Black Adam is out of development hell and into the hell that we call real life.
"The hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to change."
This has been the catchphrase of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson for the promotional campaign of Black Adam. I've heard this sentence more than I've heard my own name in the last few months (a testament to both the over-saturation of this film's marketing as well as my own fleeting popularity).
I was excited for Black Adam's release mainly so I could stop seeing the trailer before every film, forgetting that the film is just a feature length version of the trailer.
Black Adam introduces the titular character portrayed by Johnson, who insists that despite his god-like powers, he is no hero.
If that point isn't clear, go ahead and watch the film, 80% of the dialogue is telling Black Adam he can't kill people and be a hero and Black Adam replying that he just loves killing people so gosh-darn much.
Johnson has been attached to this project for a long time, conversations first began between actor and studio in 2007. Directors have come and gone in that time, but Johnson has stayed signed on.
He's clearly been passionate about the character and bringing him to the big screen, so it's a genuine shame that it's taken this long. It's especially disappointing since this movie would be right at home in 2007.
If it had come out 15 years ago, I think audiences would look upon it more kindly, but in 2022 it feels like we've seen everything here before.
Johnson has built his entire career on being a charismatic actor with great screen presence and making films for wide audiences. So why does he not look like he's having any fun with Black Adam? I understand the gravitas he's trying to bring to the character but the film is so at odds with itself when it comes to balancing humour and drama.
This is equal parts a Black Adam film as a Justice Society film, introducing us to characters like Atom Smasher, Hawkman, Cyclone and Doctor Fate, the latter played by Pierce Brosnan who is the highlight of the film.
After DC films spread their wings with the likes of Joker, Birds of Prey and Zack Snyder's Justice League and focusing on more self-contained stories, Black Adam feels like a return to competing with Marvel's currently unmatched cinematic universe.
I love when superhero movies take risks and while Black Adam flirts with being a risky film, it ultimately feels like it's still holding something back.
As for where it sits in the pantheon of DC films, it's nowhere near as bad as Suicide Squad, but it's also nowhere near as good as The Suicide Squad.
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