Black Adam
Watching Black Adam feels somewhat like being trapped inside a two-hour energy drink commercial, where the energy source is simply Dwayne Johnson staring intensely at things until they explode. Johnson spends much of the film hovering a few feet off the ground like an extremely muscular, lightning-powered Roomba fueled by vengeance. The script repeatedly insists that he is “not a hero,” which is amusing given that the film frames him with the dramatic reverence usually reserved for motivational posters.
The story throws together ancient prophecies, magical crowns, and an entire team of superheroes, including Hawkman and Doctor Fate, who at times seem as though they have wandered in from a completely different—and possibly better—film. Much of the dialogue exists primarily so characters can explain what is happening moments before something crashes through a wall. The movie also indulges in so much slow motion that it occasionally feels as though the editor discovered the setting and simply decided to use it everywhere. One of the few genuine highlights is Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate, whose performance adds a welcome sense of presence and gravitas, while the sequence set to Paint It Black manages to deliver a surprising amount of cinematic aura.
By the conclusion, the film has leveled large sections of a city, introduced several superheroes, and delivered what feels like thousands of lightning blasts, yet somehow very little of it leaves a lasting impression. The result is a production that is loud, visually polished, and extremely confident in itself—rather like someone doing push-ups in front of a gym mirror while explosions occur behind them. The experience is less outright terrible than it is strangely hollow, resembling a blockbuster spectacle that somehow forgot to bring much personality along with its extensive CGI.