BLACK ADAM

US, 2022, 124 minutes, Colour.

Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Pierce Brosnan, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Quintessa Swindell, Marwan Kenzarii, Bodhi Sabongui, Jalon Christian, Henry Winkler.

Directed by Jaume Collett-Serra.

Black Adam had his comic strip origins in 1945, something of a super villain but who has evolved over the decades into something of an anti hero. Some of that ambiguity is presented in his first major cinema screen appearance.

About 5000 years ago in a city-kingdom called Kahndaq, somewhere in the Middle East, a tyrannical King wanted a precious metal to make an all-powerful crown, forcing thousands of his subjects to dig in the harsh rocks to find it (shades of slaves building the pyramids). However, a bold young man defied him, was executed and his protective father buried. Present day. Kahndaq is occupied and subjugated by foreign mercenaries and an archaeologist raises the father to new life.

This is rather complicated because everybody expects him to be a superhero and to save the oppressed citizens. But, he is reluctant, despite having superpowers (faster than Superman in soaring into the air), a believer in violent retribution. He becomes the target of an elite Justice Society, a kind of more official Fantastic Four, who fly into Kahndaq to take him prisoner. They are led by the wise, Dr Fate, Pierce Brosnan, and his aggressive associate, Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and two youngsters, one of whom, Atom Smasher (Noel Centineo), who seems to prefer to be eating snacks and who would be more at home with the real Fantastic Four.

In fact, there is not all that much plot. The archaeologist and her garrulous and earnest son (and large uncle Al, Henry Winkler) plead with the Justice Society to work with Black Adam, then a fellow worker emerges as the last descendant of the evil King of 5000 years ago and is after the Crown which the archaeologist has rescued. So, with this basic plot, there are lots of fights, special effects, Black Adam soaring everywhere, confrontations with members of the Justice Society, and with the evil, ambitious would-be King and his minions.

Since the word Shazam is taken up already, and used several times here, perhaps a way of describing this film is that, of all the DC films, it is the most “smasherooist”. And, it would seem from the fans, that this is really what they want, admiration for Dwayne Johnson as a superhero/antihero, lots of action (plus more), and they’re acclaiming it as “fun”.

For those wanting a moment or two of sophistication, there is some ironic and sarcastic interchanges between Dwayne Johnson and Pierce Brosnan – and for sophistication not too many more moments!

1. The history of DC comics? The range of characters? Superpowers? Superheroes? Superheroics men – and Wonder Woman?
2. Black Adam, appearing in 1945, the story of origins, the city, a villain? Changing over the decades? Becoming antihero? Not wanting to be superhero? The demands in this story?
3. The visualising of Kahndaq, 2500 BC, the population, the king and his ambitions, the story of the precious metal, to make a crown, the people in slavery, the young boy’s standing up to the king, his arrest and death, his mother, his father protective, the death of his father and burial?
4. The continuing of the legends, the city in the 21^st-century, the huge statue of the hero? The occupation of the city by the foreign mercenaries? The archaeologist, her precocious son, the uncle? Her going to the tomb, hiding in the vehicle, her son distracting the mercenaries? Her reading the hieroglyphics, the dead man coming to life? The archaeologist and her hopes?
5. The mercenary attack on the burial site, the wounding of the uncle, the death of the co-worker? His suspicious looks? His later emergence, the last descendant of the ancient kingdom, his ambitions for the Crown?
6. The introduction of The Justice Society, Dr Fate and his leadership, wisdom, the helmet and powers, the ability to see the future? Hawkman, aggressive? The young man, Atom Smasher, callow, always wanting snacks? His ability to become huge? The young woman, her whirlwind powers? Working with the young man? The mission, order? The plane, the technology, the flight? Arriving in the city? To destroy Black Adam?
7. Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam, his growing popularity, embodying this role, strong, giant, powers, ability in flight, violence and vengeance? His intervening to save the archaeologist and her son? The treatment of the mercenaries, lifting up the adversaries, prepared to drop them? His unwillingness to be a superhero?
8. The archaeologist, the explanation of the situation? To be rid of the mercenaries? Freedom? The people behind? Her character, motherly? Her son, the skateboarding, garrulous, with the Justice Society, with the crown, his knapsack, hiding the crown?
9. The interaction between the Justice Society and Black Adam? Discussions, point of view, fighting, joining together?
10. The succession of battles, stunt work, special effects? Smashing? Black Adam and his manoeuvres? The Justice Society, the fights, attitudes?
11. Dr Fate, his fate, seeing the future, handing on to Hawkman? His death?
12. The revelation of the traitor, his ambitions, manoeuvres, his thugs, the film’s succession of fights and battles?
13. Ultimate success, participation of the mother, her son, the restoration of the uncle?
14. The achievement, freedom, the people? And the future for Black Adam?
15. The jokes about Superman, the young boy and the posters in his room, DC figures? Disfiguring of the Superman poster? In the final credits and Superman’s appearance?