colour by numbers superhero film, designed and tested to please as many audiences as possible. Meaning it plays it safe and doesn't take any risks. But I enjoyed it, it's a very entertaining watch with lots of huge setpieces! In fact, once it gets going it doesn't stop... it's a non-stop, action-packed thrill ride! It's only problem - it's so average; something we've seen a million times before. It almost left me feeling a bit of superhero fatigue, as everything just felt recycled. I kept waiting for it to do something fresh and new, and while there were a few good moments, overall the movie was incredibly predictable. I even had moments wishing the action would slow down so we could get another dialogue scene or something that would flesh out the characters more. The script just isn't great, frankly. But it's still a good time. I think of it like this; Black Adam is a bad movie held together by some AWESOME moments!
So let's get these negatives out of the way. The script is extremely weak and very predictable, heck the trailers even spoiled a "twist" near the middle of the film. It's not hard to figure out what the movie is doing, especially for those of us who've seen a lot of these superhero movies over the years. It doesn't try all that hard to keep eventual reveals hidden, as it's more focused on giving its protagonist the flashiest, most murder-filled debut in the DCEU (even though I would look to "The Suicide Squad" for that). It really felt like the creative team saw Black Adam being an anti-hero as an excuse to let them have the character kill everyone. It felt so overplayed and obnoxious, like they were trying to say "see look how brutal we can make this" without actually earning the audience's investment. The scenes where Black Adam just goes around dominating everyone just felt empty, like sure it was cool to see him be so powerful and instantly kill people, but it took all the tension out of the scenes. It felt like they were beating me over the head with "look how powerful and ruthless he is". The novelty of it wore off very quickly too, so thank god the film introduces the Justice Society pretty quick! They did make the smart choice of making this equal parts a Justice Society film as they did a Black Adam film, and I gotta say while I did find the character of Black Adam quite interesting, it was the Justice Society (mainly Hawkman and Doctor Fate) that I loved!
It's when the Justice Society comes in that the movie remembers how fun exciting superhero stories can be. I enjoyed their part in the story the most, and instantly loved the characters. Pierce Brosnan's Doctor Fate was awesome, it was so cool to see Brosnan in a superhero role. He did feel a little reminiscent of a certain Marvel Doctor, but that's okay because they both have some COOL scenes; Fate had some of the most memorable in the film! Hawkman was also pretty badass, I really hope to see these characters again! And I gotta say, I did love Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam. He suits the role very well and I'd love to see this iteration of the character return. I'm just not sure how I feel about him in this movie. It makes him look cool and all, and Johnson's physique is perfect for the character, but he had almost no story. Like they introduced his backstory and everything, but once the movie got going it never stopped to examine his character; we never understood how he felt about anything, which made him just come across as an uncharming sociopath. This is especially unusual for Johnson, as we all know how undeniably charismatic he can be, and he just isn't here. But damn he sure is magnetic and does command the screen with his hulking form and brooding looks. The only cast members I didn't like, and this was more because of the way their characters were written, were Adrianna and her son. They really did not work for me and made some really dumb decisions throughout the movie, and had some very cringey scenes. But luckily that was only a minor part! There was some cool cameos too, surprisingly from James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" and of course a certain cast member from "Shazam!". I did love these little connections- it's nice to see the DCEU try to be interconnected again! And the "Shazam!" stuff was awesome, it showed some things I wished we got to see in that movie! And how could I forget... There was one other cameo I did really love. It's definitely the worst kept secret in Hollywood... but made for an awesome end credit scene and made this fan very happy!
The filmmaking here is abysmal. Jaume Collet-Serra has never made a great movie, instead making B-level movies at the studio level... and this might just be proof he is not capable of directing films of this scale. He makes every moment feel mundane; from Black Adam going on a killing spree to the big fight between the JSA and Black Adam, these moments should feel engaging and cool, but instead just bored me, frankly. It feels like he is trying so hard to show spectacle, but he ultimately fails, making it all feel cheap and generic. I also couldn't stand the cinematography. It seems like they shot the film to look like Zack Snyder's "300", with bland colours and lots and lots of annoying slo-mo. At least the CGI was good! There were some moments that had their flaws, but overall this movie has some awesome CGI (and a seemingly obligatory CGI filled 3rd act). Don't even get me started on the truly awful sound mix, it just felt like sound was being blared in my face for 2 hours and I couldn't discern what I was hearing. It just sounded messy. The score isn't memorable, instead it just sounds like a jumble of notes and digital instrumentation, it has no emotional core to the music and it is just noise. Even the dialogue is not mixed well, but that's okay because the dialogue is horrendous anyways.
So why, after all that complaining, did I ultimately enjoy myself while watching? Well, because it has enough cool moments that I came out satisfied. I have never seen a movie so bad that I still enjoyed this much. It's remarkable how well a few moments and ideas can make for an enjoyable viewing experience. The disappointing part of this is, if only they put the good moments together in better ways this could have been an awesome film, but instead it misses so many opportunities. There was one moment that really stands out to me because it made me want to cheer however, and that was the awesome reference to "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly", I feel like many superhero fans will miss that reference, but for me as a cinephile that scene quickly became my favourite in the film! The film felt like it was made in the 90s, before the MCU, before X-Men, before superhero flicks became popular back when they were still trying to figure them out, it was just all over the place. And it also happened to be pretty derivative of other films- "Avatar", "Black Panther" and "Captain America: The First Avenger" especially. But despite all my issues I have with this film - and I have many - it somehow still managed to entertain me and leave me satisfied by the time it was over (possibly because of the awesome end-credit scene). It was kind of like "Venom"... just some mindless superhero fun! I wish it was a better movie because it did have some awesome elements, but as a film it ultimately fails. I would like to see more of Dwayne Johnson's "Black Adam", especially in a potential "Black Adam v. Superman" movie he keeps talking about! With some improvements, it could be a much better movie than this, while still being entertaining!
So let's get these negatives out of the way. The script is extremely weak and very predictable, heck the trailers even spoiled a "twist" near the middle of the film. It's not hard to figure out what the movie is doing, especially for those of us who've seen a lot of these superhero movies over the years. It doesn't try all that hard to keep eventual reveals hidden, as it's more focused on giving its protagonist the flashiest, most murder-filled debut in the DCEU (even though I would look to "The Suicide Squad" for that). It really felt like the creative team saw Black Adam being an anti-hero as an excuse to let them have the character kill everyone. It felt so overplayed and obnoxious, like they were trying to say "see look how brutal we can make this" without actually earning the audience's investment. The scenes where Black Adam just goes around dominating everyone just felt empty, like sure it was cool to see him be so powerful and instantly kill people, but it took all the tension out of the scenes. It felt like they were beating me over the head with "look how powerful and ruthless he is". The novelty of it wore off very quickly too, so thank god the film introduces the Justice Society pretty quick! They did make the smart choice of making this equal parts a Justice Society film as they did a Black Adam film, and I gotta say while I did find the character of Black Adam quite interesting, it was the Justice Society (mainly Hawkman and Doctor Fate) that I loved!
It's when the Justice Society comes in that the movie remembers how fun exciting superhero stories can be. I enjoyed their part in the story the most, and instantly loved the characters. Pierce Brosnan's Doctor Fate was awesome, it was so cool to see Brosnan in a superhero role. He did feel a little reminiscent of a certain Marvel Doctor, but that's okay because they both have some COOL scenes; Fate had some of the most memorable in the film! Hawkman was also pretty badass, I really hope to see these characters again! And I gotta say, I did love Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam. He suits the role very well and I'd love to see this iteration of the character return. I'm just not sure how I feel about him in this movie. It makes him look cool and all, and Johnson's physique is perfect for the character, but he had almost no story. Like they introduced his backstory and everything, but once the movie got going it never stopped to examine his character; we never understood how he felt about anything, which made him just come across as an uncharming sociopath. This is especially unusual for Johnson, as we all know how undeniably charismatic he can be, and he just isn't here. But damn he sure is magnetic and does command the screen with his hulking form and brooding looks. The only cast members I didn't like, and this was more because of the way their characters were written, were Adrianna and her son. They really did not work for me and made some really dumb decisions throughout the movie, and had some very cringey scenes. But luckily that was only a minor part! There was some cool cameos too, surprisingly from James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" and of course a certain cast member from "Shazam!". I did love these little connections- it's nice to see the DCEU try to be interconnected again! And the "Shazam!" stuff was awesome, it showed some things I wished we got to see in that movie! And how could I forget... There was one other cameo I did really love. It's definitely the worst kept secret in Hollywood... but made for an awesome end credit scene and made this fan very happy!
The filmmaking here is abysmal. Jaume Collet-Serra has never made a great movie, instead making B-level movies at the studio level... and this might just be proof he is not capable of directing films of this scale. He makes every moment feel mundane; from Black Adam going on a killing spree to the big fight between the JSA and Black Adam, these moments should feel engaging and cool, but instead just bored me, frankly. It feels like he is trying so hard to show spectacle, but he ultimately fails, making it all feel cheap and generic. I also couldn't stand the cinematography. It seems like they shot the film to look like Zack Snyder's "300", with bland colours and lots and lots of annoying slo-mo. At least the CGI was good! There were some moments that had their flaws, but overall this movie has some awesome CGI (and a seemingly obligatory CGI filled 3rd act). Don't even get me started on the truly awful sound mix, it just felt like sound was being blared in my face for 2 hours and I couldn't discern what I was hearing. It just sounded messy. The score isn't memorable, instead it just sounds like a jumble of notes and digital instrumentation, it has no emotional core to the music and it is just noise. Even the dialogue is not mixed well, but that's okay because the dialogue is horrendous anyways.
So why, after all that complaining, did I ultimately enjoy myself while watching? Well, because it has enough cool moments that I came out satisfied. I have never seen a movie so bad that I still enjoyed this much. It's remarkable how well a few moments and ideas can make for an enjoyable viewing experience. The disappointing part of this is, if only they put the good moments together in better ways this could have been an awesome film, but instead it misses so many opportunities. There was one moment that really stands out to me because it made me want to cheer however, and that was the awesome reference to "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly", I feel like many superhero fans will miss that reference, but for me as a cinephile that scene quickly became my favourite in the film! The film felt like it was made in the 90s, before the MCU, before X-Men, before superhero flicks became popular back when they were still trying to figure them out, it was just all over the place. And it also happened to be pretty derivative of other films- "Avatar", "Black Panther" and "Captain America: The First Avenger" especially. But despite all my issues I have with this film - and I have many - it somehow still managed to entertain me and leave me satisfied by the time it was over (possibly because of the awesome end-credit scene). It was kind of like "Venom"... just some mindless superhero fun! I wish it was a better movie because it did have some awesome elements, but as a film it ultimately fails. I would like to see more of Dwayne Johnson's "Black Adam", especially in a potential "Black Adam v. Superman" movie he keeps talking about! With some improvements, it could be a much better movie than this, while still being entertaining!
I was shocked by how much I disliked Black Adam.
cricketbat21 October 2022
I was shocked by how much I disliked Black Adam. I didn't really have any expectations for this movie, as the only real knowledge I have about the character comes from the Injustice video game series. However, Black Adam takes all the elements of bad superhero flicks and crams them into one loud & messy movie. While it does have some exciting action sequences, it also had too many characters, not enough backstory, heavy-handed messages, bad acting, forced humor, sloppy editing, awful dubbing, and an overreliance on CGI. I spent the first half of the movie confused, and the second half annoyed.
It was surprisingly fun!
john_ting_li19 October 2022
I had no knowledge about Black Adam prior to seeing the movie, haven't watched the latest trailers nor had any high expectations before going to the movie.
But wow, I was oh boy taken by surprise by the movie!
Okay, it's not the best super hero movie out there and doesn't have an overwhelmingly deep story. But it doesn't try to be that either.
It was fun, enjoyable, fights where amazing, soundtrack was great, just a well-made hero movie where you can see superhumans dish out in fight!
And considering the quality of the MCU we have received recently, I would definitely recommend this one to avid super hero fans!
But wow, I was oh boy taken by surprise by the movie!
Okay, it's not the best super hero movie out there and doesn't have an overwhelmingly deep story. But it doesn't try to be that either.
It was fun, enjoyable, fights where amazing, soundtrack was great, just a well-made hero movie where you can see superhumans dish out in fight!
And considering the quality of the MCU we have received recently, I would definitely recommend this one to avid super hero fans!
Laughably bad
StantonDrew17 November 2022
Was this script the result of a 5th grade class project?
It starts with some of the weakest, most contrived world-building I've seen. Moves to some appalling acting, from various children and bad guys especially. This gets compounded by some of the worst dialogue since George Lucas last wrote a screenplay.
And it just continues to get worse from there.
Now I usually enjoy the dumbest nonsense that Dwayne Johnson stars in. Even Skyscraper, Rampage & San Andreas were watchable, despite being dreadful movies. But there is no saving this one.
This latest poor effort from DC makes the most braindead Fast & Furious entry look like Shakespeare.
Looking at the director's previous credits it should come as no surprise that this movie is just plain bad.
It starts with some of the weakest, most contrived world-building I've seen. Moves to some appalling acting, from various children and bad guys especially. This gets compounded by some of the worst dialogue since George Lucas last wrote a screenplay.
And it just continues to get worse from there.
Now I usually enjoy the dumbest nonsense that Dwayne Johnson stars in. Even Skyscraper, Rampage & San Andreas were watchable, despite being dreadful movies. But there is no saving this one.
This latest poor effort from DC makes the most braindead Fast & Furious entry look like Shakespeare.
Looking at the director's previous credits it should come as no surprise that this movie is just plain bad.
It's been awhile Since a Movie is not Rushed and Still Enjoyable. "BLACK ADAM"
nabeel-4085119 October 2022
It was Great from DC to not show every scene in the Trailer. Movie is packed with action and there are tons of sequences which are not rushed in my opinion. ROCK is ROCK and he did Great Black Adam. Movie had good moments with humor but it did not turned out to be a comedy film or the theme got lighter in any sense. Hawkeye and Fate were really good, others were okay but these two are actually the ACE in the team. I would only suggest anyone who is going to watch this movie. Don't compare it with anything else. Black Adam is its own movie. We have not seen any other movie with Anti-hero theme besides the "Morbius" but these two cannot be compared. Black Adam is a an amazing movie and i hope the sequal to it come soon "Black Adam vs "
Visually stunning DC film has lots of action violence, some laughs and an outstanding cast
Ra1nguy19 October 2022
Black Adam is the latest film in the DCEU, and boy, it packs a punch. Explosions, flying superheroes, magic, lightning and beautiful armour follows the Justice Society, and of course Black Adam.
The film centers around a god-like ancient human being who was gifted his powers in a time of darkness and enslavement. After being defeated and unseen for over a 5000 years, he returns, his goal being unknown. With the powers he has a group of superheroes, the Justice Society, deems him to be a threat, and performs an attempt to lock him up, unknown of the real danger.
It is better than people say. Although at first glance it seems to be a film simply made for the action and explosions, it does have a story, strong dialogues and character development. The visual effects are astonishing in every single way, and people who have watched Avengers: Endgame will love the visuals in this film.
My personal rating? A 10/10. My rating based on realism, plot and other factors? An 8 or a 9/10. If I'm going to be honest, the worst thing about this film was some unrealism like characters being able to survive a lot more than possible, and some being quite dumb in terms of their actions.
As for my conclusion: Black Adam is a great, visually wonderful film with lots of action violence and lovable characters. Watch it in the cinema for a lifetime experience.
The film centers around a god-like ancient human being who was gifted his powers in a time of darkness and enslavement. After being defeated and unseen for over a 5000 years, he returns, his goal being unknown. With the powers he has a group of superheroes, the Justice Society, deems him to be a threat, and performs an attempt to lock him up, unknown of the real danger.
It is better than people say. Although at first glance it seems to be a film simply made for the action and explosions, it does have a story, strong dialogues and character development. The visual effects are astonishing in every single way, and people who have watched Avengers: Endgame will love the visuals in this film.
My personal rating? A 10/10. My rating based on realism, plot and other factors? An 8 or a 9/10. If I'm going to be honest, the worst thing about this film was some unrealism like characters being able to survive a lot more than possible, and some being quite dumb in terms of their actions.
As for my conclusion: Black Adam is a great, visually wonderful film with lots of action violence and lovable characters. Watch it in the cinema for a lifetime experience.
Fast paced action and kinda fun
namob-4367322 October 2022
In the superhero movie genre I would rank this somewhere in the middle, which of course also means that this is a fantastic movie from a DC-perspective. DC have really been digging below the bottom of the barrel, and with only one exception every other single movie have been horrible.
This is not horrible. Actually this is kinda entertaining, it is fun, and the movie flies by in a very brisk pace. The more or less constant fighting is pretty great, and they even manage to get a few one-liners in there. Even the CGi is good (mostly), which can only mean that DC finally got rid of their awful special effects team.
But this is not really great either. This is a very single-minded kind of movie. Evil bla bla bla curse lots of slow-mo accompanied by superhero bombastic music and lots of crashing buildings, lots of disposable henchmen. Sure there is a underlaying theme of "who is really a hero?" and a few tiny tidbits of story, but mainly this is like a huge wrestling match with pretty unpretentious smashing. Since everything move so quickly we also have no time to breath or get to know these characters. I wish there was 20min more with some background stories, but nah, smash more, blow up more stuff, woosh, blam, slam.
If you have no intention of seeing anything but a big long slugfest with a lot of CGi and you do not care about story or character development, then you are likely going to love this. From that perspective, and from a DC perspective, this movie is pretty good, almost great. But if you weigh in actual movie value such as script, characters, and storytelling well... then not so much.
I give this a 7/10 just because I was entertained and since I am happy to see a DC film that do not suck like a boring black hole. But to be honest that score is too generous. Worth the ticket price though; so I recommend!
This is not horrible. Actually this is kinda entertaining, it is fun, and the movie flies by in a very brisk pace. The more or less constant fighting is pretty great, and they even manage to get a few one-liners in there. Even the CGi is good (mostly), which can only mean that DC finally got rid of their awful special effects team.
But this is not really great either. This is a very single-minded kind of movie. Evil bla bla bla curse lots of slow-mo accompanied by superhero bombastic music and lots of crashing buildings, lots of disposable henchmen. Sure there is a underlaying theme of "who is really a hero?" and a few tiny tidbits of story, but mainly this is like a huge wrestling match with pretty unpretentious smashing. Since everything move so quickly we also have no time to breath or get to know these characters. I wish there was 20min more with some background stories, but nah, smash more, blow up more stuff, woosh, blam, slam.
If you have no intention of seeing anything but a big long slugfest with a lot of CGi and you do not care about story or character development, then you are likely going to love this. From that perspective, and from a DC perspective, this movie is pretty good, almost great. But if you weigh in actual movie value such as script, characters, and storytelling well... then not so much.
I give this a 7/10 just because I was entertained and since I am happy to see a DC film that do not suck like a boring black hole. But to be honest that score is too generous. Worth the ticket price though; so I recommend!
A disappointing film
stsorrell18 December 2022
While Dr Fate may have been introduced first in print, for those of us who aren't followers of the comics, Dr Strange is the sorcerer that we identify more with, simply because we got to see him first and certainly with more depth. Everything about Black Adam felt like a low budget remake of Marvel characters. Hawkman even looked similar to Anthony Mackey. Atom Smasher was far too much like Ant Man. Hawkman's compound might as well been Dr Xavier's home for the X Men, complete with the aircraft rising from the front lawn.
Like so many others have reviewed, the Justice Society was simply thrown at us as if we were to already understand who they were. There was no character building whatsoever, other than a one or two sentence dialog that tried to briefly explain how they came to be superheroes. It was extremely rushed.
As for Black Adam...I usually like Dwayne Johnson's films, but in this one, he was stiff and wooden. The other characters...of course Dr Fate was a standout, but it was as if the writers purposefully wanted us to hate Hawkman. His attitude and cockiness were unbearable, knowing that he would be easily defeated by the likes of Black Adam. Perhaps in my mind, I was comparing him to Marvel's Falcon and his much more personable and likable demeanor. Either way, I just wanted to see him get his ass kicked.
All things considered, I was simply underwhelmed. 2022 was not a good year for the superhero genre.
Like so many others have reviewed, the Justice Society was simply thrown at us as if we were to already understand who they were. There was no character building whatsoever, other than a one or two sentence dialog that tried to briefly explain how they came to be superheroes. It was extremely rushed.
As for Black Adam...I usually like Dwayne Johnson's films, but in this one, he was stiff and wooden. The other characters...of course Dr Fate was a standout, but it was as if the writers purposefully wanted us to hate Hawkman. His attitude and cockiness were unbearable, knowing that he would be easily defeated by the likes of Black Adam. Perhaps in my mind, I was comparing him to Marvel's Falcon and his much more personable and likable demeanor. Either way, I just wanted to see him get his ass kicked.
All things considered, I was simply underwhelmed. 2022 was not a good year for the superhero genre.
Really fun superhero movie
masonsaul22 October 2022
Black Adam certainly has its problems, from it's generic third act (are we really still doing sky beams), terrible villain and very hit and miss humour, however it's still a really fun superhero film thanks to some solid explorations of morality, brief deeper meaning and some ridiculously entertaining superhero fights.
Dwayne Johnson gives a great lead performance, restraining his trademark charisma to give a more sombre performance that works. Quintessa Swindell and Noah Centineo have charming chemistry and are both likeable which makes up for their characters lack of depth or development.
However, it's Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate who is definitely the standout with superb dry wit and suave screen presence as well as a surprisingly earnest bond with Aldis Hodge's Hawkman whose stoic and commanding performance makes him inspired casting.
Juame Collet-Serra's direction is really good, it lacks an overall voice but makes up for it with plenty of stylish slow motion, needle drops and dynamic camera work. The CG is mostly solid with a fair few weak spots and the music by Lorne Balfe is also really good, extremely epic and operatic in the ways that make everything way more enjoyable.
Dwayne Johnson gives a great lead performance, restraining his trademark charisma to give a more sombre performance that works. Quintessa Swindell and Noah Centineo have charming chemistry and are both likeable which makes up for their characters lack of depth or development.
However, it's Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate who is definitely the standout with superb dry wit and suave screen presence as well as a surprisingly earnest bond with Aldis Hodge's Hawkman whose stoic and commanding performance makes him inspired casting.
Juame Collet-Serra's direction is really good, it lacks an overall voice but makes up for it with plenty of stylish slow motion, needle drops and dynamic camera work. The CG is mostly solid with a fair few weak spots and the music by Lorne Balfe is also really good, extremely epic and operatic in the ways that make everything way more enjoyable.
I just liked the black Adam film
migellepatterson22 October 2022
It was a good superhero film the best one of the year
and very entertaining action scenes but plot storyline is lacking it did feel pretty edited and cut up the justice society was pretty weak and the main villian felt like he was just there, The rock Dwayne Johnson was great in this and pretty much inriched the character of Teth Adam hopefully the comics take up his lookness because Dwayne really does have a great look to him, I really hope DC WB does focus more on the main characters Henry cavill superman and Ben Affleck's batman they really need there own individual movies and at the sometimes introducing more new characters.
Bleak Adam
Fluke_Skywalker6 January 2023
Black Adam is the cinematic equivalent of a tuneless marching band running endless circles around your increasingly throbbing head. The score is omnipresent and oppressive. The action frantic and relentless. The entire thing just keeps beating you over the head until you throw up your hands and surrender. And then it knocks you to the ground and starts kicking you. Ultimately whatever virtues it may have had are buried under the rubble from its nonstop assault on your senses. Watching this film was like boxing a 'roided up octopus.
And speaking of 'roided up, The Rock is the fulcrum of this mindless drivel, and with his relative charm buried deep beneath an ever-present and sweaty sneer, the film's only notable asset is extinguished. That the recently announced reboot of the DC Universe renders the entire affair utterly moot is simply the last shovelful of dirt on its grave.
From start to finish, Black Adam is an unpleasant experience. Bad script. Bad acting. Bad CGI. Bad movie.
And speaking of 'roided up, The Rock is the fulcrum of this mindless drivel, and with his relative charm buried deep beneath an ever-present and sweaty sneer, the film's only notable asset is extinguished. That the recently announced reboot of the DC Universe renders the entire affair utterly moot is simply the last shovelful of dirt on its grave.
From start to finish, Black Adam is an unpleasant experience. Bad script. Bad acting. Bad CGI. Bad movie.
A good and fun superhero movie
ronaldfury19 October 2022
Just finished watching black adam. Cgi is so good and visual effects are flawless. Fights scenes are brutal and fun to watch. Action packed from start to finish. Aldis Hodge and Pierce Brosnan are phenomenal and the justice society of America makes it more fun and interesting(except cyclone). Hawkman,Black Adam are the badass in this film. Dwayne Johnson is really born to play this character and watch out for the mid credit scene!.
This is the movie for a great momentum for the future of DC universe.
At the negative side, villain is not intimidating and storyline is repetitive and there some cheesy scenes but overall this movie is a blast.
So excited for the future of dceu. 7.5/10.
This is the movie for a great momentum for the future of DC universe.
At the negative side, villain is not intimidating and storyline is repetitive and there some cheesy scenes but overall this movie is a blast.
So excited for the future of dceu. 7.5/10.
Flawed but pretty good and mostly fun
FeastMode20 October 2022
I knew nothing of Black Adam going in so it was pretty cool to discover who he is and what he's about. This is a fast-paced and fun movie with some good action scenes. The musical score is great, and of course it's composed by beast Lorne Balfe who has become a star. I like the cast and was pretty happy with the 300-feel it gave me a few times.
This movie is also flawed. Not everything works. Much of the comedy doesn't hit. There is a bunch of basic dialogue. It's not a good sign when I can predict the next line multiple times.
There seems to be a LOT stolen from Marvel. I'm not a comic book guy and have no stakes in the Marvel vs DC debate. I don't know which of these characters were created first. But the four side-heroes are all analogous to Marvel characters we've already seen in movies for years. We have an Ant-man, a Doctor Strange, a Falcon and a Storm (sort of). I'll give them props for the last two possibly being cooler than their Marvel counterparts. But it wasn't just the characters, there were at least four moments that reminded me of something from a Marvel movie.
I tried not to let that factor into my feelings for the movie. And even with this slightly positive DC chapter, I continue to hope that DC can do better. I know they can. The Dark Knight trilogy is still GOAT and I love the first three movies after that. I really hope they can do better in the future. (1 viewing, opening Thursday UltraScreen 10/20/2022)
This movie is also flawed. Not everything works. Much of the comedy doesn't hit. There is a bunch of basic dialogue. It's not a good sign when I can predict the next line multiple times.
There seems to be a LOT stolen from Marvel. I'm not a comic book guy and have no stakes in the Marvel vs DC debate. I don't know which of these characters were created first. But the four side-heroes are all analogous to Marvel characters we've already seen in movies for years. We have an Ant-man, a Doctor Strange, a Falcon and a Storm (sort of). I'll give them props for the last two possibly being cooler than their Marvel counterparts. But it wasn't just the characters, there were at least four moments that reminded me of something from a Marvel movie.
I tried not to let that factor into my feelings for the movie. And even with this slightly positive DC chapter, I continue to hope that DC can do better. I know they can. The Dark Knight trilogy is still GOAT and I love the first three movies after that. I really hope they can do better in the future. (1 viewing, opening Thursday UltraScreen 10/20/2022)
Disappointing
martinrobertson30048213 November 2022
I hoped "Black Adam" would be a decent entry in DC's recent output as its linked with "Shazam" which might be their best recent movie. But nope. Its another CGI filled dud.
On the plus side there is an effort put into the story and Dwayne Johnson and his rediculusly strong shoulders buldging from his costume are 100 percent real amongst all the boring CGI. But all the team building with rubbish characters no one cares about has already been DC's downfall with the justice league, Suicide squad and even that Harley Quinn movie. And it's takes up too much time here too.
There's not enough time dedicated to making us care about any of these minor characters and their random powers. Just action, action, action that doesn't matter when you don't care about anyone in the movie.
There's some decent gags in the movie I suppose. But overall its just alot of green screen and feels like your watching a computer game instead of a movie. It's more "Aquaman" than "Shazam." So if you liked that one you'll probably like this.
On the plus side there is an effort put into the story and Dwayne Johnson and his rediculusly strong shoulders buldging from his costume are 100 percent real amongst all the boring CGI. But all the team building with rubbish characters no one cares about has already been DC's downfall with the justice league, Suicide squad and even that Harley Quinn movie. And it's takes up too much time here too.
There's not enough time dedicated to making us care about any of these minor characters and their random powers. Just action, action, action that doesn't matter when you don't care about anyone in the movie.
There's some decent gags in the movie I suppose. But overall its just alot of green screen and feels like your watching a computer game instead of a movie. It's more "Aquaman" than "Shazam." So if you liked that one you'll probably like this.
Black Adam Is Not Perfect But It's Still Great, It's Still Fun, It's Still Fascinating, It's Still Exciting, And I Enjoy The Hell Out Of It
HabibieHakim12320 October 2022
Black Adam is not without its flaws, but i still enjoy the hell out of it, the problem that i have with Black Adam is that i never really buy all the Kahndaq people 100%, in the end i only still buy half of it, but i still fine with it, it's not like their characters are terrible, it just most of the time they are doing just a poor performance except the actress who played the mom and probably Ishmael for the most part, at least i still got some of the laughs from one of them, some of the slower scene was sometimes misplaced including some of the flashback, and some nit picky here and there, the rest of Black Adam is an exciting comic book film that fills with a very impressive battle that also fills with dazzling visual and cool style, Black Adam himself played incredibly well by Dwayne Johnson, he was just unstoppable in the most badass way, Justice Society has just become one of my favorite superhero team specifically in movies, they are fun and they are great, Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher all of them are a hit for me, i love every single one of them, though i do wish they have something more with Doctor Fate because i think Pierce Brosnan was just unbelievably good playing the characters, again at least we do still have that one moment, i would love to see Justice Society again in movie maybe even their own movie, i would also love to have a specifically Doctor Fate standalone or a prequel film, and last but not least, the main villain, i think the main villain is doing as fine as most of the hero in the movie, so overall Black Adam is a quite a fun ride, 2 hours did feel quite goes by, an exciting back and forth battle that fills with dazzling visual effect and style, great score, great sound, great performances for most of the cast, being the first original DCEU movie that release in theaters only since WW84, Black Adam is not perfect but it's still great, it's still fun, it's still fascinating, it's still exciting, and i enjoy the hell out of it.
10/10. BADASS! This is what fans want!
GhostShell1022 October 2022
10/10. BADASS! Absolutely brutal, no-holds-barred, magnificent superhero film. When is the last time you heard that? By a clear margin the best superhero film in many years, with the Rock bringing a truckload of intensity and presence to the character, a great story from the point of view of the anti-hero that is not often told, and truly entertaining supporting characters. This is what fans want to see, this is how these movies should be made. And an absolute epic showdown incoming that is already building excitement.
No one should have the slightest interest what the 'critics' have to say - very rarely do they write reviews focused on the actual content anymore. They are the antithesis of what art and movie-making represents - and they are gloriously being drowned out by this fantastic film. Thank you Rocky!
No one should have the slightest interest what the 'critics' have to say - very rarely do they write reviews focused on the actual content anymore. They are the antithesis of what art and movie-making represents - and they are gloriously being drowned out by this fantastic film. Thank you Rocky!
Dwayne Johnson is playing The Rock
njbono-2137522 October 2022
I know so many will say I'm being picky but Dwayne Johnson shouldn't have been cast in this roll, honestly this is movie is to big for him.
His lines are so simplistic that I wonder if he can do more.
I honestly believe in a few years many will feel the same.
And he seems to pose in every scene wirh very limited motion for the most part.. it's just strange.
Ok as for the movie - its fun, some really great battle scenes and well directed. The story line is a bit odd at times, almost repetitive and the movie is 20mins too long. There are plenty of laughs, which were fun but I honestly think because DJ is the actor - it can't be so serious.
I'm starting to feel we are near the end of all these standard good vs evil super hero films done this way... very clean, simple plot, same formula. Yea Batman, Superman and a few others will survive because they tend to have a deeper plot. Look even Star Wars is getting warn out; same plot different actors.
His lines are so simplistic that I wonder if he can do more.
I honestly believe in a few years many will feel the same.
And he seems to pose in every scene wirh very limited motion for the most part.. it's just strange.
Ok as for the movie - its fun, some really great battle scenes and well directed. The story line is a bit odd at times, almost repetitive and the movie is 20mins too long. There are plenty of laughs, which were fun but I honestly think because DJ is the actor - it can't be so serious.
I'm starting to feel we are near the end of all these standard good vs evil super hero films done this way... very clean, simple plot, same formula. Yea Batman, Superman and a few others will survive because they tend to have a deeper plot. Look even Star Wars is getting warn out; same plot different actors.
Unnaturally written with slight hint of entertainment
justinyap25 October 2022
Black Adam is poorly written and unnatural paced while packs with plot holes, cringey sequences, and weak side-character development. Short screentime between main character and side characters make it even more pointless and emotionless, and plenty of awkward acting from fast paced sequence cringes the mood throughout the film, However, the humour, action sequences and tone are slightly above average which makes the only positive aspects for the show. Meanwhile, The Rock nailed the character well and the whole film exceeded personal expectation making it sufficiently entertaining for a mere 2 hours.
A Sad End to the DCEU.
ryanpersaud-594157 January 2023
Black Adam reminds me a lot of X-Men: Dark Phoenix, in that it feels almost like a studio obligation more than it does a passion project. Every aspect of this movie feels slightly phoned in: from the inclusion of the Justice Society, to the final Act, to most of the performances. There's very little passion or enthusiasm here and by the end of it, I was honestly happy it was over.
For such a high profile, big budget release, it's honestly shocking how amateurish this movie is at times. The action sequences are flat out terrible, considering how low the stakes are most of the time (i.e., we know Black Adam is going to defeat 99% of the people on screen), and punctuated with endless slow motion sequences that scream a lack of action film making competence.
This movie feels like two (or three) films smashed together. We have Black Adam, we have the fictional country of Kandaq and its struggles, and then we have the Justice Society. I guess these elements keep the film from being totally forgettable, but I couldn't help but feel there was a better way to tell this story.
It's also really poorly paced, having at three different moments where I thought it was over, only for another plot point to suddenly become relevant again. The dialog is unreal...it's so stilted and silly at times, like when Hawkman (played by Aldis Hodge) lectures Black Adam about "extrajudicial killing" mid flight or the constant groan inducing attempts by Noah Centineo's Atom Smasher to give the film a light hearted, Marvel-esque feel with bad jokes. The worst has to be Amon (Bodhi Sabongui), the son of "kinda sorta" heroine Isis (played by Sarah Sahi), whose lines are so bad I can't tell if he's a bad actor or a CG generated being with Chat GPT lines programmed into him. I'm serious.
I don't like harping on child actors, by my God, is Bodhi Sabongui bad here. So bad that he actively ruins most scenes he's in. But, to be fair, no one, not even The Rock is particularly good in this movie. I've been hearing praise for Pierce Brosnan, but honestly, his hammy performance was legitimately hilarious to me, especially by the end.
This movie isn't all bad. There are some cool sequences and shots, the movie does at least explore the morality of a hero killing people and questions what other movies/comics establish as the "morally right" approach. I also liked the not-so-subtle commentary about the Justice Society of America essentially invading the fictional Kandaq (where this film takes place) and telling them they can't have a protector of their own. And, some of the actors are just naturally likeable as well; Hodge and Johnson do have chemistry and had one of the best relationships of the whole movie.
But honestly, Black Adam feels like another paint-by-numbers, forgettable superhero flick that represents the end of the failed DCEU experiment. As a huge DC fan, it's sad to see some of these characters get such lame on-screen introductions. It's even sadder to know that this movie will be the last time any of us see Henry Cavill as Superman, which...is frankly quite depressing.
For such a high profile, big budget release, it's honestly shocking how amateurish this movie is at times. The action sequences are flat out terrible, considering how low the stakes are most of the time (i.e., we know Black Adam is going to defeat 99% of the people on screen), and punctuated with endless slow motion sequences that scream a lack of action film making competence.
This movie feels like two (or three) films smashed together. We have Black Adam, we have the fictional country of Kandaq and its struggles, and then we have the Justice Society. I guess these elements keep the film from being totally forgettable, but I couldn't help but feel there was a better way to tell this story.
It's also really poorly paced, having at three different moments where I thought it was over, only for another plot point to suddenly become relevant again. The dialog is unreal...it's so stilted and silly at times, like when Hawkman (played by Aldis Hodge) lectures Black Adam about "extrajudicial killing" mid flight or the constant groan inducing attempts by Noah Centineo's Atom Smasher to give the film a light hearted, Marvel-esque feel with bad jokes. The worst has to be Amon (Bodhi Sabongui), the son of "kinda sorta" heroine Isis (played by Sarah Sahi), whose lines are so bad I can't tell if he's a bad actor or a CG generated being with Chat GPT lines programmed into him. I'm serious.
I don't like harping on child actors, by my God, is Bodhi Sabongui bad here. So bad that he actively ruins most scenes he's in. But, to be fair, no one, not even The Rock is particularly good in this movie. I've been hearing praise for Pierce Brosnan, but honestly, his hammy performance was legitimately hilarious to me, especially by the end.
This movie isn't all bad. There are some cool sequences and shots, the movie does at least explore the morality of a hero killing people and questions what other movies/comics establish as the "morally right" approach. I also liked the not-so-subtle commentary about the Justice Society of America essentially invading the fictional Kandaq (where this film takes place) and telling them they can't have a protector of their own. And, some of the actors are just naturally likeable as well; Hodge and Johnson do have chemistry and had one of the best relationships of the whole movie.
But honestly, Black Adam feels like another paint-by-numbers, forgettable superhero flick that represents the end of the failed DCEU experiment. As a huge DC fan, it's sad to see some of these characters get such lame on-screen introductions. It's even sadder to know that this movie will be the last time any of us see Henry Cavill as Superman, which...is frankly quite depressing.
DC are back thank to The Rock
rh_080920 October 2022
Finally a movie gives the feeling that DC are making great movies again. First of all, it may not be comic accurate at all but Dwayne Johnson is the perfect casting for Black Adam. Also the Justice Society castings were great, although we did not get much to know about their backstories. Their past and their development may be one of the few things that was missing in the plot. But fortunately it did not disturb anything about the backstory and the development of Black Adam himself. Unlike the other DC movies, the darkness was adjusted better this time. Also the very little piece of comedy has found a place in the Movie. The surprise in the post credit scene was just awesome and hope giving for the next projects of DC. The film is recommended.
Medicore at best
phantomkrome20 October 2022
Honestly felt like the whole marketing campaign was super overdone and filled with a lot more lies that what other movies do. It's a very messy movie and struggles to find a purpose and decent end goal, the story is very very weak and Black Adam's character is EXTREMELY plain and one dimensional, no character development. JSA was such a wasted potential especially with a solid cast. Hawkman and Dr Fate out shine Atom Smasher and Cyclone but are but even then these characters are not well written. Hawkman becomes the good character that never agrees with the main character and always wants to fight him (very cliché). Visuals were 7/10 but the direction ruined it for me, the director definitely tired a lot of what Snyder did in MoS and ZSJL but with a dollar store level of execution. Everything in this movie feels forced. Black Adam's emotional backstory, his people's champions thing and even the final credits scene, all feels like it was squeezed in. Felt like they had like 2-3 major ideas and everything else was forced in. In terms of the general action, it's actually not bad, again very much inspired by what Snyder does with poor execution. The intro fight was actually very good and the Black Adam escapes scene was great as well but the rest of the movie had pretty terrible action, especially the 3rd act, except for the Dr Fates fight scenes in the 3rd act, I thought it was pretty good, but definitely could have improved on it significantly with a few tweaks, this again goes back to weak screenplay and direction. Also I hate the weird Hollywood Mexico colour grading/filter, everything was all yellowish and I hate when Hollywood movies do that, usually DC refrained from this but this was a terrible choice.
Overall it isn't a terrible movie and probably is good enough to be a 7/10 but I think for most people it's gonna be a 5/10 and honestly the 6/10 is for the TERRIBLE marketing scheme and completely misguiding the audience. I don't believe The Rocks gonna save DC, not until I see better results. I think everything he did was just a massive promotion for the movie. Especially the post credit scene, it was 100% a later addition just to get more audience.
Overall it isn't a terrible movie and probably is good enough to be a 7/10 but I think for most people it's gonna be a 5/10 and honestly the 6/10 is for the TERRIBLE marketing scheme and completely misguiding the audience. I don't believe The Rocks gonna save DC, not until I see better results. I think everything he did was just a massive promotion for the movie. Especially the post credit scene, it was 100% a later addition just to get more audience.
Wasn't too cheesy. Great fight scenes. Decent story
acevibrant22 October 2022
I think the Rock did a good job portraying Black Adams character a man torn apart inside. The storyline was pretty decent had a nice twist to it. Typical character development where the protagonist dislikes everyone in the world but develops a bond with this one random lucky kid but lol. The fight scenes were excellent! Especially his fights with Hawkman. Hawkman is a true brawler. I think they could have done a lot better with Doctor Fate, I would have liked to see him in more fight scenes. Other scenes were a little cliche trying to add humor but it wasn't too bad. Overall decent movie for Rocks debut role in the DC universe. His character is definitely a screen presence for any future appearances in DC films.
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