Already since the distant year of 2007, the first rumors were circulating about a future DC movie starring Dwayne Johnson. There was talk that “The Rock” could give life to the superhero Shazam, or his nemesis, Black Adam. Even at some point it was thought that he would play both. Time passed and everything was up in the air. No project materialized at that time.
Later, in 2014 – and faced with the unquestionable success of Marvel – Warner Bros. began planning a DC cinematic universe. man of steel, which at that time had been released a few months, would be the inaugural film of this universe. It was at this point that Warner decided to take a second look at previously discarded ideas. At that moment, Johnson had conversations with DC again and officially announced weeks later that he would bring Black Adam to life.
Why is it important to talk about the number of years Black Adam were you on the waiting list? Because this shows that it is a feature film that has been in the making for almost two decades. This is not an improvised production. Dwayne Johnson himself, who never left the project, says that this is the most important work of his career. With all this in mind, was it worth the years of waiting?
Talking about the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is somewhat complicated. “Inconsistent” would be the ideal word to describe it. While tapes like Wonder Woman (2017), Aquaman (2018), Shazam! (2019) Y the suicide squad (2021) have been widely praised, films like batman v superman (2016), suicide squad (2016), The Justice League (2017) and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) have not suffered the same fate.
Black Adam has been touted as the movie that will mark a new beginning for DC. And in a certain way it fulfills it, but taking into account that it is a production with a decade and a half of planning, it is a reality that falls far short when evaluating how innovative and revolutionary it can be.
It is no secret that today Warner Bros. seeks to move away, narratively and visually, from the dark nuances that Zack Snyder had imposed on the first DCEU productions. This in order to reach a wider audience. And one where, by the way, children do have a place. In short, Warner seeks to use the formula that has worked so well for Marvel Studios: now humor and colors are welcome. Black Adam is made with this formula, from start to finish.
The film has a light tone and the characters constantly joke with each other. Some do it more than others, due to their respective personalities. But to a greater or lesser extent, humor is present in much of the film. This, in a certain way, gives a dynamic rhythm to the story. In the same way, the tape resorts to the use of very bright and striking colors in the characters’ outfits. The same happens with the visual effects, which are used in the superpowers of the heroes. These stand out in a great way, because having a desert city as the main location, where yellowish tones predominate, a pleasant contrast is generated for the eye.
Directed by the Spanish Jaume Collet-Serra, Black Adam it is an absolute feast of action and amazing sequences, there is no doubt about that. As for visual effects, Black Adam It is in the first positions when we compare it with other tapes of the DCEU. From a visual perspective, this is a marvel, as each fight scene that we are presented with is a true delight. Whether it’s the choreography, CG effects, or music playing in the background, every action sequence is meticulously crafted to be fully enjoyed on the big screen.
And just speaking of music, it is worth making a small parenthesis to briefly emphasize this point, since the score composed by Lorne Balfe is an absolute gem. As epic as it is imposing, the musical work of the British composer is “like a glove” for the film. Each piece has its own personality and each melody is placed in the right scene. If something is to be recognized to DC, it is that it always hits the mark when it comes to music. The composers Hans Zimmer, Rupert Gregson-Williams, Tom Holkenborg and Hildur Guðnadóttir are clear proof of this.
Returning to the theme of the action, from a narrative point of view, it could be said that it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. And it is that the biggest problem with having so many fights and camera movements, almost non-stop, is that it can really feel excessive, if we put it on a scale, on a par with the story they are trying to tell us. The argument is very simple, not to say poor. Being so crammed with visual effects can ironically feel like an empty experience, as there isn’t much depth to the story we’re being presented with.
Although the character of Teth Adam / Black Adam has an adequate exposure, an optimal evolution and we are provided with the necessary dose of information regarding his past, his interests and his motivations (which is logical, since he is the protagonist), he does much noise that the rest of the characters are relegated. As far as development is concerned, the others are flat and one-dimensional. It’s undeniable that seeing the Justice Society make its debut in live action it’s a glorious thing. Or at least that’s what comic book fans will think. Unfortunately, right there lies the biggest problem with these characters, because it seems that their presence is only intended to be enjoyed by DC fans of yesteryear.
Doctor Fate, Hawkman, Atom Smasher and Cyclone shine in every scene they take part in. Their costumes look great, straight out of the comic book pages, and their abilities are put to full use to show up on screen every chance they get. However, that is all we have of them. Fans of the world of comics know perfectly well who these characters are, they know important facts about each one and can even identify with them. However, for the rest of the audience, these four characters take a backseat, as there is no way they can connect with them. The information that the tape provides about their identities is almost null. As a result, they become uninteresting.
It is appreciated that Black Adam’s origins are well grounded and properly presented in the feature film. Ultimately, it’s his movie. However, it is very distracting that the Justice Society is practically a filler and that at no time does it delve into the past of any of its four members. The opportunity feels wasted. It only remains to wait for this error to be remedied in future DCEU projects.
Beyond this, it must be recognized that Pierce Brosnan, Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo and Quintessa Swindell have a very good performance with their respective roles, considering the little material they were given to work with. Each actor makes his character his own, and that is noticeable and appreciated.
The film exceptionally fulfills its central objective: to entertain viewers. If anything is certain, it is that the public will not be bored with Black Adam. The film does not dare to break the typical formula that we have seen in recent years in superhero movies. Looking at it from an optimistic side, this is good, because the film plays it safe and knows at all times that it will not disappoint the public that is only looking for entertainment. Black Adam delivers what it promised in its trailers. Dwayne Johnson is a showman by nature, since his time as a wrestler in WWE, and this feature film shows it again. His charisma permeates the screen, even when his character requires that he contain his emotions and not show many facial expressions.
However, the fact that the film chooses to follow the same formula as always, may result in something disappointing. Especially if we consider the time that this project was in the process of pre-production and production. At the very least, after more than ten years of waiting, a new narrative formula would have been appreciated. And the biggest drawback that Black Adam has such a basic story, lacking in depth and with such a weak common thread, it is noticeable mainly in two elements, which are linked to each other: the villain and the third act.
While Sabbac, the villain to beat, is as cliché as possible, with origins and stimuli that we have seen ad nauseam, and with an evolution in his character that surprises no one, what is worse is the third act of the tape, where the goal is… simply to beat Sabbac. A third act that we have also witnessed dozens of times before, both in Marvel and in DC, and that does not bring anything new to the table. This last act of the film feels crude, and makes us feel like we’ve seen it before.
Even so, this does not mean that the outcome is tedious or boring. Those would be the last adjectives to describe it, because as already mentioned, the strongest point of Black Adam, together with the music, is the action. And throughout the entire third act, there is plenty of action. If a fight sequence appears on screen, it’s guaranteed to be an absolute delight for the eyes and ears. Each character has their moment to stand out, and we see a captivating dynamic between each of them. Also, there are one or another unexpected moment and this gives it some freshness at the end of the film.
In conclusion, Black Adam It is a total show, which gives us what we expected, but which, without a doubt, could go much further. Dwayne Johnson does not lie when he says that this is the most important film of his career, because the commitment he has with the character is well known. This is reflected both in fiction and in reality. “The Rock” not only starred Black Adam, but also served as a producer. The love he has for this anti-hero is evident, and the effort he put into making the feature film can be seen from afar. His loyalty to this project is truly unheard of.
tapes like Joker (2019) or Batman (2022), despite being distributed under the DC label, do not belong to the DCEU, as they are set in their own universes, and have had enormous success. Is DC’s future in individual movies, where filmmakers have more creative freedom? Time will tell. For now, it only remains to receive with open arms the new proposals that the DCEU will bring to us. What is certain is that Black Adam, as a character, has a promising future in this shared universe. A showdown with Shazam and/or Superman is imminent, and that’s reason enough to keep an eye on Dwayne Johnson and DC’s plans for this popular antihero.
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Aldo Javier Martinez I have been a movie lover for as long as I can remember, so I turned that passion into my profession. I want to leave my mark on horror screenwriting. Drummer by hobby. Born 49ers fan.