Black Adam (2022)

 

Ah, DC: how dearly you keep on trying to match Marvel's juggernaut and how often you miss the mark... 

Not that 'Black Adam' is bad, because it isn't. It is alas a bit forgettable. Fun while you are watching (and colourful, oh yes: very colourful), but you will be hard pressed to remember much about it afterwards.

Not even Rockin' My Dwayne Johnson saves this one, strangely enough.

After DC introduced 'Shazam', they had little choice but to also present one of the better known antiheroes of the same genre in 'Black Adam'. And he is a character that is darker, as he has little qualms in killing people. But they had to turn him into a genuine hero a little too quickly here and it shows.

So, prophecy, 5,000 years ago, hero for the country of Khandaq, yadda yadda evil crown. Anyway, the current version of this country is run by an international band of mercenaries called Intergang.

Yes, very often comic book names and organisations have stupid/silly names. Why do you ask?

So people are looking for the crown of evilness and in doing so, they awaken Black Adam, who goes on to murder numerous soldiers, before quickly shifting to a fish-out-of-water story and then the Justice Society (not the Justice League, mind you. That one has the big names like Superman) comes in to apprehend Black Adam. 

Why? Heck if I know. Just so you can have some superpowered conflict, because otherwise this would have been a pretty short story.

Enter forced conflict between especially Black Adam and Hawkman, some uninteresting third rate villain who is the heir to the evil crown, hijinks, big battle, things go boom.

Yes, it's a lot more of the same we have seen countless times and in all honesty: it doesn't stick out.

Most of the acting is okay. You can always count on someone like Pierce Brosnan to bring the goods. Aldis Hodge is also pretty decent as Hawkman. But Dwayne Johnson has to reign himself in and it doesn't gel. The man oozes charisma, but when he is forced to sneer and stare evilly and be all grumpy, something is off. He can do menacing, but when 'menacing' is your sole character trait for three quarters of the film, then it just doesn't work. 

What also becomes grating, is the very obvious CG overdose of pretty much everything. Sure, the film looks pretty (I especially like the effect they use for Cyclone) but you know 90 per cent has been done in front of green screens and it all feels too light and without any real impact. It's so bloody close to a cartoon, one almost wishes they made this a cartoon in the first place.

Now don't get me wrong: as a timewaster this is an enjoyable romp and it brings more of the superhero stuff most people come to associate with the genre. But it doesn't stick with you. 

And don't get me started on the completely random Superman-cameo during the end credits. That was just pointless.