I haven’t read any of the Black Adam comics, so I entered this film with only the knowledge gained from the countless YouTube videos explaining that Black Adam is equally as powerful as Superman. One of the great aspects of not being informed is the ability to walk in without any expectations. All I knew was The Rock was in it, and I watch anything Rock affiliated. There are more than enough discussions on how long it took to take this film from comic to the big screen, so I won’t rehash any of those. What I will do is tell you that it was worth the price of admission, and it feels like a reset for the DC Universe. The comedic elements of the film were far removed from Shazam, which is definitely more kid friendly. This film didn’t push too far into the darkness, but to see a hero kill without remorse and for it to be aired and shown as a vital defining aspect of the character’s construction, made this movie more in line with Endgame than earlier, lighter Marvel Films.
The heroes here Hawkman, Dr. Fate, are immediately memorable, but their younger counterparts Cyclone and Atom Smasher, I had to look up to finish this sentence. As a Marvel comparison isn’t very far away when viewing the DCEU, Hawkman and Doctor Fate draw immediate comparison to Falcon/Captain America and Doctor Strange. Atom Smasher is kind of like Ant Man and Cyclone is like Storm, without the control of all elements. Their addition to the film didn’t carry any scenes, but the playful banter between Atom and Cyclone made for good filler material. Hawkman steals the show because he feels more like Batman than what I recall from the Justice Leage cartoons of Saturday morning. His home is Bruce Wayne level cool and between Doctor Fate and Hawkman, their tastes appear influenced by Wayne’s playboy aesthetic. This doesn’t diminish their toughness as the scenes in battle with Black Adam are on par with any fight scene from the first phase of Marvel. Black Adam feels like the beginning and with the mid credit appearance of the most important hero in the DC Universe, I’m expecting great things from this new branch of the DC Extended Universe.
