Black Adam Review: The Hierarchy of Power in the DC Universe Has Largely Stayed the Same

 

I don't know what I expected.

If you've been reading this blog, superhero movie reviews here are commonplace. It seems that the latest entry from DC, Black Adam, decided to become the quintessential DC movie ever made. And I don't necessarily mean that nicely. This movie probably packs in all the mistakes (and some highlights) that other DC movies made in the past. Cram in a bunch of superheroes where some have no bearing on the overall plot? Check. Load up exposition fast and frequently? Check. Weird ass pacing? Check. Nonsensical motivations? Check. Make sure to focus on moments/scenes and not a cohesive story? Check. Odd on-the-nose soundtrack to action sequences that feel jarring and tone deaf? Check. Slow motion and lighting? Check.

There is talk that the movie was in development for several years and it totally shows. It's not even that the movie didn't bring anything to table, it is more like it ate everything at the table, partially digested it and spat it all up. Then Warner Brothers told us to eat it. There is little here that hasn't been done better than other movies in the past. 

There are some good things about Black Adam. The brutal level of wanton destruction is fun to watch and the special effects never truly get old. The amount of action was great. And Dr. Fate was a cool character to root for throughout. It doesn't feel like he is a rip off of Dr. Strange which abates my biggest worry. I also like that they seem to be hinting at a greater inclusion of Amanda Waller in subsequent movies. It could be interesting to see if she somehow plays a mastermind role in an insidious way throughout the cinematic universe. Maybe she is going to try and get the JSA and the Suicide Squad to team up and fight the Justice League. 

Another good thing to note is Mohammed Amer. I never got around to posting a review, but I actually enjoyed his Netflix series Mo. Although he has to portray a stereotypical nondescript Arab uncle in Black Adam, his delivery and sense of comedic timing is on point. He actually made me laugh out loud in the theater. It actually kind of crazy how quickly he got to the big screen since I even heard of him. But kudos to him. 

But there is too much that bogs this movie down. One of which, is the kid who somehow develops a Terminator-esque relationship with Black Adam. This kid is the center of the story for Black Adam which is a shame because the kid is just so goddamn stupid. Like I get that he's supposed to be a kid, but he's just annoying to hear and watch. He bogs down a lot of script with the way he sounds. It doesn't feel natural.

There are a couple of plot twists in the movie that hardly curl. Everything in this movie is totally foreseeable. I hate how Hawkman is so one dimensional and put in the movie just to be this contrived ideal of what a hero should be. He barely had any personality even though he is the leader of the JSA. It's funny because I feel like his lines in the script are a direct critique of Batman's controversial killing of bad guys in Batman V Superman. Almost feels like the entire script is poking fun at all the decisions DC made with their movies in the past. 

Hawkman develops into a more likeable person toward the end but it's mainly because he becomes the butt of a joke. Not sure if this was intended, but it makes Hawkman seem less of a cool superhero and more of a sidekick. 

Other things that bother me: 

The unreliable narrative. Normally having the story be "updated" with the correct facts is fun and puts the audience on a mind trip. In Black Adam's case, it felt like the movie was lying to us. Most of the backstory of Teth Adam (Black Adam's real name) is told through exposition. To have the exposition be constantly updated in each act of the movie just made me not care. Get back to the smashing is what I kept thinking.

The halfhearted way to add social commentary. I get it, Black Adam is meant to be a savior to an middle eastern land that has been constantly occupied for thousands of years. You know how I get it? Because the kid and his mom just keep spouting it out every other scene! I am torn, because calling out occupation is always a win in my book. But it felt like the whole time the movie kept telling me to feel bad about it instead of convincing me. 

I might be a bit harsh with Black Adam. But I think it comes from a good place? I want DC to succeed but I think they do better when they focus on singular stories instead of trying to create a universe that is so obviously a list of checkboxes and less about cohesiveness and depth. I'm glad the movie is short, but at the same time the length of the movie exacerbates its problems. There was no time to breathe, and no time to really care about what is going on. 

Black Adam 5 out of 10.