It’s no secret that the DC Cinematic hasn’t had the smoothest time. While representing the original archetypes for many super heroes from billionaires fighting crimes with gadgets to clean cut super individuals DC has a lot to draw from. Now far from the Synderverse and with films like Shazam, Aquaman and The Suicide Squad under it’s belt can Black Adam continue to restore the DC?
For those who do not know Black Adam was originally appearing in Fawcett Comics as part of Captain Marvel’s initial series (aka Shazam not Carol Danvers). Much like Billy Batson Black Adam aka Teth-Adam also received his powers from the Wizard Shazam but unlike Billy, Teth-Adam did it about 5,000 years earlier.
While his origins do vary Black Adam often started as a slave in Egypt, after receiving his powers Teth-Adam became the first tale of absolute power corrupting absolutely as he went from the Wizard Shazam’s champion to killing the Pharaoh and assuming the throne to rule. Unable to remove Teth-Adam’s powers the Wizard threw him to the other side of the Universe which led to Black Adam travelling back for the next 5,000 years to arrive about the same time after a new champion was chosen.
While drawing power from the same place as Captain Marvel/Billy Batson Black Adam is effectively the anti-Superman with all the powers (except replace the vision ones with lightning) and more importantly powered by one of Superman’s main weaknesses – Magic. Across his history Black Adam has played the villain and anti-hero role many times and most of his recent history has had him cross and team with the JSA (the Justice League of World War II) and even as ruler of his own country Kahndaq (which appeared most recently in Wonder Woman 1984).
Black Adam has been a long journey with the Rock who has teased over social media for years wanting to dress as the man in black. Set in the same universe as the other modern DC films including Aquaman, Shazam, Man of Steel and both of the Suicide Squad films, we get a slightly modified origin of Teth-Adam.
Once released from his prison into a modern day Kahndaq which is under military occupation by Intergang (a Metropolis based mafia organisation with access to weapons from Apokolips in the comics). Once freed we get a brutal superhuman who goes through everyone in his path in comic violence you would only have seen in a Deadpool film minus the witty Canadian charm and attracting the attention of Amanda Waller and the Justice Society of America (made up of Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Atom Smasher and Red Tornado… who now seems to be human, female and called Cyclone).
As a film this one is all about the action and the special effects. While not the globe hopping adventure romp you would see in a Marvel film this one might be more straight forward than a Winter Solder but is not confused as to what it is trying to do. Making the Rock a superhero.
So should you go see it? Let’s be clear here, this film is about brutal superhero action with Luke Hobbs going through everyone and the plot being pretty much a straight line in getting where it needs to be. If you have ever seen the Superman vs Black Adam animated short and wanted that but on the big screen with just Black Adam this is exactly what you ordered. If not, there is always re-watching She-Hulk.
Black Adam is out in cinemas across Australia from October 20th
