Review: Entertaining 'Black Adam' is overstuffed on action, undernourished on character

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Black Adam
3 out of 5 Stars
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writers: Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Sarah Shahi, Pierce Brosnan, Aldis Hodge
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, intense action, and some language.

Studio Synopsis: Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam (Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

Review: From a distance, “Black Adam” is a perfectly acceptable comic-book romp. Dwayne Johnson turns down his charm just enough to give Teth Adam the cold detachment and anger befitting of an antihero. I don’t recall a toothy smile or raised eyebrow. Johnson mostly just offers a hard stare. Not the kind that suggests he’s thinking; the kind that suggests he really doesn’t care. Successful franchises have been built on much less.

If you were on the fence about seeing “Black Adam,” it’s easy for me to recommend that you go and see the film on the largest screen available. It’s big and bombastic in mostly good ways.

Mostly good ways.

“Black Adam” could have been better if it was allowed to simmer. There is enough story here for at least two or three Black Adam films. Rushing to get to the sequels and spinoffs doomed two Spider-Man franchises at Sony. Yes, “Black Adam” sets up some cool possibilities, but you need to tell Teth’s story first. There are some nice twists, but why not save them for a second film? Many of the weighty decisions made by Teth aren’t nearly as heavy as they could have been.

The film would also have benefited if this wasn’t the first time audiences were introduced to Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan). DC made a similar mistake by not making Wonder Woman’s origin film before her appearance in “Batman v. Superman.” That mistake is amplified here, particularly in the case of Dr. Fate, because audiences who aren’t familiar with the source material aren’t going to know who he is or why he’s important.

One of the things that “Shazam!” got right (and it’s also what makes many of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films work) is that we get to see Shazam when he wasn’t busy being a superhero. The character was established as a relatable person who does mundane things. “Black Adam” is so concerned with the action sequences that it forgets to establish who these people are, what drives them, and what frightens them. Sure, we get some awkward scenes between Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) that give the characters a little depth, but I wanted more of the Hawkman and Dr. Fate relationship to be revealed.

I’m also not entirely sure when “Black Adam” takes place. I’m not just talking about the DC Universe. It’s not grounded in a recognizable time or location. Its songs are pulled from numerous decades without reason. The needle drops, few as they are, don’t really add to the atmosphere or the narrative.

The film is brave enough to ask what the purpose of a superhero is. Does the Justice Society exist to ensure freedom and justice or are they simply interested in balance and promoting the status quo? And are their methods ethical? Unfortunately, there is little effort given to answering these questions.

Stylistically, director Jaume Collet-Serra is certainly capable of staging action sequences but is far too obsessed with the use of slow motion. It’s pretty, but ultimately it becomes a distraction to the storytelling.

Hopefully, DC finds a way to build on the base that “Black Adam” and “Shazam!” have established and found a way to pull together the numerous loose strands that the DC Universe has become.