Black Adam was released a week ago, and it’s been gaining interesting box-office numbers. It debuted at $140 million worldwide and is even higher than Shazam’s release in 2019! But we know what everyone’s wondering – given the rising cinema costs, is watching Black Adam worth it? We’ve got the answer for you! Read on to find our Black Adam review and is it worth the hype?
A Mostly Unfamiliar Story
When it comes to DC characters, the general public is familiar with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman… but who is Black Adam? Well, he’s an ancient Egyptian slave who received his powers from Shazam. He is considered as an anti-hero because at a certain point in the comics, his power corrupted him from the inside.
Black Adam basically went from hero to villain, with almost unlimited speed and strength regardless. He can also fly at supersonic speeds and has telekinetic powers he acquired from his wife. Think: Superman… but more.
Fun fact: Dwayne Johnson said in a Comic Con that Black Adam could beat Superman and fans booed him.
The thing with Black Adam is that he is also very smart, and he can speak almost every language on Earth. He is easily one of the most powerful beings in the DC universe, and it’s about time his story was translated to a movie.
Black Adam or Dwayne Johnson?
Everybody loves a good Dwayne Johnson movie. The problem is that he is typecast into a certain character, and it can sometimes be hard to distinguish his roles from each other. Think about it: Jungle Cruise, The Tooth Fairy, Jumanji, Red Notice, The Journey 2… the way he carries his roles isn’t really distinct. For this movie, that could be a good thing or a bad thing.
The verdict? Admittedly, we’re pretty neutral here. It’s hard to look at Black Adam and not see Dwayne Johnson BUT we’re also not sure if that’s exactly what they were going for. After all, if there’s one thing Dwayne is good at, it’s action comedies.
The Justice Society of America
To be clear, they are NOT the Justice League. The Justice Society of America is made up of:
- Cyclone
- Atom Smasher
- Doctor Fate
- Hawkman
They are the superhero team who confronted Black Adam for his non-superhero-like actions, and it’s good fun and action when they’re on screen. One negative thing we saw here though is that this is another case of too many characters on screen. We don’t really get their backstories and they’re not entirely fleshed out, so it’s hard to become invested in their plotline.
But, that is also a great set-up if there are sequels to come. It’s just the right amount of introduction without giving too much away.
Philosophical Revelations and Moral Truths
It’s interesting to see Black Adam tackle politics to a certain degree, somewhat similar to how Marvel did it before with the Ironman vs. Captain America storyline. There is the question of whether or not justice can truly be served by people within the system, or do we need people who refuse to play by their rules?
For a good length of the film, there also remains this tension: Is Black Adam good or bad? Who constitutes the enemy? Who decides what is right or wrong?
Brutal Action Sequences and Great Graphics
Black Adam is PG-13, but we can confidently say that it’s more graphic than you would expect from that rating. The action sequences can be pretty intense, but that’s exactly what one would expect from a superhero movie.
On top of that, there’s the great CGI, excellent special effects, and well-done costumes.
Black Adam Takes DC Towards The Right Direction
Critics may not have liked Black Adam all that much, but audiences sure did. The general consensus is that it’s fun, entertaining, and interesting. Because it was fast-paced, nothing about it was boring. It’s a great origin story, and it’s a great movie.
This could be the reset that the DCEU needed, and it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
So, Is Black Adam Worth The Hype?
In our opinion, yes. So go watch it in theaters while you can!
Do you agree with our review on Black Adam and why it’s worth the hype?
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