Black Adam

It’s important not to let bias impact you before going into the cinema. Obviously, that can’t always be the case though. It works for good and ill; it can be easy to get overhyped and, therefore, disappointed at something with good reviews or in a favourite franchise but it’s equally easy to pre-empt disappointment, especially in the case of the DCEU.

It’s also important to stress that this is a crying shame, a comic studio with incredible films in its past and, clearly, trying to take on board the demands and trends of the market. I think you all know though that it’s spectacularly failing.

It’s difficult to know what to suggest at this point other than to absolutely rip it up and start again. Yes, they’ve now got to film 11 in the series but we’re still waiting to connect the dots and fit the pieces together (I’m just gleefully pretending that the non-Snyder cut of the Justice League doesn’t exist at this point.)

Black Adam tries to be that stepping stone, dare to call it the first film of ‘Phase 3’ of the DCEU if you wish. It’s a colossal failure.

All the trappings and weaknesses of the DCEU are here:

• Hard to like main character: you cast Dwayne Johnson for charisma alongside the action chops. Bringing him into the superhero world is a huge coup but to give him absolutely nothing to say or do in his own film?! What were they thinking? Typically, his powers are also completely unexplainable with an apparent Superman-like weakness to an arbitrary mineral barely explained in the film.

• Nonsensical plot and villain: we are told that Black Adam has been brought back to lead his ancient town to freedom and salvation but aren’t given any sort of established villain until one is randomly dropped two thirds of the way in. Motivation once again non-existent.

• Poor CGI: no excuse for this. The ‘denizens of hell’ which serve as cannon-fodder in the climactic set piece look like PlayStation 1 characters, shocking.

• No link to the rest of the universe: Ok, not entirely true this as we do get the awesome Amanda Waller (easily one of the best characters in the DCEU thus far) on video link ordering the ‘Justice Society’ to capture Black Adam. However, this could easily be a job for the Suicide Squad or the Justice League themselves. Why keep making standalone films?! There's also a mid-credits scene which actually lifts the film's score up by an entire star (no spoilers here though.)

Can we give this any positives though?

In fairness, yes we can. The somewhat political subtext of a city ignored by the ‘regular’ superheroes but saved by one of their own has some interesting territory to explore. This film isn’t it but the idea is there.

Likewise, whilst it’s infuriating to introduce new characters rather than established ones, the Justice Society is 50% successful. Storm and Ant-Man/Deadpool [checks notes] sorry Cyclone and Atom Smasher are of no consequence but Doctor Strange and Falcon [checks notes] sorry Doctor Fate and Hawkman fare far better. Pierce Brosnan and Aldis Hodge are the MVP’s of the film, seeming to actually have an idea of what type of movie they’re in and making their presence known. Sure, these four characters totally rip off Marvel (I know they existed in comic form, but why pick those so close to their MCU counterparts?) but at least it's somewhat of a breath of fresh air.

It goes down as another spectacular failure in the DCEU and might even be a contender for the worst film in the franchise so far. Someone please tell DC to take the platform established through the R-rated ‘dark’ standalones of Joker and The Batman and get those linked up to Suicide Squad (whilst throwing Gal Gadot and Henry Cavill into the mix). Get Zack Snyder to sort it out or something.

2 stars **