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.
