Black Adam (3 Stars)

Black Adam is a character featured in DC Comics. I'd never heard of him, so I assumed that he was a new character, but I've discovered that he's been around since 1945. In the early comics he was a villain, but recent DC Comics have portrayed him as a hero, or rather an anti-hero. Not knowing the comics, I can judge the film on its own merits.

Teth-Adam (as he's called for most of the film) is a slave from the Kingdom of Kahndaq, a fictional country that was located somewhere near Egypt. The King of Kahndaq, Ahk-Ton, craved a rare metal called Eternium which would give him great powers, so he enslaved his people and made them dig for it. A stone made of Eternium granted great powers to a slave who overthrew the kingdom and then disappeared.

In the present day, Kahndaq is being exploited by a criminal organisation called the Intergang. An archaeologist searches for a legendary crown made of Eternium which she hopes will give her the power to rid Kahndaq of the Intergang, but her search leads to the awakening of Teth-Adam after 5000 years of sleep. Adam battles with the Intergang, but Amanda Waller sends the Justice Society (Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Cyclone and Atom Smasher) to apprehend him, because she believes he's not a hero, he's a menace to Kahndaq and the rest of the world.

As I've said repeatedly, Marvel makes better films while DC makes better television series. In that respect, "Black Adam" is a typical DC film. There are nice special effects when the heroes and villains fight, but the problem is with the characters. I couldn't relate to any of them, not even Dwayne Johnson as Teth-Adam, who is annoyingly aloof, not even managing a smile until late in the film. Hawkman is arrogant in his personal definition of who is and isn't a hero. Doctor Fate is mildly interesting (and Pierce Brosnan is always a great actor) in his oblique mystical remarks, but his actual powers aren't clearly defined. Cyclone and Atom Smasher are just young kids who tag along and do what they're told. I think Cyclone could have been a good character if she'd had more screen time. As for Amanda Waller, I've always disliked her. (The character, not the actress). She's willing to commit any devious activities, even outright crimes, to do what she thinks is right. The ends justify the means. Or so they say.

Black Adam is a dull character. I've criticised recent Marvel films for having too much humour, but Dwayne Johnson should have been a funnier character, if only slightly. The mid-credits scene is a hook for a sequel, but unless there are big changes I hope he won't be brought back.