Black Adam is the latest installment within the DCEU and while I was at least moderately entertained, the story felt disjointed but it’s worse offense is the introduction several new characters, most notably the Justice Society.
Black Adam
(2022)
Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Warner Bros. | PG13 – 125 min. – $49.98 | January 3, 2022
Date Published: 12/27/2022 | Author: The Movieman
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Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
Note: The screen captures were taken from the included Blu-ray disc.
THE MOVIE — 3/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: In ancient Kahndaq, Teth Adam (DWAYNE JOHNSON) was bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned, becoming Black Adam. Nearly 5,000 years have passed, and Black Adam has gone from man to myth to legend. Now free, his unique form of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by modern-day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman (ALDIS HODGE), Dr. Fate (PIERCE BROSNAN), Atom Smasher (NOAH CENTINOE) and Cyclone (QUINTESSA SWINDELL). Review: Black Adam comes out on physical media during a time of disarray, or perhaps re-evaluation, of the DCEU, with the hiring of James Gunn and Peter Saffron to head the newly formed DC Studios and what looks like a complete reset of the universe with a new cast. So this makes Black Adam to be a bit of a weird viewing experience especially when you consider the Henry Cavill Superman cameo (not to mention Viola Davis returning once again as Amanda Waller).
As to the movie itself, I found it to be certainly watchable but a mess with a merely passable plot as well as introducing new characters with no prior history within the DCEU, which does seem to be the M.O. with Warner seeming to take a shortcut. In this case, it would’ve been beneficial to give us a Justice Society feature film to really showcase the cast instead of introductions that reminded me of Ayer’s Suicide Squad without the silly graphics. The issue with this approach is when one particular character sacrifices himself to help stop a demonic being from making hell on earth. This would’ve had a more emotional impact if we had more than a couple of scenes with him, and instead felt hollow and served only the plot than any genuine character development. And it’s not they didn’t have the time to do a JSA film considering how long it took to get Black Adam made, but of course, and saying this as a fan, Warner/DC wasn’t exactly forward thinking… Black Adam first and foremost is a Dwayne Johnson vehicle, one that he has been hyping for what seemed like damn near a decade. The finished product had some okay visual effects and his acting was… fine, but any humor felt forced and the plot did seem a bit similar to Black Panther with the inclusion of a magical mineral (eternium) which has been mined and used to make new tech, though also the only substance that can weaken Black Adam. Johnson shows his charm for sure however, and this isn’t news, doesn’t exactly have a wide range in his acting.
As for the rest of the cast, they’re alright. Aldis Hodge, playing the leader of the Justice Society had his moments as did Noah Centineo and Quentessa Swindell and their half-baked budding romantic relationship. But what I was most looking forward to as I’m a huge fan of his James Bond, was Pierce Brosnan playing the fascinating character of Dr. Fate (who really should’ve had his own film prior). Brosnan does what he can with the limited material, he just didn’t get enough sharing the screen with several new characters. Tonally the film felt uneven and doesn’t seem director Jaume Collet-Serra (Jungle Cruise) balanced the more light-hearted moments with the more serious scenes (Teth Adam’s family is murdered), and this isn’t to mention the randomly insertion of a few songs, as great as they are, just felt odd, another reminder of Ayer’s Suicide Squad. In the end, Black Adam is a film that has plenty of spectacle but the plot feels messy at times and the introduction to this JSA felt like they needed more time to develop, even if only for a couple scenes. I suppose if you’re a big Dwayne Johnson fan, there’s enough to please you and honestly it is watchable but the fight scenes do become quite repetitive and I can’t say there’s one scene that I found all that memorable. It’s a quintessential throwaway Hollywood blockbuster.
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SPECIAL FEATURES – 3¼/5 |
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This release comes with a matted slip cover and inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy. The History of Black Adam (10:08) examines the background of the character and his comic book origins. Hosted by Sarah Shahi. Who is the Justice Society (14:16) breaks down this group of superheroes. Hosted by Aldis Hodge. From Soul to Screen (6:09) — This featurette looks at bringing the character to the big screen spear horned by Dwayne Johnson. Black Adam: A Flawed Hero (5:09) looks at the complexities of the character. Black Adam: New Tech in an Old World (4:49) — This featurette is on the blending of the old and new technology with LED screens and more. Black Adam: Taking Flight (3:32) — Here we get to see how Johnson’s flying scenes were accomplished. Kahndaq: Designing a Nation (6:27) is on the designs behind this fictional city. The ROCK of Eternity (5:42) —This one delves into the power source for Black Adam as derived from the comic book. Costumes Make the Hero (8:25) takes a look at the costume designs. Black Adam: A New Type of Action (6:38) is about the action sequences with behind-the-scenes footage. |
4K VIDEO – 4¾/5, BLU-RAY VIDEO – 4½/5 |
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Warner Bros. releases Black Adam onto 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, presented with a 2.39 widescreen aspect ratio and 2160p and 1080p high-definition transfers, respectively. Not a big surprise but this movie does look great on 4K, detail is sharp and colors have a nice balance between the darker elements (such as Black Adam’s suit) to the brighter side like the JSA costumes. |
AUDIO – 4¾/5 |
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Both the 4K and Blu-ray discs come with a Dolby Atmos track and lights up with the numerous action sequences while also providing some good depth with off-camera elements along with the crisp and clear dialogue levels. I can’t say this is quite reference quality but still will give a nice workout for your surround system. |
OVERALL — 3½/5 |
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Black Adam is the latest installment within the DCEU and while I was at least moderately entertained, the story felt disjointed but it’s worse offense is the introduction several new characters, most notably the Justice Society, who aren’t afforded their due screen time. Still, if you’re a fan of Dwayne Johnson, it might be worth watching. |