FILM REVIEW: Black Adam

Black Adam is the latest superhero instalment for DC Comics and it has been 15 YEARS in the making. Well, the wait is over and in just a few days the film will be released for fans to experience for the very first time.

I was lucky enough to see the film last week and to say I was excited was a total understatement. Having seen the film twice and having had time to think about what I experienced, I can wholeheartedly say that Black Adam completely exceeded my expectations and they were pretty damn high! It has me incredibly excited for the future of the DCEU and I cannot wait to experience it all over again.

Story

Story-wise there is a LOT going on. All of the characters involved in this film are new to us in the world of DC Films, so there is a lot of origins to tell and characters to introduce so some could say it’s overwhelming. However, it is warranted. This is a really in-depth look at the character and his motives and a great introduction to the Justice Society and their place in the DCEU.

There are some heavy themes within the film, the main ones are morality, justice and the freeing of Khandaq. Each theme is explored extremely well, and in a way that really makes you question your own judgement and how far you’d go to protect your country or those you love. That’s what really makes a character great, though Black Adam has some rather harsh ideas on morality, he does give a great argument for each of his despicable actions.

The film is surprisingly emotional in places and is peppered with humour. Not in a way where it’s overdone or forced, but in exactly the right places and considering the brutality and darkness that moments of this film has, it is a breath of fresh air. I will say it had a slightly darker tone than I expected, but it stays as true to the character as possible – I genuinely couldn’t keep up with the body count.

Black Adam is filled with Easter eggs and features surprises that DC fans will have a hard time getting over, myself included. It was the perfect introduction to the Justice Society and I really hope we get to see more of them in the future. They were cased perfectly and provided some truly epic action sequences which look like they were pulled straight out of the comics.

Cast

Black Adam stars Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam, Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher and Sarah Shahi as Adrianna. To say this is a phenomenal cast is an understatement.

Each and every one of them take on their roles tremendously and portray their characters perfectly. That can especially be said for Dwayne Johnson, Pierce Brosnan and Aldis Hodge – they were the complete standouts for me and their portrayals blew me away to the point where I can no longer imagine anyone else in the roles.

Dwayne Johnson genuinely surprised me. Though he’s playing a very well known DC villain, this is a different take on his acting range to what we’ve seen before. He was BORN to play this role and he plays the anti-hero so well, to the point where you almost agree with him and his actions.

Aldis Hodge IS Hawkman. He is the embodiment of the character and I really hope we get to see more of him. He is tenacious, strong and acts as the leader for the Justice Society. I would even go as far to say that I would love a solo Hawkman film after this, that is something that we need to see. Same goes for Pierce Brosnan, I would LOVE to see more of him and the adventures he has had with Hawkman. Their friendship is adorable and the relationship and dynamic between the two is beautiful.

Quintessa Swindell and Noah Centineo also did fantastic jobs with their roles. Swindell was a breath of fresh air with her take on Cyclone, she is so endearing and the moments she breezes into action are just stunning. Centineo is heaps of fun as Atom Smasher, he provides several laughs throughout the film and just has so much charisma. I loved the relationship between he and Cyclone, it was heartwarming to see.

Cinematography, SFX & Score

The special effects are flawless, it’s exactly what you expect of a cinematic blockbuster like this, truly incredible. Everything is believable and the powers of the heroes are showcased perfectly. There are moments that are truly mind blowing and look like they’ve been ripped straight out of a comic.

The cinematography is excellent too, the scale of some of the scenes is incredible. There are some aspects of the scope and filming style that was really reminiscent of Zack Snyder. That can be said with the use of slow motion, some of the fight sequences and the cinematography. I don’t mean to compare director, Jaume Collet-Serra‘s work against his, but there are some very noticeable similarities – particularly to Man Of Steel.

The score and music was great, it was a perfect mix between both old and new pieces which really kicked in at the right time. Lorne Balfe has been releasing some of the heroes/anti-heroes themes online over the past few weeks and it was great to hear those against some of the iconic action sequences and each fit their respective hero perfectly.

Conclusion

Black Adam is a true tour de force and The Rock is a force to be reckoned with. It’s brutal and electrifying. It exceeded my expectations and it’s safe to say that this is one to see on the biggest screen possible. It’s safe to say that this film makes me VERY excited to be a DC fan and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this universe and these characters.

Oh, and make sure you stick around for the post credit scene.

Black Adam is out in cinemas on 21st October.