Movie Review: Black Adam Is A Light, Fun Watch

Watching Black Adam, I was really happy. This an entertaining film that reminds us, while comic books always carry a note of existentialism, they are also really fun. Part of the bitterness towards comic book, cinematic universes is because they are, basically, The Movies now. Sure, there are good films, especially indie, but the amount of promotion, luck, and hopes that a few bigger actors do not mind pay-cuts for meatier parts and a potential straight to steaming deal, is a lot to ask on a small budget. Hence, what makes Black Adam oddly brave is that it not trying to be a masterpiece. Instead, is pure, chaotic fun with beating heart in the form Dwayne ¨The Rock¨ Johnson. 

Personally, you know when someone really is enjoying themselves. It is not, necessarily, apparent as much as felt. I make that remark because I felt like The Rock cherished his role. You knew he was having a BLAST, and loved the complexity of a character that is truly simple: bad guys get killed. Naturally, the Justice League is not for that, and in a very low-key way, the versus between Black Adam and Hawkman is the typical, existential crisis we expect from a CB: who decides whom is good enough to be defended versus bad enough to let die. If there is a group that understands the difficulty of this question, it is Puerto Ricans/ Latinos that like the people of Kahndaq, know what it is to be told to sit quiet, accept the abusive, foreign power, and not get too riled because global stability will not like it. 

Aldous Hodge has a tough role as Hawkman. First, he is Amanda Waller righteous, right-hand man and, second, he becomes the face of everything wrong with world powers that are too okay with telling some parts of the world to take their chains and chiding with grace for the sake of peace. Yet, Hodge is really charming and he proves that, sometimes, this wrong mentality comes from a good heart and the struggle to connect poor ideas with a sincere desire to give compassion and safety to all. Of course, Black Adam with his you ¨snooze you lose¨  morality perspective is not having that, and he becomes the most ¨anti-hero¨ hero because he checks how superheroes truly define justice. 

We have heard the complaints. Batman, the richest man on earth, spends his night fight villains and arresting the poor. Tony Stark, the greatest, richest scientist to ever live spent most of his time fighting the very weaponry and choices he made to end peoples´ autonomy. CB héroes can represent the best and worst of how we define judicious governing, and Black Adam symbolizes the brewing rebellion towards old ways, and the desire of people, historically placed in slavery or need, to, actually, get freedom and help. Seeing all this play out in one action sequence after another is pretty fun , and director Jaume Collet-Serra and writer Rory Haines make sure this message is smooth enough and not so bombarding so as to make us forget this story is all about BA, even if the end credits scene is the best part because of ¨you know who.¨

All in all, Black Adam was very impressive. It felt like a good stride for WB, whose desire to build a DC universe that rivals Marvel has been rollercoaster, in part, because it has struggled to balance being either overly dark or overly light. Black Adam feels like a blend of both: light enough to be memorable and entertaining, but dark enough to keep you intrigued and watching. Out October 21 In Theaters.