Black Adam (2022) review: Dwayne Johnson’s DC Antihero labour of love is a mighty crowdpleaser

Black Adam has been billed as a turning point for DC Films and the DC Extended Universe, as we are still operating under the misconception that everything they have released has been abysmal, in spite of a string of hits and rather adored work since some of their earlier stumbles over five years ago. As such, such expectation may well work against the film, and already the reviews have been a mixed bag for this origin movie that promises a character to change the hierarchy of power in the DC universe. 

So, naturally we will see “discourse” disintegrate into a verbally abusive slagging match. Either bashing or worshipping the singular verdict of a certain fruit-based review aggregate (an oxymoron if ever there was one), which only really gathers the reviewing herd and the direction they all run in, some increasingly seeking the approval of the common denominator opinion. But let’s not go there shall we? Instead, let us fly our eyes back to the actual film (shock horror) and put focus back where it ought to be every single time.

The road to Black Adam has been a 15-year fight for its star Dwayne Johnson, who also produces, and his unmistakable passion for this project has resulted in a comic book crowdpleaser. One that shows a great affection for this character and the many at its disposal. This antihero story certainly does not reinvent the wheel but nor does it need to, instead offering bang for your buck super-powered entertainment and an almighty battle cry vigour that is very infectious.

The film sees a 5,000 year old being released from his earthly tomb, as a search for a dark ancient item leads to the world being placed in potential peril. However, as the Justice Society of America’s best and brightest attempt to save the day, they realise that the world might not need a hero…instead it might need Black Adam.

After an exposition-heavy opening, that has a lot in common with The Mummy styled artefact adventure tone setting prologues or the narrated opening to a 300 style visual historical spectacle caper, we get to the modern day story, and things don’t really ever let up from the moment the title powerhouse is unleashed. 

A showcase for impressive special effects crafted action spectacle, Black Adam is a film that opts not to let audiences off its big ride. Backed by Lorne Balfe’s electrifying and muscular score, that is filled with heroism and atmosphere, this is a film that harks back to the kind of battles your inner child would have dreamed of seeing on the big screen. 

Director Jaume Collet-Serra reunites with his Jungle Cruise star, and they both know the brief here, Johnson’s background in wrestling comes in especially useful because he knows how to make an entrance, tread into face and heel territory and register a reaction from his audience, and that is precisely what this film is all about. What Black Adam sometimes lacks in nuance it makes up for in sheer crowd involving fun. 

That said, despite many things being done in broader strokes, there are good attempts at speaking about something more than huge powers and baddie-lobbing mayhem, as the story – on a blockbuster scale – broaches the recurrence of oppression through time and how cross-cultural perceptions differ greatly. Not to mention, how it adds some fractured layers to a character whose power and rage knows no limits.

Johnson invests everything into this and makes Black Adam super, while also somewhat tragic, and a bulking figure of uncontrollable power inside and out. It is very obvious to see he is a massive fan, who aims to bring the part to a wider crowd and do the nearly eight decades of his comic book mythology justice. And he does. Meanwhile Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate is an absolute showstealer, offering up a complex character and getting to the heart of him rather quickly and decisively, expertly unleashing a reality-altering creation that really stands out from the already distinctive crowd. 

In fact the Justice Society of America’s long-awaited big screen debut overall comes alive, thanks to a supporting cast full of heart and hopefully we see them again. We may not get into their cores completely here (as a lot is tackled in one film), but what we do get is a great big taste and it would be good to see Aldis Hodge’s moral Hawkman, Noah Centineo’s funny Atom Smasher and Quintessa Swindell’s intelligent Cyclone back together again on another assignment. While Sarah Shahi and Bodhi Sabongui nicely add a more human element in their empowering role to the story.

Black Adam is a film that aims to please you, at a time when you could do with pleasing more likely than not, and as such has some of the flaws you might expect (third act chaos, a weaker villain) but also some really entertaining strengths. Go and have a good time. Enjoy the hell raising, power wielding, people freeing, justice striving show…and stay after those initial credits for an extra treat. 

Black Adam delivers what it promised you and I hope it succeeds, as I enjoyed the constant action, liked the company of these characters and felt the love that was clearly poured into making it, and on as massive a scale as possible.

Spectacular, funny and crafted with energy and enthusiasm.