Dwayne Johnson reunites with his Jungle Cruise director Jaume Cillect-Serra to bring a DC Comic anti-hero to the big screen in Warner Bros. Pictures, Black Adam. Handling the script duties, we have Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani.
Nearly 5,000 years ago, a slave (Dwayne Johnson) was given magical powers by the wizard Shazam. After using his gifts for evil purposes, the man was imprisoned for centuries. Now he’s about to finally be released at the hands of Adrianna Tommaz (Sarah Shahi). Meanwhile, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) has sent the Justice Society with Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), and Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) to neutralize Adam.
My review for Black Adam isn’t going to be a long one. I will try my darnedest not to spoil the film. However, there is no point in spoiling it since it has a pedestrian plot that you can predict well ahead of time. In contrast to 2019’s Shazam, which relied on Zachary Levi’s comedic timing, Black Adam attempts to do something different with its grim tone. While the film carries a PG-13 rating, Dwayne Johnson has a body count in the movie that would make Jason Voorhees proud.
Since making his debut in The Mummy Returns, we know what to expect when seeing Dwayne Johnson on screen. I’ll give him credit for showing some range in Be Cool and Southland Tales. Then again, Dwayne knows he has charisma, so even if it’s a terrible movie, he has a delightful time in the role. As Black Adam, Dwayne has the chance to quip one-liners while the audience enjoys popcorn.
That said, Dwayne allows others in the cast to shine, particularly Aldis Hodge and Pierce Brosnan. With their lively banter, these two nearly steal the movie from Dwayne. I’m going to need an animated sequel in the style of Lethal Weapon for the characters ASAP, as I enjoyed them immensely. The remaining cast members essentially fall into character templates which is fine as we are in a rebuilding phase for the DC Cinematic universe.
To put it simply, Black Adam is an old-school concoction of massive destruction and impressive CGI. We see Dwayne Johnson dodge bullets, catch a missile in his hand, and fling helicopters with casual disdain. While Black Adam doesn’t come close to the glory days of the MCU, it does steer the DCU in the right direction.
Final Grade: B
Black Adam is in theaters now.
Director Potsy Ponciroli shifts gears for his third feature in “Motor City,” produced by IFC Films. Chad St. John penned the film’s screenplay, which was actually on the 2009 Black List and spent several years in development hell before finally getting underway.
San Francisco in film is often depicted through sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge or romanticized, foggy hills. However, “Splash City” from Lionsgate brings the focus down to street level. Co-directed by Alex Ferrufino and Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr. (better known as rapper and entrepreneur Berner), this R-rated crime drama moves away from postcard aesthetics to present a sharp, urgent portrayal of survival on the streets.
Writer-director Lee Cronin made an impressive feature film debut in 2019 with “The Hole in the Ground” and followed it up with a fresh and gruesome installment in the “Evil Dead” franchise, “Evil Dead Rise”. However, due to adult responsibilities, I missed his third film in theaters. The mixed reviews and rumors of a troubled production have me concerned.