Excellent fight scenes that don’t overtake the story
Who is Black Adam?
More importantly, do I need to know this to enjoy the film? The answer is no. The interwoven plot is enough to explain the protagonist’s actions, and there is sufficient character development in the film to enjoy it as an independent viewing, without ever having heard of Khandaq, DC Comics, the Intergang, or the Justice League.
The real oppressor in this film is debatable, with government representative Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) sending in the Justice League team – Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), and Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan) – to capture the formidable, resurrected antihero Black Adam, who has the love and hopes of the townspeople of Khandaq behind him. All the while in the background, the leader of Intergang Ishmael Gregor (Marwan Kenzari) yearns for the crown of Sabbac to rise and be the all-powerful despotic ruler of Khandaq.
The movie starts with a fight scene where it slows down for the audience to feel the surrealness in which Black Adam finds himself once awoken from his tomb. The talented Lorne Balfe seamlessly blends in music to heighten this feeling. Responsible for the soundtrack of this film, he does this for every scene, using various music styles depending on the action.
There is a fair bit of humour in this film, with much of it based on the fact Black Adam been entombed for 5000 years. There were a couple of jokes that were particularly funny as the dialogue was mismatched to the expected accompanying facials or modern-day cultural expectations. The discussion between Black Adam and Adrianna Tomaz on violence is a good example of this.
Dwayne Johnson has gone from strength to strength in his career and is perfect for the role of “non-hero” Black Adam. He has the physical presence to command the screen as a formidable and intimidating enemy. At the same time, he the right demeanour for a protagonist whose character is self-assured, honourable, and instinctually compassionate, yet has darkness in their soul. He is well suited to the role of an antihero. Although the final fight scene seemed shorter than the usual length you would expect, this only made the film more enjoyable. There was not the long-drawn-out finale that some action films get trapped into. This is a great film for teenagers and adults alike. Be sure to watch the credits, not only do the makers deserve it, it just may be worth your while
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